ABY WATSON is a neuroqueer artist, choreographer, performer, academic, and activist based in Glasgow.

Aby’s work is polymorphic: it takes many forms across contexts of contemporary performance and knowledge exchange, with a hyperfocus on radical neurodiversity. With special interests in neurodivergent embodiment, stimming, sensuality, presence, and consciousness, Aby's choreographic sensibility embodies non-neuronormative potentialities within the dance space through rhythm, repetition, sensoriality, and collectivity. Her playful and stimulating work toys with tensions between virtuosity and the pedestrian; beauty and the grotesque; the silly and the serious.

Her work has toured to venues including The Southbank Centre, London; Sophiensaele, Berlin; Británico Cultural; Lima, and Tramway, Glasgow; and has been supported by The National Theatre of Scotland, Unlimited, British Council, and The Work Room. She has worked with National Theatre of Scotland, Touretteshero, Second Hand Dance, Glass Performance, Kirsty Hendry, Snap Elastic, and Xan Dye, among others.

Aby trained in Contemporary Performance Practice at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS), graduating with Honours of the First Class. She has recently completed her doctoral practice-research at RCS, 'Disordering Dance: Neuroqueering a Choreographic Practice'. Her thesis critically examines pervasive neuronormativity within dance culture, and disorders it through practice to present alternative choreographic potentials that radically embraces divergent ways of thinking, feeling, sensing, and being. She has delivered talks, lectures and discussions on her research for Rambert School of Ballet, University of Glasgow, RCS, and Creative Scotland. The founding director of the Scottish Neurodiverse Performance Network, Aby is passionate about the creative potential of neurodivergence, alongside the inclusion, wellbeing, and equal equity of neurodivergent people in the performance sector. Aby is proudly dyslexic, dyspraxic, and has ADHD (with autistic traits).

A lover of play and collaboration, Aby really enjoys performing in other people’s work across dance, theatre, visual art, and cabaret contexts. Adventurous and curious, she is always up for new creative connections and experiences. She likes to draw, design, sing, and DJ too, and is a big fan of Britney Spears.