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.
Twilight CPD Event: Introduction to themes, creation and roles & responsibilities of The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party with Bradley Charles and Rachel Howes
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Join Bradley Charles, ZooNation Associate Artist and Resident Director of The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party and our Educational Consultant Rachel Howes, for an exciting professional development (CPD) session designed specifically for dance and performing arts educators.
This event will introduce you to ZooNation’s unique production creative approaches, purpose, specific roles & responsibilities and themes that these may specifically link to to support the delivery of delivery of Component 1 & 2 of the BTEC Tech Awards in Performing Arts and BTEC Nationals in Performing Arts/ Performance Unit 1.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to inspire your students with fresh ideas and techniques, refresh your skills and explore creative approaches to dance education in this engaging online session then sign up using the following link.
This session will be supported with a special edition fact file to gain further insight into the production processes of The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, produced by Resident Director Bradley Charles, and a copy of supporting digital resources produced by Educational Consultant, Rachel Howes.
This session is aimed at teachers of Pearson’s BTEC Performing Arts/ Key Stage 3, 4 & 5 Dance Educators
Thursday, 21 November
4pm – 6pm GMT
(Online event)
ZooNation Youth Company announce New Artistic Leadership and Talent Search
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ZooNation is thrilled to announce a significant development in our youth company’s artistic leadership, as auditions and a series of brand new masterclasses open! We’re looking to meet the next generation of exceptional dance artists aged between 10-20 – Could it be you?
The 2025 cohort of ZooNation Youth Company dancers will be led by the joint artistic leadership of ZooNation’s Founder and Artistic Director Kate Prince and Associate Artistic Director Dannielle ‘Rhimes’ Lecointe.
Kate Prince said, “It’s a full circle moment for me as the company’s Founder. Having spent significant time on productions including Sylvia at the Old Vic, The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at The Royal Opera House and Message In A Bottle which recently returned from a world tour and Broadway, I can’t wait to get back in the studio where it all began.
The next generation need access to the arts and genuine opportunities like ZYC more than ever. I am incredibly proud of our alumni who have gone on to achieve remarkable things. For many of the young people who have joined us, it has been a life-changing experience. ZYC offers not only professional opportunities, but also a place to train, be inspired, and feel part of something special.
We are able to provide these exceptionally talented young people with a platform to express themselves, offer them a sense of belonging and a potential future in the performing arts. It feels like the right time to be taking the baton again, alongside the brilliant Dannielle ‘Rhimes’ Lecointe. I am excited to work together, to meet new talent, but also hope to see many familiar faces during auditions and workshops.”
Dannielle ‘Rhimes’ Lecointe said: “I’ve worked with ZYC intensively over the years and am honoured to carry on the legacy of outstanding talent we have raised up in the industry. To also do this with Kate, for the first time whom I’ve worked with for 18 years is incredibly exciting and feels like a fresh wave for the company.”
Recognising the urgent need to nurture young talent, Prince established ZooNation Youth Company (ZYC) in 2006, which has since flourished into a sector-leading training and performance company of around 20 young hip-hop performers. Notable alumni include Rambert dance artist Liam Francis, Dancer and International Dance Educator Dylan Mayoral and Candoco Dance Artist Annie Edwards. Over 150 young people aged between 10-20 have been through ZYC.
ZYC has garnered acclaim for its ambitious productions with exemplary young artists including Groove On Down The Road at Southbank Centre, and performances in the West End show Into the Hoods. Members of the company performed in Nelson Mandela’s 90th Birthday Celebrations (broadcast worldwide) and were invited to perform for the International Olympics Committee at the Royal Opera House during the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony.
ZYC provides a subsidised weekly training company for young artists to develop advanced skills in dance styles influenced by Hip Hop Culture, including Breakin’, House, Groove, Waacking, Krump, and the Funk Styles of Popping and Locking. Many ZYC alumni progress to perform in ZooNation productions.
Prince adds, “The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, which is now playing at the Royal Ballet and Opera has four of the cast members in the show who started in our youth company. Seeing them on stage, now in major roles as professional artists is the best feeling, and I want to continue fostering such amazing growth and opportunities for the next generation of theatre goers and theatre makers”
Preparatory masterclasses and auditions to join ZooNation Youth Company begin this Autumn. For more information and to register your interest in joining ZooNation Youth Company please visit zoonation.co.uk/apply
ZooNation announce new residency at North London School
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We’re thrilled to announce our new residency at Robert Blair Primary School in Islington, to coincide with our ongoing creative residency at Sadler’s Wells Theatre. This unique partnership aims to enrich students’ experiences in the performing arts while providing ZooNation with an inspiring office and rehearsal space in the school’s grand Victorian building.
ZooNation’s Founder and Artistic Director Kate Prince expressed her enthusiasm:
“It feels incredibly fitting for ZooNation, a company created to provide young people with genuinely accessible theatre experiences, to find a residency that aligns so closely with our mission and values. Being around young people is truly inspiring, from hearing them play outside our window to gaining insights into the educational community. This move is an exciting new chapter for ZooNation, especially as we begin to collaborate with the brilliant team here at Robert Blair. It’s a win-win.”
The creative collaboration is already underway. ZooNation’s Associate Artistic Director Dannielle Rhimes Lecointe is currently working with Year 6 students on a new promenade performance. This piece involving 25 Robert Blair pupils, explores their experiences and memories of the school as they prepare to graduate this summer. The performance will be showcased to friends and family at the end of the summer term.
Robert Blair Primary School’s headteacher Michelle Bahn, shared her commitment to the partnership and the schools vision and aspirations for our work together. “We continue to explore further ways of enriching our arts centre curriculum and share skills across the arts and education sector. It is stimulating to see our work together enhancing the quality of provision, building on economic capacity and exposing children and young adults to opportunities within the world of work. Having experienced artists growing young talent and working creatively, developing and showcase work with and centred around pupil voice is inspiring. We are particularly thrilled to have ZooNation based here with their extensive knowledge in the creative industries.”
In addition to the summer term project, ZooNation plan to offer a variety of training opportunities and professional development events, as well as develop new touring theatre in education ideas with the school.
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
