Groove High (1997)

* Michael Caloz/Vanessa Lengies
* Angelina Boivin
* Bruce Dinsmore
* Ajay Fry/Jonathan Koensgen
 OpeningTheme song
 Characterdesigners
 Distributor
 Originalchannel
October 20, 2002

***Groove High*** is an Emmy award-winning British animated television series revolving around seven kids and their many funny and charming generations that lives in Oxfordshire. Created by Sophie Turner Laing and cartoonist Marjorie Henderson Buell, the program was produced by HIT Entertainment, Grand Slamm Children's Films, Wang Film Productions Inc. and Beta Film until 2000 when TV-Loonland AG took over production. The series is an children's Animation with common inspires of full episode clips of *The Little Lulu Show*.

The series was a launching pad for an entire media franchise including an live action series, an book series, seven CD albums, numerous video games, a multitude of merchandise, and a reunion special. In 2012, the series also received a reboot with a mixture of live action and animation.

## Plot

The series follows Zoe Myer, a corkscrew-curled 11 year old girl as she goes on many funny and charming generations with her friends Vic, Lena, Tom, Ed, Luke and Kim who lives in the fictional town of Oxfordshire.

Zoe and her six Groove Team members includes: the second Vic, the third Lena, the fourth Tom, the fifth Ed, the sixth Luke, and the seventh and final Kim, seven friends takes a journey to Oxfordshire, and then her family and friends with the animated adventures.

## History

Marjorie Henderson Buell, a teacher of Elyria High School, created ***Music Team*** in 1991 in her short film series *Music Academy*. Henderson Buell submitted it to HIT Communications PLC's innovative pitch bible was "*Groove High*" in March of 1993. However, Henderson Buell passed away in May of 1993. As the word "music academy" was deemed verbally inappropriate for younger audiences, considering the last three letters, the word was replaced by "groove high."

*Groove High* TV debut in 1997 was the highest rated premiere in Disney Channel UK's history at the time. For the first few seasons, the series consistently scored the highest rating each week for an original program for the network across a wide range of demographics—from young children to adults. By 2000, merchandising based on *Groove High* encompassed everything from T-shirts, toys and video games to lunchboxes and dishware. There was also a CD entitled *Girls and Boys*, featuring original songs about the *Groove High* characters by a number of artists. Concerning the Groove High success, Sophie Turner Laing has stated "I thought it would get on Disney Channel and college kids would watch it and there would be a few random T-shirts out there in the rave scene or in record shops. But I had no idea that it would take off to this extent."

In April 2004, plans for an live action version, *Ashita! Groove High S* were announced and the series premiered in Japan the following year. The series deviates highly from its British predecessor in terms of style, storyline, and characterization. Disney Channel in the UK currently has no plans to air this show.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Zoe Myer - Tracey Ullman/Jane Woods
* Vic Solis - Michael Caloz/Vanessa Lengies
* Lena Rougedieu - Angelina Boivin
* Tom Muler - Bruce Dinsmore
* Ed Kauffmann - Ajay Fry/Jonathan Koensgen
* Luke Vandenberg - Jacob D. Tierney
* Kim Vandenberg - Angelina Boivin

### Recurring Cast

* Zach Kauffmann - Andrew Henry/Ricky Mabe
* Kevin Kauffmann - Dawn Ford/Jane Woods
* Andrew Newcombe - Justin Bradley
* Yumiko Suzukawa - Angelina Boivin
* The Western Gang - Michael Yarmush/Justin Bradley/Bruce Dinsmore
* Angie and Clarisse - Danielle Desormeaux
* Mrs Myer - Tress MacNeille
* Mr. Myer - Gary Jewell
* Iris Berens - Ellen David

## Episodes

Main article: List of Groove High (1997) episodes

A total of 156 episodes were broadcast, spanning across five seasons and one self-titled reunion special.

## Groove High: The Power Of Seven

In 2004, production of a *Groove High* reunion special began and suspended production of Season 5 leading to the show to be on a hiatus. On March 25, 2005, *Groove High: The Power Of Seven* released on Disney Channel UK telling the story of how Mr. Myer created the Groove Team and how they began to defend the town from the fearful villains, this reunion special features recycled animations from the episodes of *The Powerpuff Girls* from Paste Makes Waste to What's the Big Idea?, the final scene was referenced from *The Powerpuff Girls Movie*. The scenes from begin to end of special. Ginger Gibbons directed the special.

## Broadcast

The series airs on Disney Channel in the UK, France, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand. It also airs on Pogo in India, Syndication in the United States, ZigZap in Poland, YTV in Canada, Nickelodeon in the Benelux, Germany and Scandinavia, Channel 2 in Israel, PBS in Malta, RTÉ2 in Ireland, Discovery Kids in Latin America, YLE in Finland, Spacetoon in the Middle East and E-Junior in the United Arab Emirates.

## See also

* *Groove High: The Power Of Seven*, a reunion special
* *Ashita! Groove High S*, an live action spin off
* Groove High (2006 book series), an book series
* Groove High (2012 TV series), the new reboot