Exploring identity through dance, text and film
Te Atamira will host Whakapapa by Jolt Dance next week. The performance shares the stories of six dancers with intellectual disabilities, exploring identity, culture and ancestral connection through dance, text and films.
Jolt Dance Company pioneer innovative disability-led dance practices, creating opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to train, perform and lead, challenging traditional ideas about dance and celebrating each dancer’s unique creative voice.
The performance is a unique opportunity to see and hear the voices of people with intellectual disabilities and learn a bit about who they are as individuals. It explores the performers unique ways of thinking and seeing the world.
“We share our own stories, and I talk about my family, and some others, who are Māori or who are Pākehā, share their different cultures,” Jacob Levington, one of the performers, says.
Levington has performed internationally in Glasgow and he’ll be heading over to Korea later this year. He’s part of the management team at Jolt and he teaches his own bump class, too. His performance at Te Atamira will reflect on his connection to each member of his close family – he’ll also be doing a dance to Scatman. He’s been involved with Jolt since 2010 and really enjoys dancing and sharing his story with the audience.
“I really like to meet other people, and I like to be a role model and a leader as well. Some of my friends that are performing in Whakapapa, I now have connections with their families as well.”
Levington will perform alongside five people including Joel Forman, Jokani Coe, Robert Sopoaga, Jono Bennett, and Lachlan Oakes. Each of their stories celebrates their individuality and moves beyond labels of disability, offering a powerful vision of belonging and cultural pride.
“The show will feature six really different stories from six individuals, all with lived experience of disability, all with different cultures,” Lynn Cotton, Artistic Director at Jolt says. “And it’s all about connecting and reconnecting to each individual Whakapapa.”
While here, Jolt will also lead a one-off workshop for dancers and learners, which is designed to be inclusive and accessible for people with a range of abilities and support needs. They’ll use music and movement to build connection, communication and creativity, creating spaces of freedom, exploration and joy.
“All of our work is inclusively taught. The workshops will be taught predominately by our Kaitiaki Whaikaha, which are our disability leaders, who are both dancers performing in Whakapapa, but have also trained within our teacher training scheme.”
The workshop will empower dancers’ imaginative responses through building body awareness, focus, engagement – non-verbal communication, connecting through touch and play – music and creativity.
“Come and join us, everyone is welcome,” Levington summarises.
The Whakapapa by Jolt Dance will be at Te Atamira on Friday, 1 May, with doors opening at 6.30pm for a 7pm start time. The Wairua Auaha workshop will be ahead of the performance at 11am. For more information, to purchase tickets to the performance or register interest in the workshop, head to teatamira.co.nz
