‘Searing choreography, sourced from a deep place. From tribal contortions to sublime and sensual forms‘.

Movement Direction and Choreography are central to Helen’s practice as an artist.

She is driven to explore the body as a power-house of emotional storytelling, creating highly physical and thought-provoking work, devising movement for both large-scale productions as well as more intimate storytelling. Commissions span from theatre, to live contemporary work, indie film, and site-specific productions.

A central focus to Helen’s choreographic practice is exploring the combined landscape of poetry and movement. She is currently researching a dance adaption of Max Porter’s award-winning text ‘Grief Is the Thing with Feathers’ as part of her Arts Council funded interdisciplinary project, ‘Beyond Words’.



OTHER CREATIVE WORKS

‘DESCENT’ TRAILER | MIDLANDS ACTORS THEATRE,

“A brilliant piece of theatre”- Elise Evans, Radio WM

DIRECTED BY DAVID ALLEN.

CHOREOGRAPHY BY HELEN CALCUTT.

FEATURING SHELLEY EVA HADEN.

In the aftermath of war, four characters go on a strange and mysterious journey – descending underground. They are haunted by visions, and ghosts of the past. The things they have done, the things they have gone through, the things they have seen. Can they rebuild their lives?

Their journey ends in a strange encounter – and a dreamlike vision of the Earth reborn.

A DAY IN THE LIFE (OF A WRITER) | BIDF TV

DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY HELEN CALCUTT

A short dance-film casting a brief spotlight onto a day-in-the-life of a writer. Created during lockdown. Showcased as part of the BIDF TV Dance Festival and the One Dance UK Film Festival.

GRIEF IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS | Arts Council England

FEATURING FRANKIE HICKMAN, CLAIRE LAMBERT, SARA MACQUEEN, AND SHELLEY EVA HADEN.

MOVEMENT DIRECTION BY HELEN CALCUTT

Using award-winning novella, ‘Grief Is The Thing With Feathers’ by Max Porter, dancers explore approaches to embodying text and re-telling story through movement. This is an ongoing project taking that vital step towards dance and words blending in ways that go beyond expected norms, delving into a more truthful experience of word & body language cohesion.

The project was created in April 2021, and is funded by Arts Council England, and supported by The DanceXchange.


GALLERY

‘DESCENT’ | THE LAMPWORKS | MIDLANDS ACTORS THEATRE, 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY © KATE GREEN 2021


‘THE DARLASTON DOG FIGHT’ |The Arena Theatre 2018

PHOTOGRAPHY © WAYNE FOX 2019


‘I’D DO IT ALL AGAIN’ |

COMMUNITY PRODUCTION, MIDLANDS ACTORS THEATRE, 2019

PHOTOGRAPHY © KATE GREEN 2019