ZooNation - Unplugged

Sadler's Wells Theatre London EC1

5 Stars

If you're looking for an exhilarating exploration of the connections between contemporary youth music and dance ZooNation are undoubtedly a company to watch out for.

Kate Prince's breathtaking choreography and DJ Walde's spot-on musical arrangements in this outing light the fuse for the 30-strong group to present an action-packed marriage of intense urban dance and popular music.

The stage is rammed with the hyper-charged routines of the young dancers, each a distinctive personality in their own right, and the outcome is the creation of a dance language that most other contemporary dance companies would die for.

Liam Francis, with his explosive contortions and balance, is the first to impress and along with Gavin Vincent's amazing speed and physical control it isn't long before the audience are whooping their delight.

Carrie Ann Ingrouille's body popping is riveting while Lizzie Gough and Tommy Franzen's powerful duet provides the most tempestuous and sensual routine of the evening.

Others who make their mark include Portia Oti - dancing as if transported on a musical breeze - and Michael McNeish's gravity-defying leaps and tumbles.

Unplugged is a thrilling conceptual departure from the company's narrative-based shows like their recent Some Like It Hip Hop and it can do nothing but further enhance ZooNation's ever growing attraction to a new dance audience.

Peter Lindley