KITTY NORTON, co-creator/director/on-air talent
The Zinghoppers are breaking new ground for children's programming - by embracing hip-hop culture and adapting it's rhythms, beats and "swagger" for a preschool audience. Kitty is responsible for that. She writes and records all of the music for the series, playing all the instruments herself. Prior to her work with the Zinghoppers, Kitty studied Early Childhood Education while putting herself through college by working as a preschool teacher. Along with her husband Jack, she created all of the Zinghoppers characters while in the classroom - first fashioning Penelope The Possum out of an old sock. It was at this time that Kitty was in a bad car accident, leaving her bed ridden for nearly three years. "I was depressed and unable to move or exercise - which led to significant weight gain," she explains, "the good news is that since joining the Zinghoppers I have lost just over 175 pounds!" A remarkable feat that she credits to the bands high-energy, interactive music. Kitty believes that in addition to the educational benefits of the Zinghoppers show, there is clearly a health benefit - which can help people of all ages. Her "Hop To Health" Blog is a way for Kitty to share her journey with others. She appears on-air as the character "DJ Kitty", and provides the voices of Penelope The Possum and Olo The Donkey in the series.
JACK NORTON, co-creator/on-air talent
One of the most beloved children's entertainers in the southeast, "Conductor Jack" is a veteran of live performance. Since moving to Nashville three years ago, he has won the prestigious "Best Children's Entertainer" award from Parent Magazine for the past three consecutive years. Jack created the Zinghoppers with his wife Kitty while working as a preschool teacher. With his background in Early Childhood Education, Jack enjoys writing songs that are age-appropriate, with a pro-social message aimed at a preschool audience. In addition to his busy production schedule, Jack is a sought-after public speaker, leading countless teacher training seminars that focus on helping preschool teachers incorporate music and movement in the classroom. Prior to his work with the Zinghoppers, Jack toured the country in a "dixieland-bluegrass-punk" band and wrote short stories and poetry, becoming the youngest poet ever published by Random House. Visit Jack's personal website here.
EDUCATION ADVISORY TEAM, content/curriculum
We are very thankful to our team of six early childhood education specialists that help advise and shape all of our content and curriculum. Janet, Jean, Sally, Marianne, Lori and Deborah have combined teaching experience of over 140 years! All of our songs, scripts, choreography and final edits are shared with our Education Advisory Team. Their job is to make sure all content adheres to the most current understanding of child development as well as the early childhood education principles as outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children's Guidelines for Learning. As teachers, Kitty and Jack know the importance of producing high-quality children's programming and want educators to use the Zinghoppers series as a teaching tool in the classroom. Our educational philosophy can be found here and activity guides based on each episode are here.
NASHVILLE PUBLIC TELEVISION, PBS Presenting Station
Nashville Public Television is one of the most watched PBS stations in the nation. In 2010, NPT ranked #1 in prime time viewership. Their mission is simple, but profound: "through electronic media, we engage our audiences of all ages with stimulating cultural, civic and entertainment experiences that educate." As the PBS Presenting Station of the Zinghoppers series, Justin Harvey (Program Manager) hails: "the Zinghoppers work clearly combines a strong educational background with a knowledge of the preschool age audience that will make for entertaining and compelling programming." The show debuted on 10.18.11 and now broadcasts twice daily, seven days a week during the PBS Kids programming block - where it is seen alongside the likes of "Sesame Street", "Dinosaur Train", "Electric Company", "Sid The Science Kid", "Super Why" and "The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That". The Zinghoppers show is written and produced independent of NPT and the band's strategic broadcast partnership allows the Zinghoppers the advantage of twice daily broadcast on PBS Channel 8 in Nashville, while seeking additional broadcast partners internationally and leveraging their online fan based through their Youtube channel - which has an unprecedented viewership for a independent preschool band.
RYAN GARRETT, dancer
Ryan Garrett is a very busy 17 year old junior in high school. He is originally from Las Vegas, NV and moved to Franklin, TN about four years ago. His credits as a performer include playing Paris in "Romeo and Juliet", Ken Gordon in "Rumors", Enselmo in "Man of La Mancha", Paul in "A Chorus Line", Brett in "13 (The Musical)", Daniel in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", Ali Hakim in "Oklahoma", Lionel in "Cinderella" and Rolf in "The Sound of Music". Besides theater, Ryan enjoys taking advanced hip hop dance classes at Vanderbilt, Ann Carroll School of Dance and Dance Authority. He is very involved in the Pull Tight Theatre, Circle Theater, Keaton Theater and his school theater at Centennial High School. He loves performing with the Zinghoppy dance crew. Ryan can be seen on the show "helping" Coconuts The Kangaroo.
RACHEL HOCKETT, dancer
Rachel is Cum Laude graduate with a Liberal Arts degree from Western Kentucky University and is also classically trained in vocal performance from Belmont. Her studio sessions and live work includes collaborations with A-list artists like Smokey Robinson, David Foster, Donna Summer, Wynonna Judd, CeCe Winans, Stacie Orrico, Nicole C. Mullen and Smokey Norful. She won a Dove Award for a duet with her parents, and spent four years touring with Dove Award winner Natalie Grant. Rachel's musical talent has even afforded her the opportunity to be featured in two Disney film soundtracks: "Cinderella" as a co-arranger and background vocalist on "A Dream is a Wish" featuring Raven Symone and Ashley Tisdale, and "Chicken Little" as background vocalist on the song "Stir it Up" featuring Patti Labelle and Joss Stone. Rachel loves performing for young children and enjoys being a member of the Zinghoppy Dance Crew.
JULIA NICHOLSON, dancer
Julia Nicholson graduated from The University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications. While in school, she enjoyed working as a Human Resources Associate at Brookdale Senior Living. In 2006, she relocated to Nashville to become a Tennessee Titans Cheerleader. In addition to being a member of the Titans Cheerleaders for five years, she was also a Captain and represented the Titans in the 2011 Pro Bowl in Hawaii. She now teaches dance in the Bellevue area, and recently launched Southern Jules, an accessory line for young girls and trendy moms. Julia loves the Zinghoppers emphasis on physical fitness and enjoys being part of the Zinghoppy Dance Crew.
LINDSAY OGLE, choreographer
One of the Zinghoppers core goals is to promote physical fitness through movement and dance, and Lindsay Ogle is the choreographer in charge of seeing that goal become a reality. A veteran stage performer, singer and dancer, Lindsay earned her BFA in Dance from the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. Upon graduation, she made frequent visits to South Africa, teaching dance and music classes in the townships of Cape Town. The influence of traditional African dance can be seen in her work with the Zinghoppers. She has toured internationally in the Zinghoppers live stage show, acting as Dance Team Captain and choreographer for the band's 2011 World Tour. A certified Pilates instructor, Lindsay lives with her husband Dave and their adorable dog Beatrice (who makes a cameo in the "Hello Song" episode).
TONY SPEIGHT, dancer
Tony Speight was born in Nashville, TN. At the age of two years old, he began commanding an audience with his unique dance moves. Since then, he has spent time perfecting his dancing talent with some of Nashville's most noted instructors. At 15, he began starting and choreographing dance teams at schools and churches in Nashville. While being persistent about maximizing his talent through training, commitment, and countless hours of practice, he was blessed with the opportunity to travel on tour with contemporary Christian artist, Nicole C. Mullen. His hard work has been invaluable toward building an extensive knowledge of dance, and an impressive resume. He loves the stage, and his tenacity and high-powered execution has opened many doors for him to perform in numerous competitions, and with local and well-known artists such as CeCe Winans, Alvin Love, Jr., and his father, Gino Speight, just to name a few. Tony is also passionate about choreography and teaching, and currently teaches all levels of dance. Tony loves being a part of the Zinghoppy Dance Crew and viewers love seeing what crazy, colorful frames he'll be wearing next!
JEREMY STANLEY, videographer
Kitty and Jack know that children respond better to educational principals presented on television when a set is sparse, they also had a vision to film the series with a modern "hip-hop" feel. Jeremy helped that vision come to life, through the use of hand-held digital cameras and fast-paced "MTV-style" editing. In the past two months, he has filmed videos for Martina McBride, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban and the Zinghoppers. Additionally, Jeremy has worked as US Programs Director for Global Support Mission, and as a Producer on "The Amazing Race" - an experience that prepared him to work as the Zinghoppers Tour Manager on the band's 2011 World Tour. He should be writing a book about his experiences with animals: he's had a run-in with an alligator in Africa, been attacked by an owl in rural Tennessee, and has been chased by a skunk down Hollywood Boulevard. We're not sure why.
DEAVON WALDEN, dancer
Just 14 years old, Deavon is an amazing talent. He has been a featured actor on the hit tween series "iShine KNECT" and "iShine" - seen in over 195 countries on Trinity Broadcasting Network. Deavon has also appeared in music videos for Ronnie Dunn, Billy Dean, Reba McEntire, Jake Owen and the hit song "Start A Band" by Brad Paisley and Keith Urban. He has also worked as a print and runway model for Dillards, the Tennessean, Spotlight Teen Club and Bridges' Edge. Deavon has been dancing since he was four, and is trained in hip-hop, breakin', jazz, ballet, musical theater and lyrical. He loves skate boarding, bike ramp-jumping and basketball. Deavon loves the opportunity to showcase his hip-hop and breakdancing moves with the Zinghoppers. In addition to touring nationwide as a Zinghoppy Dancer in the band's live stage show, he can be seen "helping" Olo The Donkey in the Zinghoppers series.
BEATRICE, dog
Beatrice loves peanut butter, digging holes and chasing leaves. Look for a cameo by "Baby Bea" in "The Hello Song" episode.
The Zinghoppers are breaking new ground for children's programming - by embracing hip-hop culture and adapting it's rhythms, beats and "swagger" for a preschool audience. Kitty is responsible for that. She writes and records all of the music for the series, playing all the instruments herself. Prior to her work with the Zinghoppers, Kitty studied Early Childhood Education while putting herself through college by working as a preschool teacher. Along with her husband Jack, she created all of the Zinghoppers characters while in the classroom - first fashioning Penelope The Possum out of an old sock. It was at this time that Kitty was in a bad car accident, leaving her bed ridden for nearly three years. "I was depressed and unable to move or exercise - which led to significant weight gain," she explains, "the good news is that since joining the Zinghoppers I have lost just over 175 pounds!" A remarkable feat that she credits to the bands high-energy, interactive music. Kitty believes that in addition to the educational benefits of the Zinghoppers show, there is clearly a health benefit - which can help people of all ages. Her 
One of the most beloved children's entertainers in the southeast, "Conductor Jack" is a veteran of live performance. Since moving to Nashville three years ago, he has won the prestigious "Best Children's Entertainer" award from Parent Magazine for the past three consecutive years. Jack created the Zinghoppers with his wife Kitty while working as a preschool teacher. With his background in Early Childhood Education, Jack enjoys writing songs that are age-appropriate, with a pro-social message aimed at a preschool audience. In addition to his busy production schedule, Jack is a sought-after public speaker, leading countless teacher training seminars that focus on helping preschool teachers incorporate music and movement in the classroom. Prior to his work with the Zinghoppers, Jack toured the country in a "dixieland-bluegrass-punk" band and wrote short stories and poetry, becoming the youngest poet ever published by Random House. Visit Jack's personal website 
We are very thankful to our team of six early childhood education specialists that help advise and shape all of our content and curriculum. Janet, Jean, Sally, Marianne, Lori and Deborah have combined teaching experience of over 140 years! All of our songs, scripts, choreography and final edits are shared with our Education Advisory Team. Their job is to make sure all content adheres to the most current understanding of child development as well as the early childhood education principles as outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children's Guidelines for Learning. As teachers, Kitty and Jack know the importance of producing high-quality children's programming and want educators to use the Zinghoppers series as a teaching tool in the classroom. Our educational philosophy can be found 
Nashville Public Television is one of the most watched PBS stations in the nation. In 2010, NPT ranked #1 in prime time viewership. Their mission is simple, but profound: "through electronic media, we engage our audiences of all ages with stimulating cultural, civic and entertainment experiences that educate." As the PBS Presenting Station of the Zinghoppers series, Justin Harvey (Program Manager) hails: "the Zinghoppers work clearly combines a strong educational background with a knowledge of the preschool age audience that will make for entertaining and compelling programming." The show debuted on 10.18.11 and now broadcasts twice daily, seven days a week during the PBS Kids programming block - where it is seen alongside the likes of "Sesame Street", "Dinosaur Train", "Electric Company", "Sid The Science Kid", "Super Why" and "The Cat In The Hat Knows A Lot About That". The Zinghoppers show is written and produced independent of NPT and the band's strategic broadcast partnership allows the Zinghoppers the advantage of twice daily broadcast on PBS Channel 8 in Nashville, while seeking additional broadcast partners internationally and leveraging their online fan based through their Youtube channel - which has an unprecedented viewership for a independent preschool band.
Ryan Garrett is a very busy 17 year old junior in high school. He is originally from Las Vegas, NV and moved to Franklin, TN about four years ago. His credits as a performer include playing Paris in "Romeo and Juliet", Ken Gordon in "Rumors", Enselmo in "Man of La Mancha", Paul in "A Chorus Line", Brett in "13 (The Musical)", Daniel in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", Ali Hakim in "Oklahoma", Lionel in "Cinderella" and Rolf in "The Sound of Music". Besides theater, Ryan enjoys taking advanced hip hop dance classes at Vanderbilt, Ann Carroll School of Dance and Dance Authority. He is very involved in the Pull Tight Theatre, Circle Theater, Keaton Theater and his school theater at Centennial High School. He loves performing with the Zinghoppy dance crew. Ryan can be seen on the show "helping" Coconuts The Kangaroo.
Rachel is Cum Laude graduate with a Liberal Arts degree from Western Kentucky University and is also classically trained in vocal performance from Belmont. Her studio sessions and live work includes collaborations with A-list artists like Smokey Robinson, David Foster, Donna Summer, Wynonna Judd, CeCe Winans, Stacie Orrico, Nicole C. Mullen and Smokey Norful. She won a Dove Award for a duet with her parents, and spent four years touring with Dove Award winner Natalie Grant. Rachel's musical talent has even afforded her the opportunity to be featured in two Disney film soundtracks: "Cinderella" as a co-arranger and background vocalist on "A Dream is a Wish" featuring Raven Symone and Ashley Tisdale, and "Chicken Little" as background vocalist on the song "Stir it Up" featuring Patti Labelle and Joss Stone. Rachel loves performing for young children and enjoys being a member of the Zinghoppy Dance Crew.
Julia Nicholson graduated from The University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications. While in school, she enjoyed working as a Human Resources Associate at Brookdale Senior Living. In 2006, she relocated to Nashville to become a Tennessee Titans Cheerleader. In addition to being a member of the Titans Cheerleaders for five years, she was also a Captain and represented the Titans in the 2011 Pro Bowl in Hawaii. She now teaches dance in the Bellevue area, and recently launched Southern Jules, an accessory line for young girls and trendy moms. Julia loves the Zinghoppers emphasis on physical fitness and enjoys being part of the Zinghoppy Dance Crew.
One of the Zinghoppers core goals is to promote physical fitness through movement and dance, and Lindsay Ogle is the choreographer in charge of seeing that goal become a reality. A veteran stage performer, singer and dancer, Lindsay earned her BFA in Dance from the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. Upon graduation, she made frequent visits to South Africa, teaching dance and music classes in the townships of Cape Town. The influence of traditional African dance can be seen in her work with the Zinghoppers. She has toured internationally in the Zinghoppers live stage show, acting as Dance Team Captain and choreographer for the band's 2011 World Tour. A certified Pilates instructor, Lindsay lives with her husband Dave and their adorable dog Beatrice (who makes a cameo in the "Hello Song" episode).
Tony Speight was born in Nashville, TN. At the age of two years old, he began commanding an audience with his unique dance moves. Since then, he has spent time perfecting his dancing talent with some of Nashville's most noted instructors. At 15, he began starting and choreographing dance teams at schools and churches in Nashville. While being persistent about maximizing his talent through training, commitment, and countless hours of practice, he was blessed with the opportunity to travel on tour with contemporary Christian artist, Nicole C. Mullen. His hard work has been invaluable toward building an extensive knowledge of dance, and an impressive resume. He loves the stage, and his tenacity and high-powered execution has opened many doors for him to perform in numerous competitions, and with local and well-known artists such as CeCe Winans, Alvin Love, Jr., and his father, Gino Speight, just to name a few. Tony is also passionate about choreography and teaching, and currently teaches all levels of dance. Tony loves being a part of the Zinghoppy Dance Crew and viewers love seeing what crazy, colorful frames he'll be wearing next!
Kitty and Jack know that children respond better to educational principals presented on television when a set is sparse, they also had a vision to film the series with a modern "hip-hop" feel. Jeremy helped that vision come to life, through the use of hand-held digital cameras and fast-paced "MTV-style" editing. In the past two months, he has filmed videos for Martina McBride, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban and the Zinghoppers. Additionally, Jeremy has worked as US Programs Director for Global Support Mission, and as a Producer on "The Amazing Race" - an experience that prepared him to work as the Zinghoppers Tour Manager on the band's 2011 World Tour. He should be writing a book about his experiences with animals: he's had a run-in with an alligator in Africa, been attacked by an owl in rural Tennessee, and has been chased by a skunk down Hollywood Boulevard. We're not sure why.
Just 14 years old, Deavon is an amazing talent. He has been a featured actor on the hit tween series "iShine KNECT" and "iShine" - seen in over 195 countries on Trinity Broadcasting Network. Deavon has also appeared in music videos for Ronnie Dunn, Billy Dean, Reba McEntire, Jake Owen and the hit song "Start A Band" by Brad Paisley and Keith Urban. He has also worked as a print and runway model for Dillards, the Tennessean, Spotlight Teen Club and Bridges' Edge. Deavon has been dancing since he was four, and is trained in hip-hop, breakin', jazz, ballet, musical theater and lyrical. He loves skate boarding, bike ramp-jumping and basketball. Deavon loves the opportunity to showcase his hip-hop and breakdancing moves with the Zinghoppers. In addition to touring nationwide as a Zinghoppy Dancer in the band's live stage show, he can be seen "helping" Olo The Donkey in the Zinghoppers series.
Beatrice loves peanut butter, digging holes and chasing leaves. Look for a cameo by "Baby Bea" in "The Hello Song" episode.