Ep 37: Lyn Cotton & Jolt Dance: rich creative opportunities for the intellectually disabled

All of our stories invite questions, because history isn’t just about what happened; it’s what gets recorded and retold. It’s about what we see and the assumptions we make. What we learn and the opportunities that arise.So we can ask ‘who is visible in our communities and who is not?’ And today our kōrero is about creating spaces for those with intellectual disabilities; for their voices and stories, through dance.Lyn Cotton is Artistic Director of Jolt – a dance practice that’s all about inclusion. At Jolt the intellectual disabilities of the dancers are not a limiting thing; they’re an invitation – for them to lead audiences on a creative journey through openness and awareness. You see this in the performances of the dancers and their mutual connections on a deeper level, where the eye contact is strong and the movement of one is not imposed on another. Where touch is subtle.With Jolt came the realisation that inclusion without leadership was not enough. This prompted the creation of ‘Move’ – a space for the dancers to become teachers, leaders, working both with others with disabilities and, very importantly, with people in schools and other ‘mainstream’ places.Lyn started working with people with disabilities in London, under the guidance of the late Wolfgang Stange. His credo was that “You’re never too disabled, too blind, too old or too proud to be able to perform.”You can learn more about Jolt and Move at https://www.joltdance.co.nz/about