That hip-hop has become the crowd puller it now is in theatres up and down the land, is to a large extent due to the work of Kate Prince and her barely 20-year-old ZooNation company. Prince and ZooNation have developed a unique style of storytelling through hip-hop with a succession of hit shows such as Into the Hoods.
Commissioned by Sadler's Wells, where Kate Prince is now an associate artist, Into the Hoods premiered in 2006 and was the first hip-hop dance show to transfer to the West End, where it became the longest running dance show in West End history.
Another major step in Prince's career came in 2014, when she made her Royal Opera House debut on the Linbury stage, with ZooNation's The Mad Hatter Tea Party, later refashioned for the Roundhouse and soon to be streamed as part of the Royal Opera House's #OurHouseToYour House programme.
The BBC's Imagine stable has a long and illustrious history. First broadcast in 2003, it's a series of one-hour arts documentaries edited and presented by Alan Yentob, and its broad remit is to shine a light on individual artists and art forms, be it music, theatre, the visual arts and much more besides.
In Kate Prince: Every Move She Makes Imagine follows the genesis of Message in a Bottle. This is how the BBC bills it: 'With exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the full creative process, the programme follows the highs and lows of birthing a complex new dance show, from day one in the studio to opening night.
'Alan Yentob talks to Prince’s key collaborators and family, painting an engaging and surprising portrait of a fascinating creative force while exploring the wider impact of her work and politics on a younger generation of upcoming dancers.'
Well worth viewing, either in its late night broadcast slot or on demand on iPlayer.
| What | Imagine: Kate Prince – Every Move She Makes |
| Where | BBC One, BBC One | MAP |
| When |
30 Jul 20 – 27 Aug 20, 22:45 Dur.: 65 minutes Available on BBC1 and iPlayer |
| Price | £N/A |
| Website | https://www.bbc.co.uk/ |
