Jan Bolwell Explained

Jan Bolwell
Birth Date:	1949
Birth Place:	Oamaru
Known For:	dance and theatre
Education:	Columba College and the University of Otago
Employer:	Dunedin College of Education then Wellington College of Education
Occupation:	academic
Nationality:	New Zealand

Jan Patricia Bolwell (born 1949) is a Wellington-based New Zealand playwright, choreographer, director, dancer and teacher of dance. She established the Crows Feet Dance Collective in 1999 and remains its director.

Biography

Bolwell was born on the South Island in Oamaru but grew up in Dunedin where she was educated at Columba College. She then completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Otago, majoring in history.^[1]

Having set up and run the dance curriculum for the Dunedin College of Education she was promoted to senior lecturer, before moving to the Wellington College of Education as head of performing arts from 1987 to 1997.

In 2018 she directed Kate JasonSmith in I'll Tell You This For Nothing: My mother the war hero, a play written by JasonSmith about her mother's experiences in World War II, performed at BATS Theatre in Wellington.^[2]

Awards and recognition

In 1995, with Sunny Amey and Keri Kaa, she won Production of the Year in the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards for Takitoru.^[3]

Bolwell was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for "service to dance and theatre" in the 2020 New Years Honours.^[4]

Plays

• Standing on My Hands
• Here's Hilda! – writer and performer, 2007^[5]
• Double Portrait: Finding Frances Hodgkins – writer, first performed 2009^[6]
• Dancing In The Wake: The Story of Lucia Joyce – writer, first performed 2012^[7]

Published work

• Milord Goffredo (2002) - Published by Steele Roberts, Wellington, NZ, (pbk.)^{[8] [9]}
• A pretty piece of driving : Hilda Gardiner, my grandmother (2005) - Published by Steele Roberts, Wellington, NZ, ^[10]

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2020-01-02. Honour welcomed as recognition of the arts. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210515225831/https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/honour-welcomed-recognition-arts. 2021-05-15. 2021-08-21. Otago Daily Times Online News. en.
2. Web site: Stevenson. Tim. 2018-09-19. I'll Tell You This For Nothing: My mother the war hero – A mighty achievement. 2021-08-21. theatreview.
3. Web site: Jan Bolwell. 2021-08-21. Playmarket.
4. Web site: 2019-12-31. New Year Honours List 2020. 2021-08-21. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. en-NZ.
5. Web site: Frame. Barbara. 2007-02-14. Here's Hilda! – Otago character brought to life. 2021-08-21. theatreview. Otago Daily Times.
6. Web site: Production Information: Double Portrait: Finding Frances Hodgkins. 2021-08-21. theatreview.
7. Web site: Production Information: Dancing in the Wake: The Story of Lucia Joyce. 2021-08-21. theatreview.
8. Web site: 2002-01-01. Milord Goffredo / Jan Bolwell.. 2021-08-27. National Library of New Zealand.
9. Web site: Here's Hilda! - Fertile memories of a matriarch. 2021-08-27. Theatreview.
10. Web site: A pretty piece of driving : Hilda Gardiner, my grandmother by Bolwell, Jan. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210827020813/https://www.abebooks.com/first-edition/pretty-piece-driving-Hilda-Gardiner-grandmother/30428200859/bd. 2021-08-27. 2021-08-27. Abe Books. en.