ZooNation's INTO THE HOODS: REMIXED Set for The Marlowe Theatre

A hip hop dance show that stormed the West End is coming to Canterbury's Marlowe Theatre next month (April).

ZooNation's INTO THE HOODS: REMIXED is the newly revamped version of the award-winning production from 2008. Under the direction of Sadler's Wells Associate Artist Kate Prince, the much-loved show returns to the stage with all the wit and charm of the original, updated for 2016 with new choreography, a remixed soundtrack and fresh designs.

ZooNation Dance Company uses its trademark narrative hip hop dance theatre-style to tell the story of two schoolchildren lost in the "Ruff Endz Estate". The show follows the children's search for an iPhone as white as milk, trainers as pure as gold, a hoodie as red as blood and some weave as yellow as corn. Along the way, they meet DJ Spinderella, wannabe singer Lil Red, vivacious rapper Rap On Zel, and budding music producer Jaxx. Together they embark on a storybook adventure into the heart of a pulsating community.

The original INTO THE HOODS received universal praise at two Edinburgh Fringe runs (2006/07) and during its West End run in 2008, winning a What's On Stage Award for Best Ensemble Performance and an Olivier nomination for Best Theatre Choreography. Its success has had a huge impact on the profile of hip hop dance in the UK; the production became the first hip hop dance show to open in the West End and subsequently became one of the longest running dance shows in the West End's history.

INTO THE HOODS: REMIXED features music from James Brown, Queen Latifah, Jay Z, Jennifer Hudson, Kool + The Gang, Salt 'n' Pepa, Chemical Brothers, Kano, MC Hammer and new original work from Danilo 'DJ' Walde (Some Like it Hip Hop, The Mad Hatter's Tea Party).

Kate Prince founded ZooNation Dance Company in 2002. In 2008 she choreographed the West End cast of Into the Hoods for a special performance for Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert in Hyde Park. In 2011 she wrote, directed and co-choreographed ZooNation's production Some Like it Hip Hop which enjoyed a critically successful sell-out run and returned to London again the following year, before embarking on a UK tour and playing a third season at The Peacock in the Spring of 2013.

In 2012 she collaborated with Felix Harrison, Josh Cohen and Danilo 'DJ' Walde to create the short film and the original music for The Holloway Laundrette for the BAFTA and Channel 4 'Big Dance Shorts'. Her most recent work includes writing, directing and co-choreographing ZooNation's productions Groove On Down The Road for the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, and The Mad Hatter's Tea Party, which was the first hip hop dance piece to be commissioned by the Royal Opera House.

Kate was lead choreographer for the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Handover Ceremonies in 2008 with dancers from ZooNation, CandoCo and the Royal Opera House. She has choreographed for two seasons of So You Think You Can Dance (BBC) and for the movie StreetDance 3D. She also choreographed a special performance at the Laurence Olivier Awards 2011 to music from West Side Story played by the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and the opening ceremony of the Tour de France 2007.

She choreographed for the musical Shoes directed by Stephen Mear, Ballyturk at the National Theatre, written and directed by Enda Walsh, and It's A Mad World My Masters at the RSC directed by Sean Foley. In 2014, she choreographed the West End musical I Can't Sing! The X Factor Musical, working alongside writer Harry Hill and director Sean Foley.

INTO THE HOODS: REMIXED is at The Marlowe Theatre at 7.30pm on Friday 1 April, and 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday 2 April. Tickets, priced from £14 to £29.50 (concessions available; booking fee applies), are from the Box Office on 01227 787887 or marlowetheatre.com.

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