Helen Garner, BAHons, AIDTA, PGCE
Helen started out in the rather unusual artform of contortion which she performed throughout the country. After gaining her degree in Performance/Dance, Helen then went on to teach a variety of styles including Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Contemporary at schools in London and locally, before opening Prime Movers School of Dance and Theatre Arts in Cambridge.
In recent years Helen has taught Dance at Hills Road Sixth Form College on both the Performance Studies and Dance A Level courses and is solely responsible for Dance provision at the college.
Helen’s most recent dance production was a full-scale contemporary ballet in collaboration with a talented young musician and two of her daughters, Bryony and Emily, called “Anka’s Story” – a true story of survival and courage - featured on BBC's Look East.
Helen has a love of choreography, particularly within musical theatre, and has choreographed over 50 shows at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, Arts Theatre, Mumford Theatre, ADC Theatre and Robinson Theatre, as well as outlying villages. These include “Fiddler on the Roof”, “My Fair Lady”, “Anything Goes”, “The King and I”, “Cabaret”, “The Wizard of Oz” and “The Producers”, to name but a few. Additionally, Helen has been Director for a variety of musicals including Seussical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Rent, and Alice in Wonderland.
In recent years Helen has taught Dance at Hills Road Sixth Form College on both the Performance Studies and Dance A Level courses and is solely responsible for Dance provision at the college.
Helen’s most recent dance production was a full-scale contemporary ballet in collaboration with a talented young musician and two of her daughters, Bryony and Emily, called “Anka’s Story” – a true story of survival and courage - featured on BBC's Look East.
Helen has a love of choreography, particularly within musical theatre, and has choreographed over 50 shows at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, Arts Theatre, Mumford Theatre, ADC Theatre and Robinson Theatre, as well as outlying villages. These include “Fiddler on the Roof”, “My Fair Lady”, “Anything Goes”, “The King and I”, “Cabaret”, “The Wizard of Oz” and “The Producers”, to name but a few. Additionally, Helen has been Director for a variety of musicals including Seussical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Rent, and Alice in Wonderland.
Paul Garner, ABSM, GBSM
Paul is a professional musician who has played in various ensembles, bands and orchestras across the world. Locally he is founder of the prestigious Prime Brass whose performances have been heard on Radio 4, family concerts at the Arts Theatre and West Road, regular organ and brass recitals at Kings College Chapel, Cambridge, and numerous concerts and functions both in the UK and abroad. Additionally Paul teaches brass at various schools throughout the area.
Paul has been Musical Director for various celebrities and more recently has shifted into musial theatre, both for Fledgling Productions and other regional groups. When not Musical Director, Paul has taken on lead roles in local large-scale productions, including Barnum in “Barnum”, Kipps in “Half a Sixpence”, Bill in “Me and My Girl”, and more recently, his favourite role to date, Max Bialystock in “The Producers”.
Paul has been Musical Director for various celebrities and more recently has shifted into musial theatre, both for Fledgling Productions and other regional groups. When not Musical Director, Paul has taken on lead roles in local large-scale productions, including Barnum in “Barnum”, Kipps in “Half a Sixpence”, Bill in “Me and My Girl”, and more recently, his favourite role to date, Max Bialystock in “The Producers”.
Guest Tutors:
LESLEY FORD
Lesley is a founder and Director of Keystage Arts and Heritage - a company which uses theatre and other art forms to celebrate and share history and heritage - directing performances that inevitably result from the varied projects in local schools and communities. Additionally, Lesley has been involved in writing and adapting plays, directing, stage management and even performing from time to time.
She is a trained Primary School teacher most recently as Head of Expressive and Performance Arts at Arbury Primary School Cambridge, spending half of her time out of class to develop the school’s unique commitment to Primary Theatre and music. She has published books on teaching Key Stage 1 literacy and maths actively.
Lesley also manages Phoenix – a choral music organization including a network of primary school choirs right up to Phoenix Chorale, the foremost youth choir in Cambridgeshire. She is a member of the Cambridge Drama Festival Committee and a regular contributor of plays which have won nearly twenty awards, including Best Junior Group for five out of the six years.
Lesley is a founder and Director of Keystage Arts and Heritage - a company which uses theatre and other art forms to celebrate and share history and heritage - directing performances that inevitably result from the varied projects in local schools and communities. Additionally, Lesley has been involved in writing and adapting plays, directing, stage management and even performing from time to time.
She is a trained Primary School teacher most recently as Head of Expressive and Performance Arts at Arbury Primary School Cambridge, spending half of her time out of class to develop the school’s unique commitment to Primary Theatre and music. She has published books on teaching Key Stage 1 literacy and maths actively.
Lesley also manages Phoenix – a choral music organization including a network of primary school choirs right up to Phoenix Chorale, the foremost youth choir in Cambridgeshire. She is a member of the Cambridge Drama Festival Committee and a regular contributor of plays which have won nearly twenty awards, including Best Junior Group for five out of the six years.
