The programme will provide guidance and point out the opportunities available, in both artistic and non-artistic roles, to performers with perceived leadership potential. Over eight months, each of the 20 chosen dancers will be provided with a paid mentor, who will be a high-profile leader from the arts world or beyond. Each mentor will be individually matched to the dancers by Dance UK. Dancers will also receive a personal bursary of £300. The mentoring programme will run from October 2012 to May 2013.

It follows the successful dancers’ mentoring scheme run by Dance UK in 2007. Of the 16 dancers who took part, eight have gone on to leadership positions. Andrew Hurst is now company manager of The Royal Ballet, Rachel Krische is head of dance for Leeds Metropolitan University, Pedro Machoado and Stine Nilsen are co-directors of Candoco Dance Company, Andrew McGillvray is rehearsal director (and recently interim artistic director) of Scottish Dance Theatre, Claire Cunningham is how rehearsal director of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s company while Mikaela Polley is now rehearsal director of Rambert Dance Company. Pedro Machado said: “Dance UK’s Dancers’ Mentoring Scheme is a valuable assistance in the challenging transition from dancing onto something new… it works as a vital resource for the dance world, so in need of keeping talent, and practical understanding, within the sector.”

To be part of the scheme, dancers must be nominated by their peers. Company dancers will be nominated by the executive team of the organisation. Those from the independent sector will be nominated by those working in the profession. Dancers should have at least five years’ professional experience, and they or the company they work for must be a member of Dance UK. Non-members can join Dance UK to become eligible.

Application process for dancers employed by dance companies:

1. Executive team of dance companies choose dancers they see as potential future leaders

2. The executive team approaches the dancer to see if they would like to be nominated

3. The nominator emails Caroline Miller, director of Dance UK, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to propose the dancer

4. Caroline Miller sends the application form to the dancer by email. The form asks the dancer to write a short statement about why they would benefit from the programme.

Application process for independent dancers:

1. Anyone working in the arts – arts professionals working in companies, theatres, dance agencies, including choreographers, directors, managers – can nominate independent dancers they see as potential future leaders.

2. The nominator approaches the dancer to see if they would like to be nominated

3. The nominator emails Caroline Miller, director of Dance UK, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to propose the dancer

4. Caroline Miller sends the application form to the dancer by email. The form asks the dancer to write a short statement about why they would benefit from the programme.

For more information, see www.danceuk.org.