Introducing Chameleon Youth!
28 November 2022The Chameleon Youth auditions for 2022/23 took place at the end of September.
In the last two months, this year’s cohort have been busy training and building their connection with the Company and each other.
Our Learning & Participation Manager, Sam Broadbent, introduces us to this year’s cohort and shares what 2023 has in store for them as developing young dance artists.
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1) Hey Sam, who is in Chameleon Youth!?
This year’s Chameleon Youth cohort is made up of 36 young people, age 11-21 who come from Manchester, Salford, Tameside, Stockport, Oldham, Trafford and Wigan.
2) What range of dance experience do this year’s cohort have?
Chameleon Youth is made up of young people with varying dance backgrounds. Some are new to dance and some are studying dance at college and university.
When recruiting for our Chameleon Youth cohort, we look for young people with a clear passion to move, create and express.
In addition, as Chameleon Youth is such a strong community, it’s important to us that the young people we work with echo our Chameleon values of being supportive, friendly and team players.
3) What does the Chameleon Youth training schedule look like?
Chameleon Youth runs from September to July during term time. The cohorts meet weekly in the evenings and additionally for a few weekend intensives and performances throughout the year.
Weekly training allows our young people to come together to work with our Company Dancers and freelance Dance Artists.
Within our sessions we focus on training in Chameleon’s unique movement style, creating work collaboratively with our professional dance artists, growing individuality and developing a strong creative voice.
We’re very proud that members of our youth company learn directly from our professional company, allowing us to pass down the knowledge and experience established from performing and teaching across the globe over the past 15 years.
4) What’s coming up for Chameleon Youth? Are there any workshops, intensives, performances planned for 2022/23.
Currently Chameleon Youth are focused on creating brand new works in collaboration with Chameleon’s professional dance artists which will premiere early Spring 2023.
Following a Spring premiere, we will then perform both the Juniors and Seniors works at theatres and venues across the North West.
In the Summer, similarly to the professional company, we will focus on creating work for outdoors which will hope to perform at festivals throughout the season.
5) What do you hope the Chameleon Youth experience gives our young dance artists over the next year?
We of course hope that this year’s Chameleon Youth have lots of opportunities to create and perform and come away with a strong training that supports them on the next step of their dance journey.
More importantly, we hope that Chameleon Youth provides them with a family of like-minded peers and friends and offers an undeniable connection to the company.
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If you’re a young dance artist, who would like to try Chameleon’s unique and accessible movement style, then The Saturday Sessions, our weekly classes for young people are a great place to start. Classes take place weekly during term time and are designed for young people, age 4- 16. Find out more here.