Liv Schaffer (she/her) is a social practice artist and educator whose work centers intergenerational dance as a tool for connection, care, and social change. She received her BFA from Alonzo Kings LINES Ballet Program at Dominican University, and has performed with AXIS Dance Company, DanceWorks Chicago, Robert Moses’ Kin, and Dance Exchange. Liv is a Community Engagement Artist with Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and is on faculty in the Performing Arts & Social Justice department at the University of San Francisco, where she teaches contemporary forms and directs Dance Generators, an on-campus intergenerational dance company. Liv’s choreography has been presented by Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, ODC Theater, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, RAWDance SF, The Big Muddy Dance Company, and Western Michigan University.
Simultaneously, her creative practice is anchored in social services and aging innovation; as Intergenerational Director with EngAGE, Liv designs experiences that foster belonging, agency, and relationship across generations within affordable housing throughout California and Oregon. She was named a 2020 Margaret Jenkins CHIME Mentee, 2021 Gen2Gen Innovation Fellow by CoGenerate, 2021 USF Community Engaged Learning Teaching Fellow, 2025 LABA Bay Area Fellow, and 2026 Legacy in Motion Choreographic Winner by Happendance. Liv served on the Board of Directors for San Francisco Village, supporting older adults aging in place from 2022-2025, and has been leading Dance Generators since 2018.
view a portfolio of Liv’s work here +++ follow @livschaffer to stay up to date on her latest personal + professional projects
Photo by Rendhelmorr Anicete