Adeje Town Hall's Equality and Diversity department has recently completed the ‘Principiantes’ project, a contemporary performing arts initiative aimed at women over 60. The programme was promoted by the council in collaboration with the Tenerife Cabildo and Intacto Films Produce.
Ten women enrolled in the workshop, all of whom took part in the sessions. The final event took place on Thursday, 15 May, at the Costa Adeje Centre for Tourism Development (CDTCA), in a session open to the public. Over 30 people attended, including members of the municipal Equality Council.
Councillor José Antonio López Delgado, head of the department, described the project as “an initiative that allows us to place women — who have often been excluded from creative spaces — at the centre, giving them a leading role. It is an exercise in listening, expression and recognition, where experience and memory are given artistic and social value.”
Dancer and choreographer Carlota Mantecón led the session, which was built around dance, voice and performance in a space designed for free expression. The workshop concluded with a public presentation in which the participants shared their creative journey in a circular format, breaking down the barrier between audience and stage and creating an intimate, inclusive experience.
‘Principiantes’ forms part of a research line Mantecón began in 2013, which has since travelled to a number of municipalities across the Canary Islands and involved more than 90 women. Each encounter offers a space for reflection on the body, ageing and movement, requiring no prior experience and valuing the personal stories and paths of each woman.
The initiative is part of the Equality and Diversity Department’s wider strategy to highlight alternative ways of telling stories and occupying public and artistic spaces, with a strong emphasis on collective work, sisterhood, and the diversity of bodies and life experiences.
