By Darren Gilbert

How did this partnership come about?

The show is [my] brainchild. [T]he show was then developed in a collaborative manner with Urban Brew Studios.

The initial task was to find a common denominator amongst Africans, specifically amongst the youth.

The one thing that all Africans do when they are happy, sad, or angry is dance. Rhythm is in our souls, and what these kids do, they remind people that sometimes it’s good to just let loose … and dance. And so, Pop Up Party was born.

Why team up with Urban Brew Studios?

Urban Brew Studios was selected based on their pitch presented for the job. We liked their energy and their creative thinking.

The chemistry between Cartoon Network and Urban Brew Studios was unmatched during the selection process.

So what is Pop Up Party all about?

Pop Up Party is a disruptive, reality-style series, ‘POPPING UP’ on Cartoon Network. The series is based on a young, kid dance crew that travels the city of Johannesburg. The crew uses a series of Guerrilla style tactics as they flash mob the boring mundane areas of Johannesburg in an attempt to liven up the targeted vicinity through the means of dance.

The core concept here was to be as secretive and as disruptive as possible in order to create and gain an authentic surprised reaction from our audience who experienced the crew live, in each of the targeted locations across the city.

The show’s look and feel is vividly bright, fun, and slightly edgy. We were deeply inspired by modern African street style and graffiti, from the likes of Rasty, Tapz and Rekso Le Hond, for example.

We drew our inspiration from Pop art, shweshwe (a traditional printed, dyed cotton fabric) and of course, from traditional African arts & crafts, and the printed fur of some of Africa’s most iconic animals i.e. the leopard.

In terms of the filming, we specifically chose to use a very fast paced style, to ensure we capture and reflect the high energy of the crew.

What makes Pop Up Party different to past viral dance fads then? Is it not like the flash mobs of old?

Pop Up Party is a reality style series; filmed with hidden, hand held cameras. The crew pop’s up in unexpected spots across Johannesburg, performing a flash-mob style dance routine.

The concept of the flash mob style remains the same (in theory), however, it is different in a sense that we have actually created a series around the guerrilla bursts, which creates engagement, interaction, fun and excitement on and off the screen.

What does this mean for Cartoon Network and future African content? Can we expect more African original content?

We hope so. The more localised the content, the greater the engagement will be with our audience.

We are hoping that when our audience sees relatable content, our viewers will be more likely to interact and participate on and off the screen, as seen with Pop Up Party. Unfortunately, we are not able to confirm anything as of yet.

For more information, visit www.cartoonnetwork.com. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook or on Twitter.