Stimprovisation Workshop

A practical, playful and relaxed introduction to a practice of sensory-seeking improvisation  ✨

Stimming is a practice of repetitive movements, behaviours, and/or vocalisations to self-soothe, regulate, or stimulate to bring oneself into balance. We all stim, but for neurodivergent people who process the senses differently, stimming is particularly important for wellbeing.

Stimprovisation is a practice of sensory-seeking improvisation, discovered and coined by Aby during her doctoral research. Developed as a somatic practice for neurodivergent people, Stimprovisation acts to liberate neurodivergent embodiments through a choreographic practice of ‘unmasking’. 

In this playful workshop, neuroqueer choreographer Aby Watson shares her process of stimprovisation: sensory-seeking improvisation through practices of movement (stimdance), object (stimplements), and voice (sensinging), directed by the sensorial curiosity of the bodymind.

This workshop offers a practical introduction to stimprovising - you do not need performance experience to join us, only a willingness to play and explore!

Aby can tailor the workshop to be suitable for different communities and to meet varying needs across neurodivergences, artistic practices, and levels of performance experience. 

Photos taken at FEAST Festival by Colin Malsingh

Testimonials

SEN PRACTITIONER:

“An inspirational workshop. There is so much I can take away and bring into my experience of practicing with our students … What I found was seeing students who I know, other elements of their personality through the stimming, through the workshop, that is just wonderful - so you’ve managed to bring out an element of surprise for me of who they are individually … You held the space beautifully, you engaged with everyone, your eye contact is phenomenal … You’ve reminded me how I can bring that into my practice”

WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS:

✨ Showing my stims I felt safe because there were loads of people stimming differently ✨ I really enjoyed moving an object expressing how I felt … ✨ Non judgemental and playful ✨ It was beautiful ✨ It felt really natural and flowed really well … felt very accessible to everyone ✨ Permission to repeat what feels best was a revelation  ✨  [Aby] felt comfortable in what [she was] talking about, which makes me want to engage more  ✨

Previous dates:

Soundplay Project’s Symposium / Edinburgh, August 2023
FEAST Festival / Malvern, November 2023
An Introduction to Stimprovisation Event / Glasgow, September 2024 with support from The Work Room’s BEYOND Seed fund