Dreamers, starring Seroca Davis, follows the Chapeltown Collective, a diverse group of young dance students as they navigate the highs and lows of modern life
A brand new Channel 4 drama, Dreamers, set and filmed in the heart of Yorkshire, is gearing up for its release this weekend. The series focuses on the Chapeltown Collective, a diverse bunch of dance students tackling the rollercoaster of modern life.
The brains behind the series are Lisa Holdsworth and writer Gem Copping, who’ve crafted a narrative centred around Leeds dance students as they twirl through love, competition, and high aspirations, both on the dance floor and beyond.
Screen Yorkshire’s chief executive and executive producer, Caroline Cooper Charles, expressed her delight: “It’s a joy to join forces with such fantastic partners to support Duck Soup Films and to bring audiences a story whose heart and soul is rooted in one of our region’s most vibrant cities.”
Meabh O’Donovan, head of NFTS Leeds, chimed in with praise for the collaboration: “The NFTS is renowned for offering world class training and we were excited to bring that expertise to making the series of Dreamers a success.”
Set to drop in full on Channel 4 and its streaming service, this is everything you need to know about Dreamers, including the storyline, cast details, number of episodes, and more.
What’s the storyline of Dreamers?
Yorkshire Live reports Channel 4 provides a glimpse into the plot: “Dreamers follows an eclectic group of dance students as they navigate the intense highs and lows of coming of age in today’s complex world – captured through stories which are as joyful and funny as they are raw and truthful, brought viscerally to life via irresistible dance choreography.
“Teacher Erica – dynamic, determined, tough but passionate – leads the Saturday class at the LAH and unites our core friendship group and dance ensemble: Puppy, Liam, Koby, Zaki, Zion, Lukas, Theo, Jamal, Liv, Isla and Twilight – each of them unique, emotionally-complicated, independently-minded and trying to navigate their way in the world.
“Dreamers is a celebration of resilience, determination, and spirit which never shies away from relevant and hard-hitting themes. The series will highlight the pressures young people face but also provide a dynamic and energising insight into the city of Leeds and its people.”
The drama series champions characters who have been workshopped and were inspired by true stories from Leeds with support from the Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF), which was managed by the BFI and funded by the UK Government.
The series is created by Lisa Holdsworth (Discovery of Witches, Call The Midwife) and executive produced by Rebekah Wray-Rogers, Jessica Brown Meek and Libby Durdy for Duck Soup Films, Lisa Holdsworth, and Jessica Straker. It is written by Lisa Holdsworth and Gem Copping and directed by Sara Dunlop.
Producers were Abi Bach and Betsan Morris-Evans. Choreography is led by Sharon Watson and Dawn Holgate.
Dreamers TV schedule and how to watch
There are six episodes in Dreamers which will be aired in full from 10pm on Sunday (March 30). The full series will be available to binge-watch on Channel 4’s streaming service.
Where was Dreamers filmed?
Dreamers was filmed primarily in Leeds, with many scenes set in the north-east suburb of Chapeltown known for the Leeds Festival and housing the Northern Contemporary Dance Centre.
Channel 4 has announced that the production of Dreamers provided an impressive break for ten individuals from Leeds into the television industry.
Duck Soup Films’ Co-Founder Rebekah Wray-Rogers expressed delight at the local production: “We couldn’t be more thrilled that Dreamers was born and raised in our very own city. Collaborating with such a phenomenally talented and diverse group of new to the industry creatives has been an unforgettable journey, and we are buzzing to finally bring this exceptional series to the screen.”
Who is in the cast of Dreamers?
Dreamers boasts a largely fresh-faced cast peppered with seasoned actors, among them Seroca Davis who shines as the spirited dance instructor Erica in the show.
The lineup for Dreamers includes:
- Aekam Kaur as Shashi
- Kaidan Calani Dawkins as Tyrone
- Tyler Pickles as Liam
- Janae Hill as Aoife
- Ja’neya Hill as Niamh
- Nichola Burley as Siobhan
- Mika Rowe-Bailey as Zaki
- Keldan Copeland as Jamal
- Eleanor Corker as Isla
- Elliot Franz as Theo
- Morgan Reynolds as Liv
- Saskia Paige Martin as Twilight
- Luke Tyson as Lukas
- Dean Kane as Bruce Lamane
- Lacoste Brown as Stephen James
Dreamers can be watched on Channel 4 and its streaming platform