Upcoming performances
ZooNation Youth Company Return to the Stage with Thrilling New Show “Lights Out” at the Royal Ballet & Opera
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Performances: 29 June 2025, Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, London
This year’s ZooNation Youth Company (ZYC), under the new leadership of Kate Prince, ZooNation’s Founder and Artistic Director and Dannielle ‘Rhimes’ Lecointe, Associate Artistic Director, is poised to electrify audiences once again.
ZYC is thrilled to mark their fourth year at the Royal Ballet and Opera’s Next Generation Festival with their latest high-energy production, Lights Out. Devised by Kate and Dannielle, with support from Creative Assistant and ZYC alum Alex Johnston, alongside the talented youth company, this show promises an unmissable experience.
About the Show
The lights dim, the beat drops… let the games begin.
In Lights Out, a group of unsuspecting players face a high-stakes challenge where wit, skill and determination are their only tools to survive and claim victory. Combining suspense, drama and electrifying hip-hop-inspired dance, this production takes audiences on a heart-pounding journey.
Presented by ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company, known for acclaimed productions like The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and Some Like It Hip Hop, Lights Out showcases the extraordinary talent of ZYC dancers aged 10 to 20. With bold beats, intricate rhythms, and explosive choreography, this family-friendly spectacle promises unforgettable twists and turns at every step.
This brand new work is a celebration of emerging dance talent in the UK and a testament to ZooNation’s legacy in dance storytelling, and fostering the next generation of dance artists.
Sunday 29th June, performances at 1pm & 4pm
Book tickets
Past performances
ZooNation’s Hip-Hop Half-Term
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Performances: 22 February 2025, Southbank Centre
Get your groove on with ZooNation dancers in workshops introducing families to a range of styles influenced by hip-hop culture.
Join us for a fun-filled day for all the family, with workshops and performances from ZooNation Youth Company, plus a lunchtime DJ.
Don’t miss a special performance from ZooNation Youth Company, featuring the new 2025 cohort, and workshops led by ZooNation Artists Bradley Charles and Francesca Miles.
Free entry
Ideal for ages 4-11
10.30am – 12.30pm: Workshops and performances
12.30pm –1.30pm: DJ set
1.30pm – 3.30pm: Workshops and performances
Message In A Bottle
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Performances: 8 December 2024 - 7 January 2025, Online
The iconic songs of Sting, brought to life by the phenomenal ZooNation dancers, will soon be available to stream right from the comfort of your home.
From December 8 2024 to January 7 2025, Message In A Bottle: The Feature Film will premiere on Sadler’s Wells Digital Stage. We couldn’t be more delighted to share this extraordinary project with audiences around the world, just in time for the holiday season!
Celebrate the release of the film on 8 December by joining us for a watch party at 8pm GMT / 3pm East Coast. Your ticket gives you access to watch this production until 7 January 2025.
ZooNation Academy of Dance Christmas Show
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Performances: 14 December 2024, The Place, London WC1H 9PY
Join us for a joyful day of celebrating the incredible talents of ZooNation’s Academy of Dance students and teachers.
We’re honouring another fantastic year of creativity and dedication from both the school and the ZooNation Youth Company.
Featuring new choreography set to a vibrant mix of timeless R&B, soul classics, and some of this year’s hottest hip-hop tracks. This festive showcase promises to leave you brimming with Christmas cheer.
Performance Times: 4:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Message In A Bottle – World Tour
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Performances: 4 July 2023 - 10 December 2024, World tour
Sadler’s Wells and Universal Music UK present Message In A Bottle, the breathtaking new dance-theatre production by triple Olivier Award nominee, Kate Price, to the music of 17-time Grammy Award winner, Sting.
Initially inspired by Sting’s track, Desert Rose, Message In A Bottle is an uplifting and poignant tale of humanity and hope that reflects on salient global tropes, including displacement, immigration and survival, using high-energy footwork, exhilarating dance styles and breath-taking athleticism.
11 –13 May 2023 Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, UK
16 – 17 May 2023 Hall for Cornwall Truro, UK
19 – 20 May 2023 Theatre Royal Plymouth, UK
6 – 18 Jun 2023 MAAG Zurich, Switzerland
4 – 8 Jul 2023 The Marlowe Canterbury, UK
27 – 29 Jul Aug 2023 The Lowry Salford, UK
4 – 14 Oct 2023 Peacock Theatre London, UK
25 – 29 Oct 2023 Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
8 – 12 Nov 2023 De La Mar Theatre Amsterdam, Netherlands
15 – 19 Nov 2023 Oude Luxor Rotterdam, Netherlands
22 – 26 Nov 2023 Parkstad Limburg Theatre Heerlen, Netherlands
29 Nov – 3Dec 2023 Chasse Theatre Breda, Netherlands
6 – 10 Dec 2023 Martiniplaza Groningen, Netherlands
25 – 27 Jan 2024 Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg
Icon Theatre, ZooNation and Amina Khayyam Dance Company present Ghost Ships
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Performances: 25 - 28 September 2024, The Historic Dockyard Chatham
Icon Theatre, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company and Amina Khayyam Dance Company present Ghost Ships
The stories you’ve never been told…
ZooNation are excited to be a part of this major theatrical event from award-winning Icon Theatre, which recharts the history of Chatham Dockyard, asking who owns our history and what stories should we tell?
Featuring ZooNation’s captivating signature styles, and powerful Kathak from Amina Khayyam Dance Company, original live music, and the choral power of a monumental community ensemble, Ghost Ships tells the true and untold stories of the extraordinary people who built and sailed the ships of Chatham Dockyard around the world.
Wednesday 25 – Saturday 28 September 2024
The Historic Dockyard Chatham
**Strictly limited run**
£15 Adults / £12 Child / Group Rates Available
Ages Guidance
Age Guidance 10+ (parental guidance advised).
Running Time
80 Minutes (Approx.)
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
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Performances: 4 - 24 September 2024, The Royal Opera House
Tickets on sale 10th July 2024 (General release)
It’s back! Don’t miss the highly anticipated return of the acclaimed ZooNation production The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party to the Royal Opera House Linbury Theatre this autumn, marking a decade since its original debut.
ZooNation is thrilled to be reviving this ZooNation classic with director Kate Prince at the helm, who reimagines Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland into a Hip Hop infused tea party like no other.
The Queen of Hearts has anger issues, Alice is confused about just how big or small her body actually is. The Mad Hatter, suffering from mercury poisoning, never wants to stop having tea! Ernest has his work cut out for him at his new job. He is tasked to fix people who have been locked away for not being ‘normal’. As he gets closer to his patients, Ernest realises: what’s so great about being ‘normal’ anyway?
This energetic family-friendly production encourages us to embrace our differences and the things that make us who we are. Kate worked with her frequent collaborators Josh Cohen and D.J. Walde to create original music on top of the narrative.
4th – 24th September 2024, Royal Opera House, (London)
*Strictly limited run*
ZooNation Youth Company to return to Royal Opera House’s Next Generation Festival
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Performances: 29 June 2024, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Sat 29th June, performances at 2:30pm & 7pm
This summer, ZooNation Youth Company are back at the Royal Festival Hall with an electrifying performance showcasing brand new work by choreographer Chaldon Williams (known for ‘Traplord’ and Founder of dance collective ‘Tribe Wayz’).
This fresh commission for the Next Generation Festival unites the UK’s most talented young Hip Hop artists from ZooNation, promising a dynamic celebration of Hip Hop styles in a slick and bold performance.
ZooNation Youth Company presents Kingdom of Nevar
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Performances: 29 June 2024, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Enter the captivating world of Nevar, where ZooNation Youth Company electrify the stage with a dynamic exploration of power, greed and status.
Told through slick and bold Hip Hop styles, ‘Kingdom of Nevar‘ delves deep into the concept of royalty in a modern age under the powerful direction of Chaldon Williams (Traplord, The Exchange). Step into a realm of regality like you’ve never seen before as the battling hierarchy jostle for their futures.
Returning to the Next Generation Festival for the third year, ZooNation Youth Company are the UK’s leading young Hip Hop company from the storytelling powerhouse ZooNation (The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, Message In A Bottle & Some Like It Hip Hop).
Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, London
Sat 29th June
Performances at 2:30pm & 7pm
‘Message In A Bottle’ hits UK cinemas
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Performances: 30 May - 6 June 2024, Cinemas nationwide
We are thrilled to announce that the profound and powerful dance production Message In A Bottle lands in UK cinemas today, following an epic 200 show North American tour. This release marks a milestone moment for ZooNation as our very first film shot especially for the big screen.
Produced by Sadler’s Wells and Universal Music, Message In A Bottle is a mesmerising cinematic stage experience set to the iconic music of Sting. The story of family, survival and hope is brought to life by the superhuman talents of ZooNation dancers, offering a unique view of the performance through the eye of the lens.
In 2022 our Founder and Choreographer Kate Prince worked closely with BAFTA-winning screen director Marcus Viner to capture the essence of the stage show using six Arri-LF 4K cameras. This collaboration allowed us to film on a sound stage, providing the ability to capture each element of the show from the best possible angles.
As Kate explains, “I am so excited that ‘Message In A Bottle’ will hit cinemas. Having the opportunity to film on a sound stage gave us the ability to capture each element of the show from the best possible angle, allowing the audience to truly appreciate the agility and athleticism of the dancers and draw them fully into the story.”
Message In A Bottle is being distributed by the Royal Opera House and will be shown in cinemas nationwide for one week. To find your local screening, simply enter your postcode in the screening finder.
Join us for this extraordinary cinematic experience and immerse yourself in the powerful story and incredible performances of ZooNation performers, available to watch in cinemas for one week only.
Message In A Bottle screening & live Q&A with Kate Prince
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Performances: 30 May 2024, Lewes Depot
Dance sensation Message In A Bottle is hitting the big screen. To celebrate, join us for a Live Q&A session with the brilliant mind behind it all – Kate Prince, Founder and Artistic Director of ZooNation. Dive into the creative process and discover how Kate brought the magic of this stunning stage production to life on film.
Thursday May 30th, 7:20pm
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Distributed by Royal Opera House
Message In A Bottle is Sadler’s Wells and Universal Music Production with ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company.
