Let the Kids Dance!

By KUOW News and Information

What's Let the Kids Dance! about?

Let the Kids Dance! is a seven-part series documenting the rise and fall of Seattle's Teen Dance Ordinance — a local law that for nearly two decades made it illegal for young people to attend concerts.

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Let the Kids Dance! episodes:

05.16.2024
Part 7: Believe in Kids
At the turn of the 21st century, the TDO’s days are numbered. A generational shift puts a new era within sight. The closest mayoral election in Seattle's history will decide the fate of all-ages music. But even with a win,...
05.09.2024
Part 6: The Right Kind of Stupid
After 15 long years of the TDO, public opinion is shifting. Local alternative media starts covering the fight for all-ages music. Rock stars join activists in musical flash mobs to protest at city council meetings and community forums. And for...
05.02.2024
Part 5: F*ck the Laws
The TDO made it impossible for venue owners to turn a profit while hosting all-ages shows. But the law contained a few exceptions, allowing concerts at nonprofit spaces and religious institutions. Savvy promoters take full advantage. In the latter half...
04.25.2024
Part 4: Shake You Down For Sure
Seattle’s homegrown hip-hop scene is born from DJ-led dance parties put on by school-aged kids for their friends in backyards, rec halls and community centers. With the arrival of the TDO, these events draw scrutiny from Seattle police, who seem...
04.18.2024
Part 3: The Best Pack of Idiots
In 1991, grunge explodes onto the world stage and Seattle is declared the coolest place on earth. Media depicts the city as a creative utopia, but in reality, the Teen Dance Ordinance is suffocating the music scene. A new city...
04.11.2024
Part 2: “Kill Lou Guzzo”
Seattle police begin enforcing the TDO, and youth are fighting back. Cops aggressively shut down a show at Gorilla Gardens--considered the birthplace of grunge--leading young punks to battle with bricks and Molotov cocktails. Another punk-rock riot tears apart the Kitsap...
04.04.2024
Part 1: City Gone Crazy
The genesis of Seattle’s Teen Dance Ordinance begins at a nightclub called the Monastery. In the early 1980s, this all-ages disco was renowned on the West Coast for cutting-edge music and all-night parties. Some experienced the Monastery as a radically...
03.21.2024
Let the Kids Dance! (Trailer) - Coming April 4, 2024
Seattle in the 90s: A tidal wave of unforgettable music roars out of the city. Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam take over global pop culture and Seattle is declared the world's coolest place to be. But here, reality is different...

What's Let the Kids Dance! about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Let the Kids Dance! episodes:

Part 7: Believe in Kids

Part 6: The Right Kind of Stupid

Part 5: F*ck the Laws

Part 4: Shake You Down For Sure

Part 3: The Best Pack of Idiots

Part 2: “Kill Lou Guzzo”

Part 1: City Gone Crazy

Let the Kids Dance! (Trailer) - Coming April 4, 2024

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