Dr. Aby Watson discussed her work on neuroqueer choreography, emphasizing the importance of disrupting neuronormativity and creating inclusive performance practices. She introduced her method of stimprovisation, combining stimming (self-regulating actions) with improvisation, to address the challenges neurodiverse performers and artists face in dance. Watson shared her experiences of exploring Morris dancing as a form of collective co-regulation. She highlighted the significance of inviting audiences to sensory-motorically engage with the performance, the blurring of the doer/viewer binary and the need for flexible, non-linear performance practices.

About: 

Dr. Aby Watson is a neuroqueer artist, choreographer, performer, academic and activist based in Glasgow. Aby trained in Contemporary Performance Practice at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), where she also earned a PhD in partnership with the University of St Andrews. Aby's research, ‘Disordering Dance: Neuroqueering a Choreographic Practice’, explores non-neuronormative approaches to making and experiencing dance. As the founder of the Scottish Neurodiverse Performance Network, Aby champions the creative power of neurodivergence and advocates for neurodivergent equity, inclusion, and wellbeing in the arts. She is proudly dyslexic, dyspraxic, autistic, and has ADHD. Driven by a love of play and collaboration, Aby works across dance, theatre, visual art, and cabaret, engaging audiences nationally and internationally. More about Aby: www.abywatson.co.uk