-ish

rising / falling
silent / loud
able / unable
mind / body
steady / wobbly
order / chaos

-ish is a solo choreography of movement, text and object exploring the murky territory that dyspraxia, an invisible coordination disorder, inhabits between the simple dichotomy of able / disabled.

This compelling, playful and honest work is choreographed and danced by a dyspraxic, dyslexic artist, alongside a group of objects: numerous helium balloons and a space hopper. This performance takes the form of a series of vignettes, each of which investigates, depicts and considers the space in-between various binary dichotomies. Through energetic dance, rousing jazz music and uncontrollable objects, -ish is a dyspraxic performance of real effort (and momentary chaos) which forms an unapologetic exploration of inbetween-ness that flourishes with and thrives on dys-function.

-ish is a production by Aby Watson, commissioned and supported by Unlimited, celebrating the work of disabled artists, with funding from Spirit of 2012. It was also developed with a Dance Artist Bursary from Janice Parker Projects and The Saltire Society, and with further support from //BUZZCUT// and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. 

Creative Team

CHOREOGRAPHY, PERFORMANCE, CONCEPT // Aby Watson
PRODUCTION // Daisy Douglas, Caitlin Fairlie
DRAMATURGY // Luke Pell
LIGHTING DESIGN // Eleni Thomadoi
MENTORSHIP // Frauke Requardt
OUTSIDE EYES // Thom Scullion, Laura Bradshaw, Peter Lannon
PHOTOGRAPHY // Amy Lidgett, Daisy Douglas
FILM // Daisy Douglas, Rob Jones
Deutsche Gebärdensprache Intrepretation // Anka Böttcher

PRESS

Watson’s choreographic piece ‘-ish’ draws you in with a loving sense of intimacy… It’s great to watch, suggesting both the hidden pressure that builds up over having a ‘murky’ disability and the inevitable chaos that can create… a real high.
- James Zatka-Haas, Disability Arts Online

As she bounces, going hands- free at one stage, the effect is mesmerising. ‘-ish’ may exist in the places in-between, as evinced by a ‘D- list’ of words which are mostly negative in connotation, but her presence is anything but.
- Lorna Irvine, The List

More balloons, a space-hopper, subsequent flurries of physically intense bouncing and rolling that dice with control suggest how random and chaotic the connections between Watson’s brain and body can be… It’s playfully done
- Mary Brennan, The Herald