LIAM FRANCIS
Liam Francis is a dancer, choreographer and writer currently performing with Rambert Dance Company. Prior to joining Rambert in 2014, he trained at London Studio Centre and performed with ZooNation Dance Company and currently delivers free classes on Rambert Home Studio, find out more here. Move Beyond Words met Liam after participating in his workshop 'The Artistic Gremlin', which he has delivered to freelance authors, dancers, choreographers, musicians, composers and students. The Artistic Gremlin Workshop, founded by Liam, aims to support artists in the exploration, understanding and sharing of the negative thoughts that often interrupt creativity.
As artists, creativity is incredibly important to us and we want to champion confidence in all abilities to inspire creativity. At Move Beyond Words, dance is a medium we turn to when words fail us and more often than not, the rehearsal space can be overwhelming for someone with dyslexia, either because it is not an accessible space or our internal frustration restricts our ability to move (something we love most). When we found out that Liam has dyslexia, we thought maybe his dyslexia has been a part of the development of The Artistic Gremlin? We are grateful that Laim shares his experiences with dyslexia within the creative arts industry and advocates for developing a psychological awareness for dancers to hone in on their craft and find courage in a creative space.
How would you describe your relationship to dyslexia in a sentence, word, or even a dance move?
It is like performing a work by Merce Cunningham: complex, uncoordinated and rewarding.
How does Dyslexia influence your work and/or personal life?
I spend a lot of time re-writing and re-reading as words often go missing.
Is there an item that best represents, aids, or embraces your dyslexia? If so, can you explain it?
A biro or pencil. They’re irreplaceable tools that I use for notating texts and amending the things I write.
What advice would you give to your future self?
To approach writing like choreography: Make first, amend after. Don't worry about the odd sentence structures, missing words and misspellings. Enjoy the momentum of doing and amend later.