What does society teach us about what is “acceptable” or “normal”?

How are we expected to “keep our monsters hidden”? And what is the cost of that?

Can we reframe our monsters as a form of protection, a sign for support, or parts of us asking for care?

In this participatory workshop led by emerging dance artist Germaine Goh and co-facilitated by artist Alecia Neo and choreographer Zhuo Zihao, we explore how autistic individuals are often perceived and misunderstood, seeking to offer nuanced insights into Germaine’s lived experience of autism through play and movement.

Through creative movement, illustrations and group conversations, participants are invited to reflect on what it means to live with and empathise with difference. Using the metaphor of the monster, participants will reflect on internalised stigma through embodied movement, and collectively we will explore how our "monsters" are shaped by social expectations, norms, and pressures.

This workshop builds on the prior experience of a series of performances and workshops co-conceptualised by a collective of interdisciplinary artists (Alecia Neo, Germaine Goh, Claire Teo, Jaspreet Sekhon Kaur, Chong Li-chuan and Zhuo Zihao) supported by the Singapore Art Museum and ART:DIS (Art & Disability) Singapore. Drawing from lived experiences of disability of the performing artists in the group, it explores the tension between self-reliance and community, confronting societal notions of normalcy and inclusion.

Presented by Dialogue Includes All, This workshop is part of Care Index, an ongoing artistic research project by Alecia Neo that seeks to understand care through movement, dialogue and collaborative practices.