A community-devised dance work created and performed by the Gentle Groove Ensemble — 8 women over 60, exploring the roles, characteristics and stories that shape their lives.

Over two months, this group of Gentle Groovers came together to go through a full creative process together — from first idea to live performance — culminating in a piece created for Canada Bay Council’s Seniors Festival.

Women began as a question, : what were the roles women carried in previous generations, and how could they be represented through movement? From there, the ensemble — ranging from movers to complete beginners — built the work together, week by week- with the guiding and facilitation from Renata Commisso

A community-led devising process

Rather than choreographing a piece and teaching it to the group, Renata built Women from what the women themselves brought to the room — opening sessions with music, then moving into collective brainstorming about the roles women have carried across generations, the characteristics they recognised in each other, and a personal achievement each was proud to share. Every idea became part of the material Renata wove into the final piece.

The performance

Over two months of collaboration and rehearsal, the group built Women from the ground up — premiering the work as part of the Canada Bay Council Seniors Festival, performed entirely by the 8 women who created it.

In their words

“Renata teaches with love and joy; we leave each class fitter and lighter with a spring in our step.”
— Sally Gentle Groove participant since 2020

“Grateful for the experience of sharing ideas and passion, exercising our bodies and minds while having fun.”

Why this work matters

Women reflects what Gentle Groove is built on: meeting people exactly where they are, and letting the work grow from their own lives rather than a fixed idea of what a “dance performance” should look like. It’s proof that genuine co-design doesn’t require professional dance training — just trust, time, and a willingness to really listen.