Guided by NewStories’ expertise in Principles Guided CoCreation and Re-Storying, the Dance Palace embarked on a transformative journey, discovering a renewed connection with its community and a new story of hope and possibility.
Illustrations by NewStories’ graphic artist Zulma Patarroyo
California’s West Marin Dance Palace Community and Cultural Center has long been a cherished hub of connection, celebration, and learning. In the midst of the COVID years, the organization found realized it was time to create a deeper level of connecting with the diverse and changing community it served. The internal culture of the Dance Palace remained largely representative of the older generation that had originally shaped it, leading to feelings of disconnection and alienation among the growing Latinx community and emerging younger generations. Recognizing the need for change, the Dance Palace Board initiated an adaptive planning process.
NewStories was invited to help guide this journey, supporting the Dance Palace in creating a principles-guided process for continuous planning over the next five years and beyond. Central to this work was NewStories’ Principles Guided Co-Creation process (PGCC), a method developed by NewStories that helps communities and organizations identify core values and principles that fuel collective action. PGCC flows through four phases (pictured below), which are described as distinct steps; however, they often occur in loops, allowing groups to move between phases as needed to address emerging system needs.

The Dance Palace’s journey illuminates how NewStories’ PGCC can support communities in navigating and overcoming challenges. By centering on shared principles, the process fosters a renewed focus on common values, creating a new path forward that’s rooted in deep aspirations shared by all.
The Listening Tour: Hearing the Community’s Voice
Central to NewStories’ approach was a community listening tour—an essential element of the PGCC methodology’s first phase: Listening, Connecting & Nourishing. This phase involved creating spaces where people could share their stories, build authentic relationships, and nourish connections with curiosity, support, and respect for diverse perspectives.
Through ten sessions with 70 participants, individual interviews, and a survey that gathered over 700 responses, NewStories and the Dance Palace engaged the community in deep listening. These dialogues were particularly inclusive of Latinx and younger community members, groups that had felt marginalized in recent years. The goal was to ensure that all voices were heard and valued, creating a foundation for the next steps.

Three key questions were asked:
- If you could reimagine the Dance Palace, what would it become?
- What draws you to places where you easily connect with others, and what’s their “secret sauce”?
- Which future ideas for the Dance Palace could have the greatest impact?
This phase not only gathered valuable insights but also rekindled the community’s connection to the Dance Palace, fostering a sense of ownership in its future. This process also illuminated how the Dance Palace could realign with the community, ensuring participants felt safe, their input valued, and their voices heard in shaping the organization’s future.
Weaving Community Values: The Art of Co-Creating Principles
The listening tour was not just about gathering input—it was a demonstration of PGCC’s Phase Two of PGCC: Co-Creating & Naming. Through these sessions, community members collaboratively identified core values and emerging themes that would guide the future of the Dance Palace.
NewStories then worked closely with the Dance Palace Board to distill these insights into Guiding Principles, forming the foundation of its new Adaptation Plan. These principles reflected the values and aspirations of the community. They would serve as a foundation for future decisions, weaving the community’s voice into the fabric of the Dance Palace’s future.
With the guiding principles in place, the Dance Palace entered Phase Three: Aligning & Re-Patterning. During this phase, the team reflected on how well their current operations and programming aligned with the new Guiding Principles. This was a time to realign actions with these principles, adapting existing patterns or letting go of those that no longer served the community’s needs.
The resulting Adaptation Plan became a living document shaped by the voices of the community, staff, and Board. Built around the Guiding Principles, the plan outlined specific goals and Key Milestones for the next 18 months, ensuring its actions are both achievable and aligned with the community’s needs. As these milestones are reached, Signs of Success will be used to measure progress, focusing on holistic outcomes rather than data alone.

Regular feedback loops and ongoing community check-ins were established to assess alignment with the community’s values and ensure that the center remained responsive to evolving needs. The emphasis was on Re-Patterning to integrate the principles into daily practice, ensuring that the Dance Palace’s actions consistently aligned with the community’s core priorities.
Re-Structuring and Illuminating A Path Forward
NewStories guided the Dance Palace in Phase 4 of PGCC: Re-Structuring & Illuminating. The Dance Palace focused on embedding the guiding principles into its organizational structure and culture. This phase was crucial for sustaining the new patterns established in earlier stages and for moving toward the desired vision of the community.
Re-Structuring involved a comprehensive assessment of the larger changes necessary to enhance the Dance Palace’s resilience and responsiveness to the evolving needs of its community. By letting go of outdated methods and introducing innovative initiatives, the organization aimed to create a more adaptable framework that aligned with the values co-created with community members.

As part of this transformation, the Illuminating aspect emphasized identifying and sharing key insights that emerged throughout the process. By highlighting these lessons learned, the Dance Palace not only deepened its internal understanding but also served as an inspiration for other organizations to adopt similar practices. This phase prioritized collective reflection and storytelling, clarifying how the newly established principles could effectively shape the future.
Collaboration with a diverse cross-section of the community was essential in this phase. Together, they crafted a plan that included concrete action steps while also establishing a continuous process of reflection and adjustment. Recognizing that communities are dynamic and ever-changing, this flexible approach ensured that the Dance Palace would remain a vibrant hub of creativity, connection, and well-being.
Re-Storying through Principles Guided Co-Creation
The transformation of the Dance Palace Community and Cultural Center exemplifies the power of NewStories’ PGCC methodology in fostering meaningful and transformative change.
Through PGCC, NewStories supported the Dance Palace in Re-Storying, crafting a vision for the future that honors its past while also bringing new stories and possibilities to life. By emphasizing shared principles, as well as continuous reflection and adjustment of its everyday practices, the Dance Palace is better equipped to evolve alongside its community, ensuring it remains a vibrant and relevant center for connection and belonging in West Marin.
Today, the Dance Palace is not just as a venue, but as a living ecosystem—a place that holds space for healing, creativity, and connection, where diverse voices can be heard, where all generations feel welcome, and where new stories of resilience and possibility can unfold.
This journey highlights the essential role of trust, openness, and community engagement in shaping a future that reflects collective aspirations. As the Dance Palace continues to evolve, it inspires other communities to embrace their own paths of renewal, demonstrating that transformative change is possible when we come together with shared values and visions.
Learn more about NewStories’ transformative Principles Guided CoCreation process.