Helen joined Middlesex University in 2007 as a part-time Lecturer teaching Release-based dance technique and choreography, having previously taught as a Visiting Lecturer at Roehampton University. Helen is now a Senior Lecturer in Dance, teaching release technique, improvisation, choreography and community dance practice on the undergraduate dance programmes and Co-Programme Leads the MA Professional Practice, Dance Technique Pedagogy, with Dr Adesola Akinleye.
During her time at Middlesex Helen has worked as an Artistic Assessor for the Arts Council England, held the post of Academic Representative for Performing Arts for the Teaching and Learning Strategy Academics at Middlesex and served on the Executive Board of DanceHE.
Helen is currently co-curator and resident choreographer for the TRIP project (Turning Research Ideas into Practice) with Dancing Strong and an active member of TIN (TransDisciplinary Improvisation Network).
Helen's doctural studies are focused around the conversations between practice and performance through improvised dance.
Programme Leader: MA Professional Practice, Dance Technique Pedagogy.
Facilitating dialogue and the discourse of pedagogical issues around dance experienced in a variety of contexts. Mentoring/supervision of MA candidates, all of whom are active practitioners in the field of dance.
Module Leader across levels 4-6 within the BA Dance Performance and BA Dance Studies programmes.
Areas of interest include inclusivity in dance, dance in participatory settings, the nuturing of the creative artist through dance training, improvisation and choreography, professional practice and employability.
Current areas of research interest sit within themes of Identity, trust, and environment within creative/choreographic experimentation through improvisation.
Recent projects include;
'Dancing About...' embodied movement project with Elders in partnership wit DancingStrong and Watford Museum.
'KnowingUnknowing' Improvised music and dance performance project with musician Benjamin Dwyer. Part I premiering at the Inside Out festival in London 2015. Full work developed in triptych form for film and live performance in 2016.
Kindred, Helen (2019) espacement. [Film/Video]
Dwyer, Benjamin and Kindred, Helen (2019) KnowingUnknowing. [Film/Video]
Akinleye, Adesola and Kindred, Helen (2019) Wright-ing the somatic: narrating the bodily. Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices , 11 (1). pp. 3-6. ISSN 1757-1871
Kindred, Helen (2019) ...whispers. [Film/Video]
Gomes, Pete and Dwyer, Benjamin and Kindred, Helen (2018) KnowingUnknowing. [Film/Video]
'Dancing About...' Elders project in partnership with DancingStrong and Watford Museum.
'Wright-in the Somatic' symposium
Formerly Artistic Assessor (dance) Arts Council England, and Executive Board Member for DanceHE
