Inspiring Dance Company Jolt To Delight Queenstown Audiences

Te Atamira is thrilled to be bringing Jolt, a dance company from Ōtautahi Christchurch, to share its powerful and inclusive performance work with Queenstown audiences next week.

Jolt has been a pioneer of innovative, disability-led dance practice since 2001. Working with more than 200 dancers with intellectual disabilities as students, teachers, and performers, the company challenges mainstream perceptions of dance, disability, and difference - creating work that is both artistically distinctive and deeply human.

Jolt’s dynamic programme expands the boundaries of creativity, transporting audiences and opening up new ways of seeing the world.

Jolt dancer and tutor Lachlan Oakes says, “We empower dancers to embrace their differences and be themselves, to own the space.”

Jolt’s internationally recognised practice continues to gain momentum. Recent highlights include a South Korea tour with Seoul-based Light Sound and Friends, where they delivered workshops, collaborated with local artists, and co-created new work through the MADE (Mixed Ability Dance Education) programme. Their collaborations also span high schools across Aotearoa, The World Buskers Festival, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, and a feature at the Doc Edge Film Festival.

Now, they bring their work to Tāhuna, with a series of events designed to reach and connect with the wider community:

• Wairua Auaha | Creative Spirit – accessible dance workshop

Friday 1 May, 11am | Koha, registration required

Ahead of their public performance, Jolt will lead a one-off inclusive workshop for dancers and learners of all abilities.

• Whakapapa – public performance

Friday 1 May, 7pm | $25 adult, $15 student

Whakapapa shares the stories of six dancers with intellectual disabilities, exploring identity, culture, and ancestral connection through dance, text, and film. Co-created by the performers, each piece offers a deeply personal perspective - celebrating individuality and moving beyond labels of disability.

Described as “one of the most powerful examples of theatrical self-expression in recent years,” Whakapapainvites audiences into a moving, multi-layered experience of storytelling through movement, waiata, poetry, and film.

• Free workshop for senior citizens

Saturday 2 May, 10:30am | Free for 60+

A dynamic workshop using music and movement to foster connection, communication, and creativity in a supportive and joyful environment.

Ruth Heath, Te Atamira’s Director, says, “We’re thrilled to bring Jolt to Queenstown, inviting audiences into the energy and storytelling these dancers carry. Whakapapa is both empowering and moving - this is a rare opportunity to experience something unique.”

Lyn Cotton, Jolt’s Artistic Director, says, “We are really excited to be bringing Whakapapa to Te Atamira. This show means a lot to us. It’s been co-created with our dancers, and reflects their stories, voices, and artistry. We find that people tend to judge others by their disabilities, so we wanted to create a show that tell individual stories. It feels like a true reflection of who Jolt is — the creative telling of human stories grounded in individuality, creativity, and connection.”

Jolt will also visit Mount Aspiring College in partnership with Te Atamira and the MINT Trust ahead of their Queenstown programme.

Tickets for Whakapapa can be purchased easily online by visiting www.teatamira.nz/events/whakapapa-jolt-dance.

ABOUT TE ATAMIRA:  

Te Atamira is Tāhuna Queenstown's arts and culture centre, which opened in the heart of the Whakatipu region in 2022. Our vision is to be a platform for creativity to flourish for everyone, every day. We have a curated programme and 22 fit-for-purpose spaces including dance, performance, visual art, music studios, a pottery workshop, podcast recording studio, a curated art gallery, a project space, classroom workshop and a youth space. www.teatamira.nz

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