Dancer, Photographer, Choreographer, Teacher, Rehearsal Director & Administrative Support Worker

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, Michael Getman, Jonathan Fredrickson, Samm Anga, Morvell Dance, Charles Linehan and Alleyne Dance.

In 2024 I launched my own company Premier Dance Theatre, creating my first work Stasiland with the support of Arts Council England, Thrive (Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance) Luke Brown Company and our generous donors. Premier Dance Theatre strives to make works that can be situated in multiple environments, allowing outstanding dance-theatre work 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 and 2024. 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.

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. Prior to professional training I trained at Trinity Laban’s CAT Scheme (2013-2018) and was a member of Hampshire Youth Dance Company (2016-2018).