Two of the leading television companies in Europe, Germany’s ZDF and France Televisions , both public broadcasters, have joined forces to support the CGI animated comedy drama “20 Dance Street,” which has been approved for production.

France Televisions has secured the series as a pre-sale. In another agreement, Belgium’s public broadcaster RTBF has acquired the series for broadcast in Belgium.

The latest show from Federation Studios’ Cottonwood Media , “20 Dance Street,” is being handled for international distribution by Federation Kids & Family and ZDF Studios . It will be introduced to buyers at both this week’s Unifrance Rendez-Vous in Le Havre and Cannes Mipcom trade fair next month. At 26 half-hour episodes, it will be one of the weightiest new European premium animated series hitting these markets.

The series represents one of the few shows proposed at last September’s Cartoon Forum to receive approval for production. This comes amidst a challenging environment for animation commissioning, with European public broadcasters emerging as the primary sources for regular orders.

Production for “20 Dance Street” is set to begin this fall, with the project being a collaboration with the Paris National Opera. This aligns it with other productions like “Find Me in Paris” and “Spellbound,” which are all backed by Cottonwood, ZDF and ZDF Studios. Targeting a younger audience aged 6-11, “20 Dance Street” expands on the theme of diversity introduced in “Spellbound.”

The series centers around 11-year-old Maya, who leaves her home in the Caribbean to join the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School. This move will forever alter her destiny. “Her resilience and kindness are evident as she navigates the unknown, far from her home, facing both joys and sorrows, guided by a single dream – to become a prima ballerina,” the synopsis describes.

Blending drama and comedy, “20 Dance Street’s” main storyline unfolds throughout the series, following Maya's journey during her first year at ballet school.

“We believe ’20 Dance Street’ will resonate with children globally as our resilient lead character has overcome numerous challenges in life, yet embodies the spirit of a young person who tackles everything with determination,” said Cottonwood Media co-founders David Michel, Cécile Laurenson, and Zoé Carrera Allaix. “As the narrative unfolds, many relatable themes emerge, including friendship, abandonment, life's joys, betrayal, and more, which will keep viewers engaged.”

“20 Dance Street” is an adaptation of the popular French children's book series published across Europe: “20 allée de la danse” written by Elizabeth Barféty. The fact that she has penned 20 books since 2016 suggests a contemporary feel to the series.

“Ballet was traditionally associated with elite/upper-class circles. It's only recently become more inclusive, spearheaded by the United States. The intent of the show is to broaden its appeal,” Michel explained to Variety .

“20 Dance Street” is written and developed by Christel Gonnard, who co-wrote the successful animated TV series “Heidi” in 2015. The direction is handled by Romy Yao, an animator who worked on “Funan” and Paramount Animation's “Sherlock Gnomes.” The character designs are by David François.

“The 6-11 age group is considered older for children's animation,” Michel remarked. This allows the series creators to incorporate highly realistic dance sequences, achieved through motion capture performed by Paris Opera dancers. The emotionally charged storylines create an immersive and unique experience for children, comparable to some live-action drama series, as highlighted by the series backers in a statement released Monday.

“20 Dance Street” is a “new, captivating, and deeply moving ballet adventure,” said Nicole Keeb, Head of International Co-productions and Acquisitions, Children and Youth programs, ZDF. “Building on the success of ‘Find Me in Paris’ and ‘Spellbound,’ our prominent live-action series, we felt it was the right time to explore the world of ballet through animation, reaching a slightly younger audience. Et voilà!” she added.

“We were immediately drawn to the story of Maya and her friends and by how Elizabeth Barféty’s books will be adapted for the screen,” commented Arne Lohmann, VP Junior at ZDF Studios.