The Dance Generators are a Northampton-based intergenerational performance company joined together by the love of dance, the sharing of performance with a great group, and the inspired direction of Kristin Horrigan. We perform in theaters such as the Academy of Music and the Center for the Arts, senior centers, retirement communities, nursing homes, and schools and colleges- mostly in the Pioneer Valley.

The age range of the Dance Generators varies from the twenties through eighties. At present, the 50-plusers are the heart of the group. I'd like to introduce a few of these dancers in performance moments that captivated me:

ROBIN - gliding into a Duncanesque pose arched backward on the stage floor CONSTANCE - moving majestically up a staircase and then leaping off the top PRAKASH - rolling over and effortlessly lifting a partner in contact improvisation PEGGY - clowning around, pounding her stomach and grunting, cracking us up SUSAN W - shaping a group dance about our innermost fears SARAH - doing jazzy movements in a trio, with a table and chairs SUSAN S - doing ballet moves with my support

I'm the oldest member of the company, an 80-pluser and a play-write who teaches creative movement to veterans. Kristin recently choreographed a special duet about going to war for me and a guest performer, my 16 year old son, Theo.

In addition to the portrayal of subjects depicting our innermost fears, like going to war, our dances also tackle topics like a Vermont town meeting, going through life with gusto, passing the torch from an older dancer to a younger one, and duets demonstrating that women over sixty are able to move energetically and even lift each other into the air. Right now, we are working on a piece about energy and consumption that will be performed in June.

We are often asked how our audiences respond to us. The following statements are snapshots of a few immediate reactions following our performances. "After a few minutes, I didn't think about age differences. I was entranced with the quality of the performance." "Where do you get your energy? You must come back and perform for us again." "You all seem to be having so much fun. What comes across is that you genuinely like each other." "I didn't know grown-ups could jump and roll on the floor!"

Some of us have dance backgrounds while others do not. Now I would like to introduce Robin who will tell you how she first became involved with the Dance Generators and what her experience has been. "I studied, taught, performed and choreographed dance for over five decades. Tired of both the painful tyranny of technique and being the only person in class over the age of thirty, I deserted dance for close to ten years in exchange for a 'practical' career in graphic design. Much to my disappointment, the aches and pains didn't go away; they just changed! Perhaps it was a Third Age biological clock that brought a change of thinking. While my business consumed a lot of interest and energy, I experienced an inexplicable longing that was not satisfied by Kung Fu, walking a marathon, or Tai Chi. That longing brought me to my first Dance Generators community class. I was immediately convinced that my place was with these dancers. Luckily, there was a place open in the company! Then- I got it! What I longed for was a nurturing community where I could perform and experience meaningful art with the attitude of 'Why not?' instead of 'You can't!'"

An eight-year veteran of Dance Generators, Constance says, "Joining Dance Generators has been a surprising process for me, opening up excitement and possibility beyond the narrow confines of my work. Returning to Yoga, Pilates and some Ballet, after a hiatus of thirty- plus years, I was amazed to find a strength and energy in my physical self that I had never experienced before. Being taken seriously as a performer has encouraged me to take better care of myself physically. The connections I have made with my fellow dancers through the years has widened my group of friends and put a new slant on the possibility of getting older without becoming frail. Dance Generators has become such an integral part of my life that I am not quite sure what I would do without it."

The Dance Generators will be performing at the Northampton Center for the Arts on June 6 and 7, 2009. For more information about the Dance Generators, please contact Artistic Director Kristin Horrigan by phone at 413-320-3299 or via e-mail to Kristin Horrigan. If you would like to receive announcements about our community classes or would like to join our dancing group, please contact Kristin and ask to be added to our mailing list.

The photographs accompanying this article were taken by Laura Pravitz, Chris Golden and Adam Keller.

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