The Deerfield dance was my local series when I first started dancing in my early 20s in the early 1990s, and it was multi-generational and vibrant then, with a lot of participation from Deerfield/Northwood/Raymond locals & the school community, as well as regular "dancers" from throughout the region. I still remember Marianne Taylor's erect and energetic posture and her broad smile as she led us through La Bastringue. Glad to hear that Rickey et al are working to regain that multi-generational spirit. At a certain level, how your dance series ends up is luck/chance (meaning there are circumstances you have no/little control of). However, I believe there are things one can do to actively lure serendipity to your doorstep. First and foremost -- I agree that clarifying the organizational vision is crucial. Get together with your co-organizers and decide what you want the series to be and why. What aspects are essential to you? What are the 'icing' items (nice but not necessary). And why do you want them that way? And what does your series need in order to function? (In terms of attendance/income, expenses, bottom line, etc) How can you structure things such that your series can function in the practical sense (e.g. running in black) and still achieve your vision? (There are soooo many resources out there for this stuff, including work of Larry Jennings and CDSS starter kits.) Also, think like an entrepreneur, and be sure that your vision is feasible, viable, and desirable. (See marketing handout in POTD archive) You have your vision, and you have to sell it (to your existing dancers as well as the ones you want to attract.) Then start thinking about specific steps that you think will get you closer to that goal than you are now. This endeavor may take months, if not years, as you refine your practice to continue trying to achieve your vision. There is no quick fix. Which is to say, in this specific case, I don't think that producing a techno contra in Deerfield as a means to introduce youth participation in the series is an effective strategy. In my experience/understanding, the most successful techno contra evenings have seemed to be those which sprang from an already thriving youth component for a series (or dance region) - such as BIDA's Spark in the Dark, etc. - or were catalyzed by youth themselves - such as those at Bates College, etc. In these cases, the Techno was an outgrowth of an existing level of youth participation. I have not seen it work effectively in the reverse, and agree with all other list respondents on that front. But a multi-generational dance community is definitely achievable. There are many things you can do to increase youth participation. Helpmeets include these: - Digest the aforementioned CDSS starter kit on Recruiting Young People (link on POTD archive, as referenced below) - Digest the Puttin' On the Dance Archive http://www.puttinonthedance.org/post-conference/archive/ (Start with resources for sessions in the "Attracting People to Our Vision" section, especially "Promoting Youth Participation" and "To Market, To Market...".) - Heed the advice of individuals or Groups who are "experts" on youth participation, having this as a central concern over time: (a) All 3 CDSS Youth Interns (Ethan H-W, Max Newman, Mary Wesley) (b) Founders and current board of BIDA (Boston Intergenerational Dance Advocates) series (c) Organizer peers such as Peter on this list, whose series has apparently achieved what Deerfield is striving for (revitalizing intergenerational element in an existing series.) Good luck Rickey & team! Rooting for you here in Belfast. Chrissy "Dance, when you're broken open... dance, when you're perfectly free" ~ Rumi chrissyfowler.com belfastflyingshoes.org westbranchwords.com