Goldspun: Weaving New Narratives of Dementia Through Dance

This summer, Moving Minds had the joy of collaborating with York Theatre Royal and filmmaker Jessica Jenyns on a very special project: the creation of a short dance film entitled Goldspun.

At its heart, Goldspun is about transformation—about how the seemingly ordinary can be woven into something meaningful, beautiful, and resonant. Through movement, imagery, and collective imagination, the film invites us to see people living with dementia not through a lens of loss or decline, but through one of creativity, agency, and possibility.

Challenging the "Tragedy Narrative"

Too often, dementia is spoken about only in terms of absence—what has been taken away, what is no longer possible. This is sometimes called the “tragedy narrative.” While dementia certainly brings challenges, this narrow framing can be damaging. It risks reducing people to their diagnosis, overshadowing their vitality, humour, skills, and individuality.

At Moving Minds, we believe strongly in resisting this story. Dance and creativity remind us that even when words may falter, expression does not. People living with dementia can and do contribute new ways of seeing and experiencing the world. They are not only recipients of care but makers, movers, and shapers of meaning.

Goldspun embodies this philosophy. Rather than presenting dementia as the end of something, the film reveals it as a space in which imagination and artistry still thrive. The camera captures gestures, textures, and exchanges that remind us how creativity is always present, ready to be drawn out and celebrated.

Performers weave movement and shimmering fabric into gold during the making of Goldspun at York Theatre Royal – a joyful afternoon of creativity, connection, and imagination

From the Everyday to the Extraordinary

The title, Goldspun, captures the spirit of the project beautifully. Just as straw in a fairy tale can be spun into gold, so too can the small details of our everyday lives be transformed through movement and attention. A hand resting on fabric, the turn of a wrist, a look shared between participants—these ordinary moments became threads woven together to create something shining and whole.

This is what dance does so well: it elevates the everyday. The body carries memory, gesture, and meaning, and in moving together we uncover connections that go beyond the surface. For participants living with dementia, this act of weaving movement into story is profoundly affirming. It says: you are here, you are expressive, you are part of something valuable.

A moment of connection and trust during the making of Goldspun – movement, touch, and presence reminding us that creativity is a deeply human language.

A Special Afternoon Together

The making of Goldspun was, above all else, a joyful experience. On the day of filming, the rehearsal room at York Theatre Royal was filled with laughter, curiosity, and care. Participants, artists, and facilitators came together in a spirit of openness, experimenting with movement, imagery, and costume. Jessica’s gentle, observant filmmaking style allowed the group to feel relaxed and playful, while the creative team nurtured a sense of safety and freedom.

There was a palpable buzz in the room: the feeling of being part of something bigger than ourselves, of co-creating art that matters. For many participants, it was an empowering moment to see themselves on camera, to recognise that their gestures and ideas were not only valid but central to the artistic process. The afternoon reminded us that collaboration is not about directing others but about listening deeply, noticing what emerges, and weaving those threads together.

A man dances with a piece of gold fabric, watching it as it reflects the light.

Why This Work Matters

Goldspun is more than a film—it is a statement of values. It demonstrates what happens when we shift our attention from decline to possibility, from isolation to collaboration, from silence to expression. In doing so, it pushes back against the dominant story of dementia as purely tragic, offering instead a narrative of creativity, community, and dignity.

Projects like this are vital in changing public perceptions. They invite audiences to witness people living with dementia as artists in their own right, not defined by a medical label but by their presence, vitality, and imagination. They remind us all that creativity is a fundamental human capacity—one that does not vanish with memory but continues to flourish in new and surprising forms.

Playfulness at the heart of Goldspun: costumes, colour, and character reminding us that creativity and joy are always possible.

Looking Ahead

We are deeply grateful to York Theatre Royal for opening their space, to Jessica Jenyns for capturing the essence of the project with sensitivity, and to James Drury whose photographs captured the event which sich artistry. Most of all, we are thankful to the participants, who brought their energy, imagination, and trust into the room and onto the screen.

As we share Goldspun with wider audiences, our hope is that it sparks conversation and reflection. We hope it encourages people to look again at dementia, not only as a challenge but as a context in which new forms of expression can emerge.