Research
Carolyn holds a Master of Design in Textile Design and Business Studies from the University of Brighton where she specialised in knitwear and a practice-based PhD from the University of Portsmouth. Carolyn has a mixed background in research, teaching and cabaret/circus performance and coaching and continues to develop her creative practice in connection to her academic roles. Carolyn’s research interests include community-based arts, practice-based research, sensory experience and tactility.
Aerial crochet explorations, August 2024.
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Crochet in the air
I'm increasingly interested in the relationship between textiles and my circus practice. I am crocheting with aerial silk remnants that are no longer able to be used for aerial circus and enjoy the sensory nature of this work. I find the heaviness of the fabrics incredibly comforting, the repetitive nature of the stitches and the ability to unravel it all, only to start again to create something new. I’ve started to come across more circus practitioners exploring textiles/crochet/knit/macrame within their work. I’m interested in the new possibilities these textile structures allow in my creative practice, both as a performer, but also for audience participation, and different ways of moving for students. I’m interested in the parallels in textile making and circus practice that for me, enable repetitive movement, sensory experience, strong touch and an opportunity to calm the nervous system.
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Social Aerial Circus:
Female Experience, Self-perception and Self-representation
This practice-based research project combined with participant-based studies explored a group of eighteen-to thirty-five-year-old women’s experience of learning aerial circus skills integrated with training in digital media skills. As a circus performer and instructor this research emerged from my long-term practitioner experience. It features two participant studies in which I taught participants aerial silks, loop and hoop and facilitated workshops in photography, videography and graphic design. Parallel to these studies I explored participant experience and theory through my own creative practice. The PhD was carried out November 2016 - October 2019 and was part-funded by the EU Interreg 5A France (Channel) England 'Partnership Opportunities using New Technologies fostering sOcial and ecOnomic inclusioN’ (PONToon) project (University of Portsmouth).
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Short essai: Watt, C. (2025). The ‘feltness’ of circus training: practitioner reflections on hypermobility, anxiety and neurodivergence. Theatre, Dance and Performance Training, 16(1), 149–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/19443927.2025.2445946
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Journal article: Watt, C. (2022). Social circus in aerials: Female experience, muscularity, pain and trust. Theatre, Dance and Performance Training, 13(1), 136–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/19443927.2021.1968025
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You can find out more about my practice-based PhD here (awarded 2020).
PhD performance, June 2019: I’m particularly interested in the use of print and embroidery, working with the aerial fabrics in a different way, materiality and the relationship between the performer and the apparatus, but also the audience and the apparatus and an invitation to touch.
MDes textiles collection, Spring 2012.
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Crochet cocoon
This piece of work is part of my MDes textiles collection (2012). I’m fascinated by the contrast of the loose crochet against the hardness of the aerial hoop. The opportunity for movement exploration this offered the performer, Jess, to play with revealing herself, and hiding again, before emerging from the cocoon. I’m interested in the way the performer moves through the crochet, rather than just working around the apparatus. The fabrics were largely remnants left over from other costume projects.