Grand Theatre, Zoonation Dance Company to Launch Educational Arts Programme

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre today announces a long-term, ground-breaking collaboration with internationally acclaimed Hip Hop dance company ZooNation. Together the two companies will offer a professional arts experience to local schools ahead of opening the national tour of INTO THE HOODS: REMIXED at the Grand Theatre from 25 - 27 February 2016.

With significant support from Arts Connect, the Grand Theatre and ZooNation have created an outreach scheme that will provide opportunities for Key Stage 4 dance students across twelve schools to work with professional choreographers. The schools will develop and present their own School Showcase at the Grand Theatre in January 2016.

Following the showcase, chosen dancers will then create a 'curtain raiser' routine, choreographed by ZooNation to be performed on the Grand Theatre stage before the opening performance of INTO THE HOODS: REMIXED.

Alongside the performance activities, Business Studies students from the schools and colleges will have the opportunity to gain real-life, professional marketing experience from the Marketing & Sales staff at the Grand Theatre. Students will be given a brief by ZooNation, to design a targeted, creative marketing campaign to promote and publicise the School Showcase and INTO THE HOODS: REMIXED at the Grand Theatre.

The project significantly extends and builds upon the Grand Theatre's 2012 pilot scheme with ZooNation which saw 22 dancers from local secondary schools perform in 3 curtain raiser performances prior to Some Like It Hip Hop. A total of 4,516 participants, including schools audience members were involved in the project in 2012, three quarters of whom were young people.

The original production, INTO THE HOODS, first premiered at the Peacock Theatre in 2006, later opening at the Novello Theatre in 2008. It became both the first ever hip hop dance show to open in the West End and the longest running dance show in the West End's history. The show won the Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Ensemble Performance, and founder of ZooNation, Kate Prince was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer. She also choreographed So You Think You Can Dance for the BBC and the movie Streetdance3D.

Activity Supported by Arts Connect West Midlands as part of their Partnership Investment Programme.

Claudia Gilmour, Head of Creative Learning & Education (Maternity Cover) at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre said: 'With support from ZooNation and Arts Connect, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre is looking forward to delivering this exciting outreach project for Dance and Business Studies students, and the opportunities it will provide through working with industry professionals.'

Pepita Hanna, Associate Director Partnerships and Investments, Arts Connect said: 'We are delighted to support such an exciting opportunity for students through our Partnership Investment programme. It's wonderful that both Dance and Business Studies students will be working with arts professionals from ZooNation and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre to gain invaluable experience and learning. The programme has also included quality professional development which will result in a network of teachers of dance and business studies to continue this excellent work into the future'.

To post a comment, you must register and login.