Helen is a dance and visual artist based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her practice explores how we perceive and experience the sensory world around us. As a severely partially sighted woman, her identity is central to her work. Curious about how her interaction with the sensory environment might differ from others, Helen seeks out new spaces and explores the margins. Through this process she uncovers alternative viewpoints and brings untold stories to the fore. It is often within these in-between spaces that thoughtful and intuitive creativity emerges.

Helen’s explorations are rooted in a movement-focused practice but find expression across a range of forms, including live dance performance, dance film, immersive audio experiences, and phototropic explorations.

Her work has been presented at festivals across Northern Ireland, including the Belfast International Arts Festival, Bounce Festival, Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, and Belfast Children’s Festival, among others.

As a disabled artist, Helen describes her journey into dance and performance as a bit of a ‘zig-zag’ route. Her artistic background spans several areas of study. She holds an HND in Dance (Distinction) from Belfast Metropolitan College, a Diploma in Art and Design (Distinction), and a BA (Hons) in English Literature from Queen’s University Belfast. Helen is also a yoga teacher, and draws on all of these areas of study and practice when conceiving and creating new work.