Discovering how to dance together
23 July 2009 “I love to dance, especially with Julia, because of the connection we have,” says Melissa Fox. “I also love going to Jolt dance classes on a Tuesday night. It’s a lot of fun and I enjoy meeting up with my friends as well as dancing."
Melissa, who has cerebral palsy, joined Jolt Dance classes in 2003 and quickly established herself as a very expressive dancer. Julia McKerrow, a leading New Zealand dancer and choreographer, has performed with the Christchurch mixed-ability dance company since 2003. Together, they performed Duet to spellbound guests at Arts Access Aotearoa’s Big ‘A’ Awards 2009 in the Grand Hall of Parliament.
Duet was originally developed and performed for the Jolt Dance performance On Her Own Two Feet in 2008. It’s about discovery – a discovery of each other and how to dance together.
“Performing in the Grand Hall was a rare and amazing opportunity,” Julia says. “Duet was reworked especially for the awards ceremony and it took on a new form and meaning in this space. Melissa and I explored new points of connection and engagement with the audience in this intimate setting.
“We both felt a bit like fish out of water running around in bare feet and flying around in the wheelchair inside this very grand parliamentary building. However, one of the best moments was during a rehearsal earlier in the day, and surprising a tour guide and his group as they entered the Grand Hall. Dodging Melissa and me in the middle of a spin, they watched for a bit and then continued on to view the inner workings of Parliament.”
Melissa has performed with Jolt Dance in Crossing Point (2004), Absolute (2006), Let Inside Me Laugh (2007) and On Her Own Two Feet (2008). She also performed for the closing ceremony of the Special Olympics in 2005 and the Halberg Awards in 2003.
“It’s hard to learn the moves to a new dance but I have performed in a lot of shows now,” Melissa says. “It’s getting easier to remember choreography and I love to do it just right in front of the audience.”
Julia trained at Auckland Unitec and established herself as one of New Zealand’s top dancers, dancing for Michael Parmenter and Christchurch dance company Scrambled Legs, and in national dance festivals. She gained national acclaim in 2006 and 2007 for her choreographic work, Moth, when it was performed in several arts festivals. For Jolt Dance, she has performed in Tread Softly (2003), the Special Olympics in 2005 and On Her Own Two Feet. She has also choreographed for Footnote Dance Company.
“Performing with Jolt has been a challenging and rewarding experience, and has changed the way I view myself as a dancer,” Julia says.
"It’s a humbling experience to learn that performance is not all about me. Nor is it all about Melissa or our abilities. It’s more about that very real, exciting and vulnerable place where neither dancer is in control. This can make for a frighteningly unpredictable experience where both dancers rely on each other to sustain the dance through a dependent and honest awareness of each other. It’s something not easily found in professional dance.”