When Dance Becomes Community: Preparing for the next 40 Over 40
When we first imagined 40 Over 40, we weren’t sure how the community would respond. Would anyone show up for a “call for dancers over the age of 40”? Could we really find forty people ready to commit to a three-month rehearsal process?
Well… Missoula had answers for us. Over 50 movers braved a January blizzard to audition at Westside Theater. And from that very first day, it was clear: something magical was happening.
Our first 40 Over 40 brought together 60 community members, all over the age of 40, who collaborated with 10 professional choreographers, musicians, and designers. Some were familiar faces in the dance world; others were stepping onto a stage for the first time in decades, or ever. The result? A fully sold-out run, and something even greater offstage: a joyful and deeply moving celebration of movement, connection, and community.
Katy Bell, one of the performers, shared, “Personally, my community feels deeper, richer, and my career is soaring.” Fellow participant Dori Gillels called the experience “joyful and rewarding,” capturing the collective spirit that infused every rehearsal and performance.
That spirit carried into our next community project, abunDANCE, which expanded the invitation to ages 14 and up. With over 70 performers and 10 choreographers, the show outgrew Westside Theater and filled the Montana Theater with light, movement, and joy.
For dancer Sara Close, the experience was nothing short of transformative. “Remember that first rehearsal?” she wrote afterward. “I said my goal was to get out of the house and not be so lonely. Fast forward a few months—mission accomplished. I have joy in my body and new badass friends. I really do think I have dance—and ALL OF YOU—to thank for the change.”
Others found courage and self-acceptance through the process. Betsy Craske reflected, “For me, it turns out it was never solely about the performances, but about 13 weeks of showing up together, trusting one another, and being authentically ME. Until this spring, I didn’t know, but suspected, dance could do this. I am blown away and so, so grateful.”
From lawyers and teachers to grandmothers and high school students, these productions have proven that dance is for everyone and that art is a community-building force. Ashley Melwani notes, “Being a part of this show reminded me that I am not one-dimensional; I can be many things at once. I can rejoice in movement, be silly, playful, daring, and wild, and I can also go to a job each day, pick up the kids, and try to find matching socks in the piles of laundry. And in fact, the hard and mundane become so much more tolerable when we remember to also engage in the joyful and liberating!”
As we prepare for our third 40 Over 40, we’re reminded that what began as an experiment has become something much more: a movement of its own, and we are so proud and grateful.