Scots Language Awards 2023: Ailsa Dixon

Weel duin tae Ailsa Dixon wha hae bin nominatit in Scots Performer o the Year sponsored by Tracs in the Scots Language Awards. Vote now!

The Scots Language Awards are in the Johstone Toon Ha, Johnstone on 16th September at 7pm. Tickets fir the ceremony are available tae buy here: https://handsup.link/SLA-BuyTickets.

We askit Ailsa Dixon o Ailsa Dixon thae speirins.

Tell us aboot yersel or yer ootfit.
I'm a traditional storyteller and musician deeply rooted in place and passionate aboot sharing traditional tales and unheard histories. Born in Aiberdeenshire, I am noo a third year student o the University o Edinburgh, and am currently the youngest professional storyteller working in Scotland. I specialise in Scottish stories, particularly those from Aberdeenshire and Orkney. I love to share Scottish folktales, myths and legends through contemporary performative storytelling shows and traditional story-sharing, as well as interactive workshops and applied storytelling. As a traditional musician, I often incorporate traditional song and folk cello and clarsach into my performances.

Whit wis it got ye involvit wi the Scots leid?
Growing up in Aiberdeenshire, Doric was inescapable! But I've been involved involved wi Scots in a major way through the trad singing scene since I was about 8. I spent a lot of time at folkclubs wi my dad and parents really encouraged me to follow my interests, and storytelling just emerged from the music scene when I was aboot 13. Recently I've become mair interested in using Scots in my airt as its important to me tae explore the traditional tales I love in the leid they've been spoken in for a hunner years,

Why dae ye feel it is important tae use Scots in everyday life?
Its important tae use Scots as often as possible because leid's live if fowk spik them. I ken I dinnae use Scots in my day tae day at Uni in Edinburgh as often as I'd like tae, but I am workin on it and want tae mak sure that I dinnae just use the leid fan I'm on stage.

Dae ye hae a favourite Scots phrase or saying?
Coming frae Aiberdeenshire, I'll never tire o asking somone tae 'come ower fae a Fly Cup', but my recent favourite scots word is 'fireflaucht' – an auld Scots word which means lightning and is so fun tae say!

Is there a Scots speaker who inspires you?
Jackie Ross is a massive inspiration tae me – she's ayways ben sae lovely, kind and encouraging wi my Scots and wi my storytelling. Scott Gardiner is also a huge inspiration – I'm ayways in awe of a the sangs he can hold in his heid and the way he uses the leid in his everyday life.

Do you hear Scots spoken regularly in your local area? Have you noticed any changes over time?
Nae so much noo I'm in Edinburgh, but growing up in Aiberdeenshire I'd hear the leid aywhere! Working in the trad scene, I'll often hear scots on stage but nae offstage (which I ken I dae too) and I'd love tae hae mair o a Scots spikkin culture off the stage as wheel, as well as ensuring that the trad scene is accessible and inclusive tae onybidy.

Ony particlar career heighlichts
I'm sae lucky tae have hid sae mony oppertunities tae perform ower the past few years. Some o my favourite experiences include telling tales at the Orkeny Storytelling Festival, on the Tallship Glenlee and touring round festivals and auld celtic Rooundhouses in Wales. Although I use Scots in every performance I do – including my recent 5 star immersive Fringe Show 'Land Under Wave' which explored queer environmental themes with the Young Edinburgh Storytellers – I've focused on the leid in 3 key successful performances over the past year. For example, my collaboration with Neil Sutcliff for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival – 'Wir Leid' – was a glorious celebration of scots song and story reflecting our experiences as young creatives working with the language that. In 'Sunset Stories' I explored the Aberdeenshire landscape through Doric and premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe, collaborating with Jackie Ross and Bob Mitchell view the leid and land through and intergenerational lens. I successfully toured my show 'Hear Us and Hasten' throughout the UK – this collaboration with welsh storyteller Ffion Phillips explored climate change and the connections between people, story and place in Scots, Welsh and English.

Wha’s yer plans fir the days aheid?
I want tae develop mair new original storytelling shows, but maistly I want tae spent mair time working wi schools and community groups deein applied storytelling, as wheel as working tae encourage mair young fowk tae dee storytelling. I also want tae finish off my degree and contineu tae have heaps o fun performing and sharing my love o stories wi as mony people as possible!

The Scots Language Awards are in the Johnstone Toon Ha, Johnstone on 16th September at 7pm. Tickets are available to buy here: https://handsup.link/SLA-BuyTickets There wull be some grand entertainmint oan the nicht tae, includin a recital fae Renfrewshire’s poet laureate Shaun Moore,wha wis appointit as the region’s Tannahill Makar last year. talks fae weel regairdit Scots scrievers Cat Cochrane an Shane Strachan, alang wi musical performances fae celebratit multi-instumentalist brithers Euan and Lewis McLaughlin, an sangster Iona Fyfe.

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