No Limits to present Asia premiere of Claire Cunningham’s acclaimed “Songs of the Wayfarer” in March

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The captivating piece, which transports the audience into barren, craggy terrain, draws comparisons between mountaineering and Cunningham’s navigation through a Crip lens.

Distinguished by its inclusivity, Crip Art recognises the unique aesthetics from the disabled experience, as opposed to the conventions of ‘ableism’. “We notice things in the world differently,” says Cunningham, who is Scottish. With warmth and enthusiasm, she invites the audience to journey along and experience this unique view of the world.

“For example, there is a large sculpture built of crutches on the stage, looking like a mountain range,” she says. “I see beauty in utilitarian objects.”

Fused with her crutches as though transformed into a four-legged creature, she explores the landscapes with dance and movement, forming an intimate relationship with nature as well as her hiking group. The ground becomes her ‘companion’. “Coming into dance made me aware of my body and how it engages with the world. I notice the ground because my head is always down, looking to see where to put my crutches,” she says.

“I grew up expecting dance performances to be fast and quick and moving all over the stage all the time,” she notes, adding that ‘ableism’ has programmed our ideas about performing arts, among numerous other aspects of our lives. “In this work, I actually want to spend time sharing the things that are important to me. We need to take our time.”

The UK’s premiere of Cunningham’s latest solo piece has received rave reviews. Lyndsey Winship of the Guardian, gives it four out of five stars. “... simply putting one foot, or one crutch, in front of the other, again and again, as we all must do. It’s a quiet but affecting piece.”