Boogie Beebies

The story

Boogie Beebies is a British interactive preschool children's television programme, which was produced and broadcast by the BBC. It aired on CBeebies (both the separate channel and CBeebies on BBC One and BBC Two). The show first aired on 27 September 2004, and won the Best Pre School Live Action award, at the BAFTA Children's Awards in 2005.

Every programme is 15 minutes long, and teaches children a dance (to a short original soundtrack), a different one every week. It was originally presented by Nataylia "Nat" Roni and Pete Hillier. Nat had previously played the role of 'Nala' in the West End with Disney in The Lion King. However, from November 2006, it was presented by Pete alone along with a new group of children called the 'Boogie Bunch' who could be the co-presenters since Nat was absent. In the same series, Pete was given a nickname, 'Boogie Pete'. It also features clips of children (at home, in schools or in front of bluescreen).

In earlier series, the same programme was shown throughout the week. In the later series, a slightly different programme was shown daily. The only variant being, the verses of the soundtrack are taught, and the chorus is only run through once.

The dance is taught segment by segment by the presenters. In earlier programmes, the two presenters took turns with every segment. The moves to every day's dance, as well as the theme of the soundtrack, are drawn from either nature or the world around us (such as "The Ocean Motion", featuring dance moves inspired by various sea creatures). Every time, the program culminates with a full performance of the soundtrack and dance, known as "The Big Video", in which the presenters call "Big Video Time".

In Series 1, one presenter would be on a green screen set of yellow and green polka dots, and the other presenter would go somewhere wherever fits the song, for example, Pete might go to a construction site for the Dig It song and Nat could go to a flower garden for the Gardening song. However, in Series 2, Pete would usually stand in front of a green screen to the place, rather than going there. The Boogie Bunch will too have a short dance tutorial and he would also stand in front of the typical green and yellow polka dot set, but in this season, they move into the opposite colours and that repeats.

In Series 1, Roni would wear a pink sleeveless jacket, and Hillier would wear a green t-shirt with yellow stripes & neck and a red wristband. In Series 2, Pete's outfit varies, between a red t-shirt with a yellow fire symbol, and a green t-shirt with a yellow firework symbol.

The name of the programme comes from the informal verb to dance (boogie) and the Beebies suffix of CBeebies. The program was advertised using a child dancing "Travolta style" to A Fifth of Beethoven by Walter Murphy.

The series made a comeback to CBeebies in 2020, with Oti Mabuse hosting. Subsequently, BBC cancelled the show in the following year.