An intention to grow
18 February 2026National Apprenticeship Week took place earlier this month, celebrating and shining a light on the positive impact apprenticeships make across the UK.
Following on, we celebrate and shine a spotlight on our super talented Apprentice Dancers, Shameer Rayes (he / him) and Lucia Taylor (she / her), and talk to them about their apprenticeship experience at Chameleon.
Company Chameleon launched its Apprenticeship Scheme in 2021 creating the opportunity for dancers, age 21+, to develop and push forward their training and development in a salaried position at a professional dance company.
Q1) Lucia & Sham, so what’s it like being an Apprentice Company Dancer at Chameleon?
Lucia: “I am having such a wonderful time being an Apprentice! That being said it comes with a lot of responsibility, not only are we part of the main cast for some pieces but we are also understudying roles of different pieces, and we also teach a lot! To have the space to develop our skills being on a full time contract is something very rare and very special.”
Sham: “Everyday is a learning curve. There’s always new ground to break, whether we are focusing in on the minutiae or the bigger picture. I let go of expectations and learn to arrive each day with the intention of being present and trusting. The schedule is there, but I can never really know what each day might bring. The nature of the role is very malleable.”
Q2) Why do you think it’s important for dance companies, like Company Chameleon, to provide Apprenticeship opportunities?
Lucia: “Apprentices bring new flavours to the repertoire whilst staying true to the choreography, as well as adding more tools to pull from for new creations. Apprentices also grow the creative team, allow bigger casts and replacement casts if need be, and they also create opportunity for bigger outreach and delivery, allowing dance to reach more people.”
Sham: “The learning goes both ways, it’s nice being part of a company where you can reach into your breadth of knowledge and tie it into work being taught and created! Chameleon work is so varied and so stylised, I think it’s essential to understand, not everyone can come with the necessary tools and skill set.
I think it’s super necessary to invite dancers who may not have been exposed heavily to the style, but have the intention to grow into the company and trust the process. The rep and technique stays alive, it’s tried and tested and a great opportunity to access a richer world of dance.”
Q3) What advice would you give to any young people who are thinking of a dance career and looking for an apprenticeship or a similar opportunity as a way in?
Lucia: “The biggest advice I can think of is to go and see dance! See the different styles of dance that exist and observe the calibre of the dancers in the shows. Attend different intensives to be immersed in the industry along with other dancers to be able to gauge where you are at too.
Never judge yourself harshly, but instead be inspired and work hard to be where you want to be! Auditioning is also a skill and the more you do the more comfortable you will become.”
Sham: “Absorb. ‘Can’t’ doesn’t exist. ‘Can’t yet’ is the idea. Everything is within reach, with perseverance. Be yourself and don’t lose that essence but be prepared to be a team player and approach your growth with humility and honesty. Be present.”
Company Chameleon will be doing a new call out for Apprentice Dancers to join the team in Autumn 2026. Scroll down to sign up to our newsletter to be the first to hear about the opportunity.
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Photography: Lucia and Sham performing in the cast of Obscura, a Company Chameleon theatre production performed at HOME in Manchester in February 2026 as part of a three date UK theatre tour.
Photos by Joel Chester Fildes.