Helen Elizabeth Heckman (December 10, 1898 – April 17, 1975) was a deaf American dancer from Oklahoma.

Helen Elizabeth Heckman was born in Manito, Illinois, and raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma,[1] with summers on Cayuga Lake in New York.

[11] Heckman performed as a dancer in the 1920s, often in elaborate costumes, including on a tour of Europe, with her sister Mildred, a violinist.

[17][18][19] She was often presented as an inspirational example of "overcoming",[20] highlighting her youthful beauty[21] and physical fitness and celebrating her fluent speech.

[22][23] "Ten years ago you would have pitied Helen Heckman," began one newspaper profile in 1922, after she won second prize in a national beauty contest, explaining that "Helen has been metamorphosed by her brilliant step-mother into a charming, cultured girl of keen mentality.