ZDF and France Télévisions on pointe for kids’ ballet toon 20 Dance Street

20 Dance Street follows a younger dancer who joins the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School

German broadcaster ZDF and France Télévisions have commissioned animated kids’ series 20 Dance Street, inspired by Elizabeth Barféty’s hit children’s book series 20 allée de la danse.

Produced by Federation Studios-owned Cottonwood Media – partner with ZDF Studios on live-action ballet series Find Me in Paris and Spellbound – the series has also been acquired by Belgian pubcaster RTBF.

20 Dance Street (26×26’), aimed at six- to 11-year-olds, centres around young dancer Maya who leaves the Caribbean to join the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School, unaware her destiny is about to change forever.

Federation Kids & Family and ZDF Studios are handling worldwide sales. Preproduction on the CGI cartoon will begin this fall, in partnership with Opéra National de Paris.

Nicole Keeb, head of international coproductions and acquisitions, children and youth programmes, ZDF, said: “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!”