about me
I’m Olivia Wallis Jackson, a British-German Contemporary Dancer, Choreographer, Photographer, Teacher, Rehearsal Director & Administrative Support Worker currently based in Hampshire and working across the South and in London.
As a dance artist with an exciting blend of technical and explorative movement, I use my unique performance skills and intellect to collaborate deeply with other artists. I strive to understand choreographers’ artistic aims and processes, fulfilling their visions to make work that is impactful and meaningful to a wide range of audiences.
During my time working on DownTown Pompey’s Sticky Floors and Palm Trees, an immersive theatre show, utilising dance, theatre, cabaret and drag I was given the role of Movement Assistant in which I was responsible for choreographing sections of the show and leading the movement team.
Throughout the course of my training and career I have worked with artists and companies such as Luke Brown Company, Amy Foskett Dance, Stefan Puxon and director Polina Kulbachevskaia, DownTown Pompey, Tom Weinberger, Samm Anga, Morvell Dance, Charles Linehan and Alleyne Dance.
I am an alumnus of Nuova X, at Nuova Officina della Danza in Turin, Italy – where I worked with world renowned choreographers Jonathan Fredrickson and Michael Getman in two five week R&Ds, diving into their process of exploration and creation, while discovering the depth of my own. I graduated with First-Class Honours from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in 2021.
In 2024 I founded my own company Premier Dance Theatre. The company, based in Southampton currently, works across the South and in London, creating dance theatre pieces that are rooted in contemporary dance. With a focus on story telling collaboration is essential to our work. Our processes draw on a variety of art making practices, inviting artists from across the UK’s vibrant art and performance scene to share their unique stories in creation and performance.
As a company, we are committed to fostering working environments that are collaborative, experimental, supportive, risk taking & innovative, while providing opportunities to those in the transition between training and professional life. Additionally, we strive to make work that can be situated in multiple environments, allowing outstanding dance-theatre to be accessible to communities across the UK and internationally.
Alongside my work as a dancer and choreographer, I am also a dance photographer. Highlights include photographing Lost Dog’s Summer Residency and artists from Resolution Festival for New Choreographer at the Place in 2023, 2024 & 2025. Additionally, I work with independent dancers in outdoor settings to photograph their improvisation, creating images for their portfolios.
I engage with community dance work as Rehearsal Director for ORB Youth Dance Co., under artist director Luke Brown. This role led me to work with Luke as both his administrative support worker for ORB Youth Dance Co. and his professional company Luke Brown Company. Furthermore, I teach adults, teenagers and children Contemporary Dance Technique at Basingstoke Academy of Dancing and am an assistant in We Create Dance and Drama sessions for adults with learning difficulties. Previously I was a role model for vulnerable young people at Wessex Academy of Dance.