From Castle Rock Sixth Form to the Big Stage: How Helena Found Her Passion for Choreography

Helena, a former student at Castle Rock Sixth Form, is now in her third year of studying a BA HONS in Dance Performance at Dance City - Dance Agency for the North East. During her time at Castle Rock, Helena discovered her passion for choreography and creating impactful work that had a strong identity and was relatable to audiences. The support of the staff at Castle Rock allowed Helena to explore her interests and individuality and provided her with opportunities to do so through theoretical and practical lessons.

Since leaving Castle Rock Sixth Form, Helena's passion for choreography has continued to grow. The development of her latest work, Wake Up: Walk Away, began with research and the exploration of ideas and topics that she was passionate about. Throughout the process, Helena paid attention to environmental, social, and political factors, as well as past and current artists who influenced her own style of choreography. This process began at Castle Rock Sixth Form, where she was able to learn about different dance artists and how they established the way they work and create. She was then able to put this research into practice by physically exploring their way of movement and how that felt within her own body, thus shaping her individual dance and creation practice.

Through many theoretical and practical lessons at Castle Rock Sixth Form, Helena learned a vast range of skills and techniques that could be applied when creating work, and how different techniques create different outcomes. She was also exposed to different styles of dance from around the world, as well as different disciplines that can accompany dance, such as text, sound, dance theatre, lighting, and set design. These elements have been integrated into her developing practice as a choreographer and dancer.

Helena plans to pursue a masters in choreography at DMU and potentially do freelance work. Her time at Castle Rock Sixth Form laid the foundation for her passion and success in the field of dance and choreography.