Abby Watkins – Principal Artist 

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Abby Watkins Principal Artist - grew up in Geelong, Victoria -trained for gymnastics, gaining selection on Victorian and Australian teams and receiving an athletic scholarship to U.C. Berkeley in California in 1988. At Berkeley, she trained in contemporary dance technique and performance and also began rock climbing in nearby Yosemite NP.  These two movement inquiries have formed the basis of Abby's practice and professional life for the past 30 years. 

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Abby has worked for the past 27 years with three aerial dance companies in three countries. A founding member of Aeriosa Dance Society in 2001, Abby has worked as dance artist and collaborator, assistant choreographer, teacher, rigger and mentor (and continues to do so). Abby has been involved with Y Space since 2000, first performing in a bamboo forest in Horsham (Art Is Festival), then was called back to Australia as assistant choreographer for the ambitious Colony where artists took up residence and provided a nightly aerial dance show on the Arts Centre Spire in Melbourne in 2002. Since returning to live in Australia permanently in 2015, she has performed, taught and been a key collaborator on numerous Y Space projects.

 

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