Founder + CEO
Diane Busuttil
Diane studied dance at the University of
Western Sydney, Australia from 1992 to 1994.
She has worked internationally as an
independent artist, collaborating with a diverse
range of artistic groups in the capacity of
dancer, acrobat, teacher, choreographer,
producer and director.
Diane toured the world for over ten years with a
professional dance company based in Berlin,
Germany. During that time she worked with a
seniors group and performed at various
festivals across Germany and Europe.
She has Masters Degree from Macquarie
University and studied Art and Dementia
through the University of Tasmania. Her passion
is to use her skills to encourage the aged to
keep on dancing in their twilight years.
Diane’s mother worked in a nursing home
where she had her first performance as an
eight-year old. She is currently caring for her
father who has dementia.
Founder + CEO
Diane Busuttil
Diane studied dance at the University of
Western Sydney and has a Masters Degree from Macquarie University. She worked internationally as an independent artist, collaborating with a diverse range of dance, theatre, circus & opera companies in the capacity of dancer, acrobat, teacher, choreographer, mentor & director for over 30 years.
She manifested her childhood dream & toured the world for 15 years with a professional dance company based in Berlin, Germany, during which time she worked with a seniors group and performed at various festivals across Germany and Europe.
During that time, Diane also presented her short dance and narrative films at festivals in Europe, USA, and Asia. In 2015, she returned to Australia to be her father's carer & made a documentary film about Forced Adoption in Australia circa 1960s.
Her artistic passion is to use her skills to encourage people to keep on dancing in their twilight years. Diane believes dance and storytelling are strong devices that unite all communities.
Strategic Advisor Vanessa Ronan-Pearce
Vanessa started dancing at the age of 3 when her Mum, ex-principal dancer Borovansky Ballet (now Australian Ballet) started The Glebe School of Performing Arts in Sydney.
She trained in ballet, tap and jazz completing her HSC at The McDonald College. Vanessa went on to run The Glebe School of Performing arts for over 15 years and also taught at other leading studios including Brent St, Dynamite, Urban Dance Centre and Sydney Dance Co.
She completed a Bachelor of Arts (Dance) followed by study in Sports Therapy, Music, Communications and Business.
Vanessa has also spent many years working as a professional singer/songwriter, pianist and producer before moving into the corporate world. Over the last 15+ years Vanessa has grown into a commercially minded brand evangelist with a passion for the human connections behind business, working with global thought leaders, influencers and entrepreneurs.
Advising to Creative Caring provides a unique opportunity for Vanessa to combine her passion for dance and creativity whilst utilising her vast corporate experience.
Drama teacher Vashti Hughes
Vashti has a BA Theatre Studies UNSW. She went on to study performance at UWS Nepean. She has made independent theatre and cabaret since then as well as comedy. Vashti writes and performs her own shows.
Vashti deeply values and respects the input that our Elders have to society. Over the last few years she has been increasingly involved in the Kings Cross community. She created a work called Piccolo Tales with 80 year-old Sydney icon, Vittorio Bianchi writing a performance piece which they performed together.
She then went on to create community gatherings at the Kings Cross library throughout the City of Sydney celebrating the lives of its elder members who have contributed to its rich history. She gathered stories with the assistance of Kings Cross community centre reaching out to senior members of the community, which she then performed, in the form of interviews, at the library.
Vashti taught drama in high schools and toured with children's theatre company Loose Canon Arts to Singapore and Indonesia. She is currently working with Milkcrate Theatre with homeless and disadvantaged people.
Dance teacher Renata Commisso
Renata Commisso was born in Sydney, Australia. She began her education in classical ballet and contemporary dance in Sydney before moving to Munich, Germany to complete her studies. For the next 10 years she worked with professional dance companies between Europe and Canada.
Her professional dance career at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Montreal and with The National Centre for Dance Therapy.
Renata loves exploring collaborative contemporary performance for the community; creating works for galleries, choreographic labs and charity performances, including Le Livart Galleries, A Suvire 2016, Leucan, and Parkinson’s en Mouvement.
Renata has received her Parkinson’s en Movement Certification in Montreal, her Social Arts Immersion Training- Cirque du Soleil and Centre of National Dance Therapy and most recently Dance for PD.
Since 2017, Renata has been teaching community dance classes for people with Parkinson’s in Sydney and also improvisation classes.