Student's success helped by love of aerial dance

Giselle Pearson, a 28-year-old woman from Colwall in Herefordshire, has become an inspiring example of how passion and determination can help overcome personal challenges. Giselle struggled with her mental health as a student, but her love for aerial dance played a huge role in helping her turn her life around. Aerial dance is a unique art form that combines dance and acrobatics, often performed using hoops or silks suspended in the air. Thanks to her dedication, Giselle is now graduating from Keele University in Staffordshire with first-class honours in computer science and mathematics, and she has been named Student of the Year. She is also about to begin a PhD, focusing on dyslexia in computer interaction design.

Giselle’s journey was not always easy. She did exceptionally well in her GCSEs, earning four A stars, three As, and two Bs. However, when she moved on to sixth form, things became more difficult. Her attendance dropped, and she only completed one A-Level. Giselle had always dreamed of becoming a doctor and had her future carefully planned out. But after a disappointing hospital work experience and receiving lower grades than she expected in two subjects, she began to doubt her plans. This led to depression and an eating disorder, and she was later diagnosed as autistic. Despite these setbacks, Giselle did not give up. She completed a physics A-Level on her own and eventually discovered aerial dance, which became a turning point in her life.

Aerial dance helped Giselle change her mindset. Instead of focusing on how her body looked or trying to fit a certain image, she started to appreciate what her body could do when she took care of herself. At Keele University, she founded an aerial dance society, which now has over 100 members. Winning the Student of the Year award was an emotional moment for her, and she said she cried tears of happiness. Giselle is now looking forward to starting her PhD, where she hopes to help others with dyslexia, a condition she also has. Her story is a powerful reminder that even when life doesn’t go as planned, finding something you are passionate about can help you overcome obstacles and achieve success.