Atypical Hub
Our Founder
Shannon Mairead | Founder/ Director of Atypical
Shannon began her performance career as a competitive gymnast, winning gold and silver medals in the US from the age of 10. She later transitioned into professional ballet training, which led her to pursue a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Dance at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. With over 8 years of teaching experience, she delivers arts education programmes across London and Manchester, with a strong focus on inclusive practice. After graduating, Shannon expanded her performance work into the circus industry, specialising in aerial, flying trapeze, fire, and stilt work. In 2024, she was awarded the Innovation Award at Trinity Laban, which led to the founding of Atypical Creative — a platform supporting emerging artists and fostering community within the performance industry.
Meet the Team
"One mission. Two paths. All things Atypical."
Atypical Hub is the central space for all things Atypical — bringing together our two branches: Atypical Creative Ltd and Atypical Community CIC. It showcases how both sides collaborate to support emerging creatives, deliver impactful community projects, and share resources, opportunities, and stories. Whether it's professional development or grassroots outreach, the Hub connects it all in one place.
James Whyte - He/Him
Co-Founder | Atypical Community CIC
James is a Scottish performer based in London since 2019. He holds a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, with stage credits including This is Not a Murder Mystery (Drayton Arms), The Crumple Zone (Waterloo East Theatre), Bones (Park Theatre/Theatre Peckham), Cinderella (TIE), and Camelot (London Palladium). His screen work includes Sublime and Daylight.
James is passionate about creating positive change in the arts and supporting the next generation of creatives. As a co-founder of Atypical Community CIC, he champions equal opportunities and inclusive industry development. His work with Rubber Chicken Theatre as a teacher and production assistant continues to inspire his commitment to community engagement and accessible arts education.
Megan Lewis - She/Her
Dance Facilitator & Events Coordination Assistant
Megan is a London-based dance artist and facilitator with a BA in Contemporary Dance from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. With over 20 years of dance training, her experience spans jazz, hip hop, tap and physical theatre, with a particular specialism in ballet and contemporary dance.
Having performed, trained and taught alongside dancers of different ages, backgrounds and learning abilities, Megan is passionate about making dance accessible, inclusive and engaging. She strives to create welcoming spaces where dancers feel seen, inspired and confident to express themselves through movement.
Alongside facilitating dance, Megan supports the coordination of our events, helping to create engaging experiences for our performers and wider community.
Ashley Lim - They/Them
Dance Facilitator / Community Coordinator | Atypical Community CIC
Ashley is a movement artist and facilitator who trained in ballet, contemporary and hip-hop from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Singapore. They have experience teaching contemporary, hip-hop, and contemporary fusion to young people, young adults and older adults from different ranges of backgrounds, experiences and needs all with one purpose; to dance/move in a fun supportive environment.
Ashley has worked with various choreographers and organisations such as Chisenhale Dance Space, Sia Gbamoi, Investigating the Unknown, Divya Katsuri, Fubunation, Ezekiel Oliveira, Ming Poon and Madam Lim Fei Shen.