They only had Disney films on the farm in Muiden. There were no books in her childhood, maybe some novels from her mother, but they didn’t pull her. Heleen Heijdra (33) drew, she drew dragons. Those dragons had her grip, she was fond of it. It came, she thinks, through her father’s last name. Heijdra. Thra, dragon: small step. In Greek mythology you have the Hydra van Lerna, a dragon -like monster. At Heleen they had a family newspaper, the Heijdraakje. So.
Around the age of nineteen, it was at least when she did not yet have a driver’s license, she came to Castlefest for the first time, a medieval fantasy festival on the site of Keukenhof Castle in Lisse. She had come with someone, just a day. There were elves, knights, wizards, they were with a lot. That all turned out to be possible, to exist. “I knew nothing.”
Heleen Heijdra made her centaur suit herself, she made it extra strong so that children can sit on her back.
Photo Saskia van den Boom
Later, when she had a car and also some money to spend, she went more often. “I did dressed up, but not very well yet.” Until seven years ago, then she went as a centaur for the first time.
How did she get there? “Well, I wanted something special. And I like a challenge.” She made the Centaur all by herself, except the pants, who has made a customized one for her.
Such a centaur is not ready quickly, you have to be patient. First she searched the internet examples. There she mainly found styrofoams centae hours, they were too light for her. Her oldest brother helped with the base. A hollow tube and around it a structure of light metal. The Centaur got wheels. With chicken wire she gave it shape. Then PUR foam. You have to master that, it went wrong a few times. After a year he was finished.
Visitors to Castlefest.
Photo Saskia van den Boom
And now he has been coming along for seven years, she has only given him a new skin. The skin of fleece blanket did not stay beautiful. Then she went to a large fabric shed for a “new nephend.”
The animal had to be sturdy so that a child could sit on it. “It makes them so happy, that really makes your day.” This year again, we call each other a week after the festival, she made children happy. It also goes around, at Castlefest, that there is a centaur that the children can sit on. At home, with her own “little girl” she leaves the suit in the attic – as Centaur she can’t keep up with her child.
Suzanne sleeves as a Victorian rabbit, with a hint of steampunk.
Matthijs Boomgaard was inspired by the film ‘Beetlejuice’.
Sander loves Metal, and the Grungeband Alice in Chains.
Lisa de Gouw has made her beard herself.
Nina Ruiter “stepped through the Magic Mirror”, but did not get out of good.
Ruben Nicolai is a Steampunk photographer. Part of his outfit has been made with the 3D printer.
Pleun Brouws is dressed as a seventeenth-century Italian clown, a pierrot.
Maurits van der Boon stepped with Nina Ruiter through the Magic Mirror, “we are half stuck in an alternative time path”.
Laura Jacobs saw the knight princess dress with an artist, and was immediately in love.
Ans Bras is like a flower queen, she thought that fits well because it was a somewhat rainy day.
Chayenne rose streets as ‘demonic non’.
With her costume, Dana Wagevoort brings an ode to the pirate band Ye Banished Privateers.
Photos Saskia van den Boom
So she started with those dragon drawings, now she has made a study of mythical figures. By Narnia she learned a lot. And yes, the best known is Loch Ness’s monster, “of course it is always uncertain whether it really exists.” She doesn’t know either, “I am very sober in that.” Isn’t it nice if it really exists? “Well, it would be better not, if you know what a huge animal that is. The T. Rex, you would rather keep it in the past.” And what would she like in the real world? “Yes,” she says, in one tone as if that is asking for the well -known road, “fairies. Those are the good ones.”
Visitors to Castlefest
Photo Saskia van den Boom