Performing Arts at Helenswood School
Click here for the Performing Arts, What's On 2009-10 Details
-------------------- The Groovy Magic Love Show! ---------------------
Helenswood School celebrated the end of another successful year with a range of Performing Arts events across the whole school.
The Groovy Magic Love Show – an original musical featuring a stream of hits from the 60s featured students from all year groups and played to full audiences.
Over 600 students took part in the Interform Dance competition featuring a range of styles and music.
The final week saw Helenswood hosting their very own X Factor competition which gave the students the opportunity to display their superb performance skills.
-------- Gormley Exhibition Performance at the De La Warr ---------
On Friday 25th June, Year 12 & 13 students performed at the De La Warr Pavilion under the direction of Miss Vanner
This was an evening of random events which coincided with the Anthony Gormley Exhibition “Critical Mass”
Jordan Townsend (Year 13) and Hannah Williams (Year 11) both brought along their A Level and GCSE choreography’s based on the work of Anthony Gormley.
The students performed in the foyer to an appreciative audience of parents and the general public. The Education Office at the De La Warr - Polly Gifford expressed her delight and amazement at the high quality of work.
---------- Helenswood to perform at the Courtyard Theatre ----------
Following on from our performance of Julius Caesar at the RSC Festival on the 15th March held at Helenswood Upper School, we are very excited to announce that Helenswood has been chosen to open the National Schools Celebration Festival in Stratford on July 5th at the Courtyard Theatre on the RSC’s main stage.
This is such an excellent opportunity for the students involved.
Parents are invited to come along to the event, view the invitation in the link below.
RSC Regional Schools Celebration 2010 Invitation
We will keep you posted with updates and photos.
------------------ Julius Caesar “The Ides of March” -------------------
Helenswood continued its unique collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company this last term with a series of workshops delivered by a professional director for Helenswood and a core group of cluster schools in the town.
Schools taking part were St Mary’s Star of the Sea Primary School, St Leonards Primary School, Hollington Primary School, Blacklands Primary School and Guestling-Bradshaw primary school all of whom developed the skills learned in workshops to create performances based on Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.
The performances were then staged together in a unique festival – with a full house audience - on the main stage at Helenswood Upper School. This was an exciting, memorable occasion with over 160 students coming together to produce powerful, imaginative theatre.
Royal Shakespeare Company quote:
Just to say a big well done again for your festival yesterday!! It was fantastic to see so many of the parents there - and I think it really gave a sense of the occasion to have all the young performers on the stage at the end – there were lots of them and rightly proud of all their hard work! There were some wonderful ideas and performances from all the schools. Rebecca (RSC practitioner) was particularly impressed with how far some of the Primary children had come since her first meeting with them. And the Helenswood performance had some very powerful ideas in it that we all really liked.
Well done again and a heartfelt thank you for all the hard work everyone has put in to make the festival so successful.
----------------- Holocaust Memorial Service – Legacy of Hope
& Chelsea Dance Festival – Brighton University ----------------------
Helenswood continues to develop its outreach programme across the community, participating in two significant events.
GCSE Dance students and two GCSE Music students took part in a Holocaust Memorial Service at St Marys in the Castle on Saturday 30th January.
The dancers performed a poignant piece based on human rights and Amnesty International choreographed by Dance Teacher - Elaine Vanner. The music students sung a haunting song written and composed by Performing Arts Director - Niall Whitehead.
The students were thanked by Reverend Christopher Sears MBE and Frank Millar for their professional contribution to this very moving event.
Also on the same morning, A Level, GCSE and Gifted &Talented dancers from Helenswood once again joined other schools in Sussex at the annual Chelsea Dance Festival at Brighton University to perform their work “Who am I” and “The Hum”.
The students as always showcased their superb talents and professionalism in both events.
------------------------- Arts Award Scheme! ---------------------------
At Helenswood some girls are currently participating in the arts award scheme. They are enjoying taking part in different activities including fun street dance and music workshops.
They have been invited to attend different shows such as Little Shop of Horrors at Tunbridge Wells and Snow White on Ice in Eastbourne.
The students take on the challenge of researching a practitioner they admire, share their skills with others and spend time improving their chosen art form. It is a fun and exciting lunchtime and after school activity where the girls can meet new people, share their experiences and grow and develop through the arts.
At each level the girls take on a new personal learning challenge and although I am only doing my Bronze award at the moment I am enjoying it enormously and cannot wait to move on to the Silver and Gold levels.
Written by: Cait Townsend 8KB
--------------- Helenswood Student in Dance Success! ----------------
Helenswood student, Aimee Wright has successfully qualified for advanced training from the prestigious London Contemporary Dance School!
After an intensive selection process with over 200 students auditioning, Aimee successfully qualified with only 30 places available. She will now have the opportunity to expand upon her talent with training from leading dance professionals to truly maximise her potential. Training will cover areas including contemporary and ballet techniques, repertoire, choreography and contextual studies (including anatomy, nutrition and injury prevention).
We would like to congratulate Aimee on this fantastic achievement and all wish her great success in the future!
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