About Helena




                                Helena Greathouse -- BIO


From age seven throughout her childhood Helena sang on the Czechoslovak National Radio and performed in musicals in principal and leading roles on both the Czechoslovak National TV and live theater in her native Czechoslovakia.  Her dance teacher was a direct pupil of Isadora Duncan.  Later Helena studied voice under professors of Prague Conservatory of Music and continues to do so now whenever she is in Prague.  She also studies with a professional voice instructor when in the United States

In teenage years Helena turned to competitive sports, competing in Rhythmic Gymnastics for 12 years in Europe on the advanced level.  That led to pursuing an international judging career later in her life (including three World Championships, Pan Am, Goodwill Games, and two Olympics).  During her competitive years in sports Helena continued to sing as a soloist with a folklore group.

In her adult life, after receiving a Master’s of Science degree in Statistics / Economics from the University of Prague, School of Economics, Helena had a ‘normal’ job – first as Statistician with the State of Oregon, later as Mathematician with Bonneville Power Administration (a Federal Agency).  Then both she and her husband Mark took early retirement when it was offered, and decided to do what they were doing as children – focusing on the arts. 

After judging internationally for the U.S., Helena brought her dance experience from Rhythmic Gymnastics to the arts, performing again on stage and in films and forming a duo ‘The GREAT HOUSE of Music’ www.greathouseofmusic.com, with her husband Mark.  In 2010 Helena and Mark made it to the Judges’ Round of America’s Got Talent (as one of the 400 acts which advanced from the 70,000 initial entries nationwide).

Since 2005 Helena sang, acted and danced in performances with various Portland, Oregon, theatres.  Helena and Mark, as a duo, also appeared repeatedly as guest performers on several variety shows (Miz Kitty’s Parlour Vaudeville Novelty Show, ScratchPDX, Performance Works NorthWest and Shadow Vaudeville Variety Show).  In 2008 Helena and Mark represented the modern dance company tEEth in the Ten Tiny Dances event.

Helena and Mark have recently developed their own one-hour show which they are beginning to take on tour around Oregon.  First introduced at the 2014 Portland Fertile Ground of New Works, it features humorous stories of their early life history together, beginning in Hamburg, Germany, where they met as foreign students from their respective countries (Helena from the former Czechoslovakia and Mark from the U.S.)  The show, aptly titled “You Do Speak English, Don’t You?”, highlights some of Mark’s original compositions which he plays on the accordion while Helena sings.