20 Dance Street Greenlit for Production

ZDF, ZDF Studios and France Télévisions have greenlit 20 Dance Street, a CGI animated series from Cottonwood Media in partnership with Opéra national de Paris.

Based on the 20 allée de la danse book series by Elizabeth Barféty, the new show centers around 11-year-old Maya, who leaves the Caribbean to join the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School and work toward becoming a prima ballerina. It is aimed at the 6-to-11 demo.

The show will display Maya’s resilience and altruism as she deals with the unknown far from home.

20 Dance Street will be distributed internationally by Federation Kids & Family and ZDF Studios. France Télévisions came on board as a presale. The series has also presold to RTBF in Belgium.

“It’s such a pleasure to have joined forces with ZDF and France Télévisions on yet another exciting series,” said David Michel, Cécile Laurenson and Zoé Carrera Allaix, co-founders of Cottonwood Media. “We believe 20 Dance Street will strike a universal chord with kids as our resilient main character has overcome many ordeals in life, yet is still exemplary of a young person who takes everything in her stride. As the story evolves, many relatable themes unfold such as friendship, abandonment, joys of life, betrayal and more that will have viewers hooked.”

“We are delighted to be part of this new, exciting and deeply moving ballet adventure—once again collaborating with Cottonwood and ZDF Studios,” commented Nicole Keeb, head of international co-productions and acquisitions for children and youth programs at ZDF. “Following the success of Find Me in Paris and Spellbound, our high-profile live-action series, we felt it was time to explore the world of ballet through animation, reaching a slightly younger audience. Et voilà!”

Arne Lohmann, VP Junior at ZDF Studios, added, “We were immediately captivated by the story of Maya and her friends and by how Elizabeth Barféty’s books will be adapted for the screen. We are confident that children all over the world will fall in love with 20 Dance Street just as we have and that it will become an international success.”