Performing Artist of Spirituals and Gullah Stories
Helen
Royal in the persona of “Dah” – the nanny so familiar and beloved
to downtown Charleston homes – sings spirituals and tells stories
in the Gullah language.
Born and raised in Charleston with family ancestry reaching back
to the founding of the city, Helen enthusiastically portrays the
richness and rhythms of the Lowcountry.
Many
children in Charleston were raised and nurtured by Dahs (the Gullah
vernacular for “nanny”), whose job it was to “mime dem chillen,
an’ mek sho dey ain’t git in no trebble!” “Dem chillen” were
often entertained by Gullah tales and sung to sleep by spirituals. The
unique blending of sounds, rhythms, and colors from the Lowcountry’s
“braided” European and African cultures were deeply etched on Helen’s
spirit and personality from childhood. Helen presents her programs
through the voice of “Dah” in honor of her own childhood Dah, Ella, and
all those very special Dahs who have nurtured families for generations
Audubon
scholar Alexander Sprunt, Jr. stated in Carolina Lowcountry
Impressions, “The vivid and varied beauty of the Lowcountry can
never be perfectly translated into pictures or words. Its riches are
offered to the senses and the heart.” At the heart of Helen’s dramatic
singing and whimsical tales is a passion for the plaintive spirituals
and delightful Gullah dialect. “I soaked in the cultural richness of
Lowcountry rhythms and folklore much as I breathed in the salt air and
was soothed by the stretching vistas of marshland and ocean.”
Helen’s
lyrical soprano voice and “personalized” presentation for each audience
combine to create an unforgettable experience. Through her songs and
stories, oftentimes listeners imaginatively relive some long forgotten
memory of their childhood.
Helen includes
short narratives to explain the origins of the spirituals and stories.
She can be booked by contacting David Archer of Archer Music Service,
LLC at 843-871-4460 or by email:
david@archermusic.com
for solo engagements, conventions, historical events, or fundraisers.
HELEN ROYAL RESUME
Education
Helen attended Ashley Hall School for Girls in Charleston, SC
B
Grades 1-12
Received her B.A. in English from the College of Charleston
Studied for three years with Robert Simpson, former Director,
Princeton's Westminster Choir
Sample of
Performances
International Diabetic Research Convention- Gibbes Art Gallery
Dinner party
B
former home of Dubose Heyward
International Marine Biology Convention
B
Middleton Plantation
Wedding reception
B
Old Exchange Building
Barbados Cultural Exchange
B
Magnolia Gardens
Convention of International Business Professors
B
Boone Hall
International Foresters Convention
B
Riviera Theater
Special Presentation
B
Charleston Museum
Convention of International Physicians
B
Boone Hall
Garden Presentations
B
Historic Residences
Sample of
Spirituals and Songs
Deep River
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Scandalize My Name
Lil' David
Ride On King Jesus
Arias from
Porgy and Bess
Various Classical and Folk pieces
Sample of
Stories
Buh Rabbit Stories/ Original stories
Charleston Historical Sites/ and stories
Various readings in the Gullah language
Buh
Blacksnake
I Believe I'll Go Back Home
Audio Samples
