Kate Prince and her hip-hop dance company ZooNation return to Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall, from 5 to 26 August 2014 following the success of last year’s world première of Groove On Down The Road.
Groove On Down The Road is a special commission by Southbank Centre from the company behind Into the Hoods and Some Like It Hip Hop. Giving their unique, hip-hop twist to the classic tale of love and friendship, The Wizard of Oz, this show is performed entirely by ZooNation’s Youth Company, with dancers ranging from ages 10 to 19, as a way of inspiring a new generation of performers.
This major summer production returns as part of Southbank Centre’s Festival of Love (28 June to 31 August), which will explore the many facets of human love including family love, romantic love and the love of humanity.
Written and directed by Kate Prince, set in a fantastical urban world, ZooNation’s Groove On Down The Road tells the story of Dorothy and her adventures with four friends, Toto, Scarecrow, Lion and Tin Man. The audience joins Dorothy, her friends and ruby sneakers in this hip-hop dance production as they groove on down the yellow brick road in a quest to find love, happiness and family.
A cast made up entirely of young dancers from across the UK, all under the age of 20, Groove On Down The Road showcases ZooNation’s next generation of dancers. It features one young boy who was so inspired by last year’s show at Southbank Centre that he auditioned and secured a role in this year’s production.
Dorothy’s part will be shared by two 12-year-old dancers: Arizona Snow and Portia Oti.
Kate Prince said, "Groove On Down The Road was such a hit when it premièred at Southbank Centre last year that the ZooNation Youth Company are very excited about returning to the Queen Elizabeth Hall stage for another summer.
"The classic tale of friendship overcoming the odds at the heart of The Wizard of Oz has always appealed to me and is the perfect match for Southbank Centre’s Festival of Love.
"I’m incredibly proud to work with the talented children and teenagers in ZooNation Youth Company who come together from all over the UK, including Stoke, London, Manchester, Oxford and Brighton and bring their boundless energy and extraordinary skills to every performance.
"We already have one cast member who saw the show last year and was inspired to audition, and our goal is to encourage a whole new generation of children to explore how dance, passion, love and friendship can change their lives."