Jolt People
Lyn Cotton
Lyn first began working in mixed ability dance in 1995 when she met Wolfgang Stange while teaching in London. "I watched Wolfgang create a dance with a severely physically and intellectually disabled student using a flower he had brought to class. The dance moved me because it never sought to impose a structure on the student but instead allowed him to express his own creativity. The smallest of movements became a dance as powerful as that of the most technically accomplished performer."
Inspired by what she saw, Lyn joined Wolfgang's company Amici, and performed with them in Europe and London. In her final year overseas she worked extensively with Wolfgang in his dance classes, tutoring and co directing "Feet Wet Up" for the LWT talent challenge community Arts project in Hammersmith, London.
Returning to New Zealand in 1998, Lyn used her training with Amici to establish her own mixed ability dance classes, working at Penbury Day centre and local high schools before establishing Jolt in 2001.
Lyn also has an extensive background teaching Drama, both overseas and in Christchurch, most recently running the Hillmorton High School Drama Department.
Fleur de Thier
After initially training at Unitec, Fleur established herself as a freelance choreographer, dancer and tutor in Christchurch: teaching and creating works for Hagley Dance company, Hillmorton High, St Margarets and St Andrews College.
In 1998 she established “Scrambled Legs”which quickly became Christchurch’s foremost contemporary dance company with innovative and technically accomplished shows “Slow Stride”, “Seven” and “Before I say I do”
Fleur co-founded the performance company for Jolt in 2002 and has choreographed for them ever since, creating major shows and conference performances.
She a founding member of the Christchurch Choreographers Co-op and has been choreographing for ‘Flight’ annually since 2003.
Nylla Ah Kuoi
Nylla has been an integral part of Jolt Dance Company since first joining in 2001. She is one of the core performers and has been instrumental in the development of both the Performance Company and educational programmes. Nylla initially gained her teaching experience through assisting in Jolt classes and has now become a tutor in her own right, running the adult Creative Movement class and recently establishing her own Jolt class in Dunedin. She has extensive experience working with people with disabilities, both with Jolt and with her work in the Southern Centre multi-sensory room. She is currently training as a teacher.
Michael Krammer
Michael has developed significantly as a dancer since joining the company when it was established in 2001. He has performed with Jolt since it was first established and “Let inside me Laugh” was created specifically for him as an exploration of his experience of autism. Michael assists in junior Jolt classes and has begun to develop his own choreographic ideas by creating works for the company class. He has participated in the CPIT Performing Arts course and also performed for “A Different Light” Theatre Company.
Stephen Krammer
Stephen was only thirteen when he first performed with Jolt. He is an original member of the company; having joined the classes when they were first established and performing in every show since. “Let inside me Laugh” was created specifically for Stephen and explored his experience of autism. Stephen has completed the Performing Arts course at Christchurch Polytechnic and is currently attending Secondary School.
Amy Lysaght
Amy is an original member of the company, performing in four of Jolt’s major productions. “Crossing Point”, created in 2004, was based on her life and explored some of the issues surrounding disability. She has studied Performing Arts at Christchurch Polytechnic and is currently attending Secondary School.
Melissa Fox
Melissa joined Jolt in 2004 and has become a core dancer with the company, performing in “Crossing Point”, “Absolute” and “Let inside me Laugh”. She had a central role in the Special Olympics performance in 2005. She currently attends Secondary school in Christchurch.
Megan Brian
Megan first performed with Jolt in “Crossing Point” in 2004. She has become a core member of the company, both as a performer and a tutor and also performed in “Absolute”, “Let inside me Laugh”, “Where the Wild Things are” and at the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics. She is currently training as an Occupational Therapist.
Julia Sadler
Julia trained at Auckland Unitec before establishing herself as a freelance dancer and choreographer. She is a founding member of Auckland based collective Vacuum Pact and Christchurch Choreographers Co-op. Julia first performed with Jolt in “Tread Softly” in 2004 and has also performed with them for conferences and the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics.
Erica Viedma
Erica trained at Auckland Unitec before establishing herself as a freelance dancer and choreographer. She has performed with Scrambled Legs, Touch Compass and Michael Parmenter. Her first major performance for Jolt was “Let inside me Laugh” in 2007, but she has also performed for conferences and the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics in 2007.