Our Splash! artist, Helen, talks about her experience playing the role of Flo and what she’s working on now.

My name is Helen and I’m a dancer, actress, and wannabe musician.

Last summer, I was offered a role in an East Midlands touring production of ‘Splash!’ which tells the story of Flo’, a determined young woman with a disability who, after many underwater adventures of her own, teaches her lockkeeper Grandad to swim.

When the show ended in September 2019, there was talk of maybe doing a UK tour in 2021/2022, but, of course, Covid and Lockdown have put all our dreams on hold for now.

I’m very lucky. I have friends and family who support me, and I keep busy co-leading weekly online inclusive dance classes with a company I joined back in 2017 called DanceSyndrome which is based in Preston.

Here are some links to the weekly free and paid sessions run by DanceSyndrome

Join us on Zoom!

Wake N Dance

Funk Out

Infant Dance

Everybody Dance

New Ballet, Jazz & Relax sessions also starting soon

I do other stuff as well… weekly online violin lessons, regular walks/bike rides along the promenade close to where we live etc – but I still miss my daily gym’ and swimming sessions.

And then recently, out of the blue, I get offered the chance of reprising the role of Flo’ in Splash!, though this time an online digital production. I was also asked to create an original dance piece.

The best bit is that I’m working with two of the original show’s cast: Puppeteer Nikki Charlesworth, plus aerial gymnast/dancer, Rebecca Solomon.

Aside from the online stuff, and weather permitting, it also involves me getting videoed ‘ doing ‘wild/open’ swimming in our local marine lake. Not for the faint hearted if you are scared of jellyfish!

Keep smiling,

Helen