ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company

What ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company does

ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company is a female-led, UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1179510) founded by Kate Prince MBE in 2002 that produces full-length narrative dance theatre grounded in Hip Hop culture, alongside a portfolio of education and talent-development programmes. The company creates original productions combining Hip Hop choreography (Locking, Popping, House, Breaking, Waacking, Krump) with original scores and literary or socially engaged narratives — for example, the Olivier Award-winning "Sylvia" (about Sylvia Pankhurst), "Message In A Bottle" (set to Sting's music), "The Mad Hatter's Tea Party" (a Hip Hop reimagining of Alice in Wonderland), and the new Christmas production "Ebony Scrooge." Productions premiere at Sadler's Wells (Resident Company since 2010) and tour nationally and internationally, with "Message In A Bottle" reaching Broadway and being adapted into a 2024 feature film broadcast via PBS in the US.

The company's commercial engine blends several revenue streams: foundational multi-year funding as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation; grants from multiple trusts and foundations (Linbury Trust, Three Monkies Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, C A Redfern, Broyst Foundation, Millicent Maude Foundation); ticket sales from West End and touring productions; term fees from the ZooNation Academy of Dance (ZAD, ages 6-21, ~250 weekly students, £120-£262 per term); workshop fees from schools (from £75/hr, with Artsmark discounts); and individual donations including Big Give campaigns. The talent-development stack — ZAD, ZooNation Youth Company (ZYC, ages 10-21), SHIFT (with Dancers' Career Development and Boy Blue), the Young Artists Training Scheme, Behind the Scenes Initiative, and Creative Assistants Scheme — functions as both a talent pipeline feeding professional productions and a distinct revenue and impact line.

ZooNation serves three intertwined customer segments: families and general theatre audiences seeking narrative Hip Hop dance theatre; young people aged 6-21 training in Hip Hop dance forms; and schools, educators, and arts institutions commissioning workshops, CPD, and co-productions. Distribution is anchored by long-running venue residencies at Sadler's Wells, The Old Vic, Royal Ballet and Opera, and Southbank Centre, plus a national touring network (The Lowry, Birmingham Hippodrome, Mayflower Southampton, Brighton Dome) and international touring reaching Europe, Australia, and the US. The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees, led jointly by two Executive Directors and an Associate Artistic Director, with no disclosed parent company, equity investor, or external institutional ownership.

Name

ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company

Legal name

ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company

Website

https://zoonation.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZooNation is a UK-registered charity founded in 2002 that produces full-length narrative Hip Hop dance theatre and runs a vertically integrated education and talent-development pipeline (Academy, Youth Company, professional productions) serving families, young dancers aged 6-21, schools, and major UK and international arts venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Dance Theatre

NAICS

Dance Companies (71112), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Theatre (Narrative/Experimental) (MPAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Urban/Street Dance Performances (Hip-Hop, Breaking) (MPAGADAF), Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH), Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI)

Keywords

• Hip hop dance theatre
• Narrative dance productions
• Youth dance training
• Arts education programmes
• Dance talent development

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Arts Council England National Portfolio Funding: Foundational funding as a registered charity and National Portfolio Organisation with Arts Council England
2. Trust and Foundation Grants: Support from trusts and foundations including The Linbury Trust, Three Monkies Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, C A Redfern, Broyst Foundation, and Millicent Maude Foundation
3. Ticket Sales: Revenue from live theatre performances including West End shows, touring productions, and special performances at venues such as Sadler's Wells, Royal Albert Hall, and regional theatres
4. Individual Donations: Charitable donations through campaigns like Big Give Arts for Impact, supporting ZooNation Youth Company and broader charitable activities
5. Education and Training Fees: Fees from ZooNation Academy of Dance (ZAD) programmes and workshops for students aged 6-21
6. Workshop and Workshop Sales: Bespoke educational workshops for schools, starting from £75/hr, with discounts for Artsmark partners and ACE Levelling Up Priority areas

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ZooNation creates and tours original hip hop-influenced narrative dance theatre productions for general and family audiences, while running structured dance training, talent development, education and participation programmes for young people, educators and community groups. Its portfolio includes main-stage shows such as Sylvia, Ebony Scrooge, Message In A Bottle, Into the Hoods, Some Like It Hip Hop, Mixtape and 1776, alongside youth ensemble productions, the ZooNation Academy of Dance, ZooNation Youth Company, Creative Care, SHIFT, Young Artists Training Scheme, and Continued Professional Development for teachers.

Product overview

ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company is a female-led dance theatre company founded in 2002, creating full-length narrative productions strongly influenced by Hip Hop culture and music. The core offering consists of theatrical productions including Sylvia, Ebony Scrooge, The Mad Hatter's Tea Party, Message In A Bottle, Into the Hoods, Some Like It Hip Hop, and Mixtape. Supporting this are talent development programmes: ZooNation Youth Company (ZYC) for dancers aged 10-21, ZooNation Academy of Dance (ZAD) for ages 6-21, SHIFT career development, Young Artists Training Scheme, Creative Assistants, Behind The Scenes Initiative, and Continued Professional Development for teachers. The company also offers facilities including rehearsal spaces in London and France, and hire services for dancers, choreographers, teachers, and event workshops. ZooNation serves as a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sylvia Original narrative hip hop dance theatre production celebrating the life of Sylvia Pankhurst, performed by a multi-generational cast across two acts. Aimed at general and family audiences and touring UK-wide with a 2026 UK tour and cinema release across 300+ UK/ROI cinemas.
• Ebony Scrooge Original festive hip hop dance theatre production inspired by Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, designed as ZooNation's first Christmas show and Sadler's Wells East's inaugural festive production. Targeted at family and holiday audiences.
• The Mad Hatter's Tea Party Family-friendly narrative hip hop dance theatre show based on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, designed to introduce younger audiences to ZooNation's signature mix of hip hop, theatre and storytelling.
• Message In A Bottle Original narrative hip hop dance theatre production by Kate Prince set to the music of The Police and Sting, originally co-produced with Sadler's Wells and Peacock Theatre. Performed by a 13-strong international dance troupe.
• Into the Hoods: From Gone to the Geffen Original hip hop dance theatre show first staged at the Lilian Baylis Studio, Sadler's Wells in 2006. Set on a New York subway platform, it weaves together the tales of Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Cinderella using Locking, Popping, Acrobatics, Lindy Hop and Breakdance.
• Some Like It Hip Hop Bouffon and hip hop dance theatre piece created by Kate Prince, performed at venues including the Peacock Theatre, the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms, and on UK tour, with a film version screened on BBC Three.
• Mixtape – Celebrating 20 years Anniversary production marking ZooNation's 20th birthday, compiling highlights from across the company's 20-year choreographic catalogue into a new large-cast dance theatre piece performed at Sadler's Wells.
• 1776 Flagship 2026 production featuring a large multi-generational cast performing high-energy hip hop dance theatre, scheduled as a co-production with Birmingham Rep and The Radience.
• Lights Out Youth ensemble production presented by members of ZooNation Youth Company as part of the company's outreach and performance development work.
• Twice In Time Youth ensemble production presented by ZooNation Youth Company members, continuing the company's strand of performance opportunities for young dancers.
• Everland Youth ensemble production created by ZooNation Youth Company members as part of ZooNation's developing work programme.
• Tales of the Turntable Commissioned new dance theatre work for ZooNation Youth Company, supported by commissioning partners, designed as a showcase piece for the next generation of ensemble dancers.
• ZooNation Academy of Dance (ZAD) Subscription-based weekly hip hop dance classes for ages 7+ through adult, delivered across multiple levels and styles (Locking, Popping, House, Breaking, Waacking, Krump), serving as the entry tier of ZooNation's training pipeline.
• ZooNation Youth Company (ZYC) Auditioned ensemble company for dancers aged 11–22, providing high-level training, performance opportunities and a route into ZooNation's professional productions and career pathways.
• Creative Care School-delivered programme that brings ZooNation dance into primary and secondary settings in partnership with MyPlace, combining performance opportunities with creative and pastoral engagement.
• SHIFT Career development programme supporting dancers transitioning from training into professional practice, delivered through an intensive training and development structure in partnership with comparable organisations.
• Young Artists Training Scheme (YATS) Paid training scheme for emerging young artists offering structured professional development within ZooNation's producing environment.
• Behind The Scenes Initiative (BTSI) Young artist development initiative offering paid hands-on experience in the behind-the-scenes functions of producing ZooNation's shows.
• Creative Assistants Scheme (CAS) Creative assistant placement scheme giving emerging creatives paid work on ZooNation productions.
• Continued Professional Development (CPD) Accredited training for teachers and educators that supports the implementation of ZooNation workshops in school settings, tied to Artsmark Partner activity.
• Events & Workshops Bookable ZooNation events and workshops delivered for schools, community groups, organisations and private clients, covering taster sessions and bespoke dance experiences.
• Hire Choreographers Hire service through which ZooNation provides professional choreographers for external productions, projects and events.
• Hire Dancers Hire service through which clients can book ZooNation dancers for events, performances and creative projects.
• Hire Teachers Hire service providing ZooNation teaching artists for schools, workshops, festivals and external education programmes.
• ZooNation Dance Space – France International dance facility located in France used for rehearsals and creative retreats by ZooNation and visiting artists.
• Robert Blair Rehearsal Space London-based rehearsal facility at Robert Blair Primary School used by ZooNation and visiting artists for company rehearsals and programme delivery.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sylvia won Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Beverley Knight) and received three nominations in 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Robert Blair Primary SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024ZooNation began a new residency in 2024 at Robert Blair School in Islington, providing office and rehearsal space while enriching students' engagement with performing arts through talent development programmes.
• Eleanor Lloyd ProductionsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-producer of Sylvia musical.
• Eilene Davidson ProductionsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-producer of Sylvia musical.
• PW ProductionsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-producer of Sylvia musical.
• Curve LeicestermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Co-producer of Sylvia; first stop on 2026 UK tour.
• Royal Ballet and OperacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Creative partnership since first commission of The Mad Hatter's Tea Party in 2014. ZooNation Youth Company supported with annual Next Generation Festival commissions since 2023. Mad Hatter's Tea Party returned to Linbury Theatre in 2024.
• Sadler's WellscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Kate Prince has been Associate Artist and ZooNation has been Resident Company since 2010. This dynamic partnership adapts to ZooNation's growing work and includes creative residencies at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London.
• The Old ViccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZooNation continues a valued creative partnership with The Old Vic where Kate Prince is an Associate Artist. Co-produced Sylvia which premiered in 2018 and returned in 2023.
• The LowrymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partner and co-producer of Message In A Bottle. Touring partner for Sylvia 2026.
• Birmingham HippodromemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producer of Message In A Bottle. Touring partner for Sylvia 2026.
• Mayflower Theatre (Southampton)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociate company at Southampton Mayflower. Present for Groove on Down the Road remounts.
• Southbank CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZYC is Resident Company at Southbank Centre. Hosted Groove on Down the Road (2013, 2014, 2019) and Tales of the Turntable at Queen Elizabeth Hall.
• Dancers' Career Development (DCD)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHIFT career development programme powered by partnership between DCD, ZooNation, and Boy Blue. Enables dancers to develop skills and explore careers beyond performance through mentoring and grants up to £2000.
• Boy Blue EntertainmentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHIFT career development programme partnership. Boy Blue is a leading UK Hip Hop dance company.
• Rambert GradessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerZooNation partnered with Rambert Grades on their Storytellers Performance Pathway. A Hip Hop Grade 1 solo from Some Like It Hip Hop available for training.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Boy Blue Entertainment: Leading UK hip-hop dance company producing both commercial productions and youth programmes (e.g., Olivier Award-winning Pied Piper). It is ZooNation's most direct peer — comparable genre, audience and talent-development orientation — and is even ZooNation's partner on the SHIFT career development programme.
• Matthew Bourne's New Adventures: UK narrative dance theatre company (Swan Lake, The Red Shoes) producing full-length, accessible, story-driven dance productions for major UK venues. Closest analogue to ZooNation in terms of narrative-dance-theatre format and West End touring economics.
• Akram Khan Company: UK-based contemporary dance company producing narrative, culturally-rooted work that tours internationally and has Sadler's Wells as a primary venue. Comparable in scale, Arts Council NPO status, narrative orientation and international touring footprint.
• Breakin' Convention: Sadler's Wells' flagship hip-hop dance festival featuring UK and international hip-hop theatre companies; ZooNation artists have performed at Breakin' Convention since 2004. Operates in the same genre and overlapping artist pool.

Broad incumbents

• English National Ballet: Major UK dance company with national touring, education programmes (ENBYouthCo, dance classes) and Arts Council NPO status. Comparable as a large-scale dance institution, though focused on classical ballet rather than hip-hop narrative theatre.
• Rambert: One of the UK's oldest and largest contemporary dance companies, a Sadler's Wells Resident Company and Arts Council NPO. Comparable venue partnership profile and audience overlap, but a broader contemporary repertoire rather than hip-hop specialisation — and the Rambert Grades partnership extends into ZooNation's training ecosystem.
• National Dance Company Wales: Arts Council NPO producing narrative contemporary dance with a strong youth and community engagement programme. Comparable scale, public funding model and dual production/education structure.

Others

• Royal Ballet and Opera: Major UK producing partner that commissions ZooNation Youth Company (Next Generation Festival) and co-released the Message In A Bottle feature film. Functions as a commissioning, distribution and creative partner rather than a direct competitor.
• Sadler's Wells (Resident Companies ecosystem): Primary London dance venue and ZooNation's residency partner since 2010; hosts multiple resident companies with similar operating models (NPO funding, venue residency, education outreach). Useful benchmark for venue-resident economic structure even though it is a venue rather than a peer company.

Emerging players

• Breakin' Convention / BirdGang: UK hip-hop dance company led by choreographer Dickson Mbi, producing commercial theatre work (e.g., Crazy for Gershwin at Sadler's Wells). Comparable genre and venue ambition, smaller production slate and earlier stage of commercial scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/zoonationuk
• Facebookfacebook.com/zoonationuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zoonation-the-kate-prince-company-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/zoonationuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company