[Organizers] Re: Attracting young dancers

Switching roles a bit on the question of attracting younger dancers. I lived with my grandparents in the late 60s and they square danced every week. I had a relative who was a national square dance caller. I was in my late teens. Occasionally I went to a square dance with my grandparents. I also went to a national square dance weekend in the Ozarks once with them. At their weekly dance no one was younger than my grandparents' generation. At the national convention no one was younger than my parents' generation. I had no interest in dancing with people my parents' and my grandparents' age. They dressed in fancy square dancing clothes, usually matching, frilly skirts et al. If the square dancers wore jeans and T shirts that would have been more my speed, but I still wouldn't want to dance with my parents or grandparents. At that time my grandparents were younger than I am now. Those older square dancers were younger than many of us are now. A Friday or Saturday evening is prime social time. If you're young and single you'll want to gravitate to activities that pulls you into a social space with your peers (and possible mates, whatever your gender identity). Hence you may have younger people who come for a dance, but most don't come back. Those three dances I mentioned in my prior email, SNCA, OFB, RFL, all have a large demographic of younger dancers to socialize with. Hence, a younger dancer comes and enjoys themselves, and they're likely to want to return. If I've beaten this horse to death on this list you're welcome to say "enough, we've heard you now several times" and I'll try to remember to shut up.  But I'm old and don't remember well anymore, so .... Heitzso