We are living in the most age-diverse society in all of human history, yet society is rampant with age-based stereotypes and systems that keep us segregated by age. Liv Schaffer, dance professor at the University of San Francisco's Performing Arts & Social Justice Department, and director of the intergenerational dance company Dance Generators, shares her take on how the arts, specifically dance, provide solutions to nationwide generational divisions and social isolation. 

Schaffer weaves together creative and quantitative research stemming from her work in higher education and nonprofit sectors that tell a new generational story for audiences of all ages. Join for this immersive presentation that will draw on video, discussion, live dance performance and participatory activities to co-create a fresh perspective on age, dance and diverse community building.

About the Speaker

Liv Schaffer is a dancer, choreographer, educator, and arts advocate with a focus on intergenerational practice. She has performed with AXIS Dance Company, DanceWorks Chicago, Robert Moses’ Kin, and the Dance Exchange. Schaffer is a community engagement artist with Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and on faculty at University of San Francisco’s Performing Arts & Social Justice Department, where she teaches contemporary technique and directs an on-campus intergenerational dance company, Dance Generators. Schaffer’s choreography has been presented by Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, ODC Theater, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival/RAWDance SF, The Big Muddy Dance Company, LINES Ballet BFA Program, and Western Michigan University. When she's not dancing, Schaffer is the intergenerational programs director with EngAge, designing programs that bridge generational divides within affordable housing communities across California. She was named a 2021 Gen2Gen Innovation Fellow by CoGenerate and serves on the board of directors for San Francisco Village, a membership organization that supports older adult San Franciscans age in place.