History of StopGAP

• September 1995
  The StopGAP project is set up as a joint initiative between Woking Borough Council and Guildford Borough Council.
• April 1996
  University of Surrey Graduate, Vicki Balaam joins the regular group of dancers who begin working towards a performance for the first ever Woking Dance Umbrella, mentored by CandoCo dancers Dave Toole and Kuldip Singh-Barmi.
• March 1997
  StopGAP perform as part of the first Woking Dance Umbrella.
• April 1997
  Following considerable success as part of Woking Dance Umbrella, the StopGAP team decide to continue as an independent dance organisation and elect Vicki Balaam as the new 'Artistic Director'.
• June 1997
  Chris Pavia joins the company as a trainee dancer.
• January 1999
  Chris Pavia graduates and becomes StopGAP's first apprentice dancer.
• July 1999
  StopGAP are 'featured artists' at the Royal Festival Hall. They receive funding and support from the Southbank Centre to commission their first new work Creeper choreographed by Sue Smith of Company Pyke.
• January 2000
  As StopGAP make the final transition from community dance group to fully-fledged professional dance company, Vicki and Chris are able to become 'full-time' dancers for the company.
• June 2000
  StopGAP commission Becky Edmunds to choreograph Orbit and Adrian Court to choreograph Godstar.
• September 2001
  StopGAP receives its first funding from Arts Council South East which enables the company to audition and recruit two new dancers, Dan Watson and Laura Jones, and commission a new piece of choreography by Betina Strickler of Protein Dance entitled Thank You For The Eggs!
• February 2002
  StopGAP commission Greg Matthews Design to help re-brand the company, including a new, more accessible, website.
• January 2003
  Vicki retires from performing to focus more on her role as Artistic Director, commissioning a new piece Rough N'Tumble choreographed by Maxine Doyle of First Person Dance Company. StopGAP audition and recruit new full-time dancer, Lucy Bennett.
• March 2003
  StopGAP participate in their first international project (funded by the EU) establishing a long-term relationship with DanzaMobile in Seville.
• February 2004
  StopGAP receive funding from Arts Council South East to commission Corpus choreographed by Filip van Huffel of Retina Dance Company. It premieres at Woking's Rhoda McGaw Theatre, hosted by Woking Dance Festival.
• March 2004
  StopGAP receive funding from Arts Council South West to commission Dancers’ Syndrome choreographed by Adam Benjamin. The piece premieres at Exeter Phoenix as part of StopGAP's first ever tour of the South West.
• June 2004
  StopGAP is invited to perform at The Place (London) as part of an evening with 5 Men Dancing.
• September 2004
  First performance in Spain at La Casa Encendida, Madrid.
• October 2004
  StopGAP begin their first regional tour ...in Sweden.
• November 2004
  StopGAP perform their first full evening London show, at Jackson's Lane, as part of Xposure 2004. The show is a sell-out.
• January 2005
  StopGAP Dance Company become resident artists of Farnham Maltings in Surrey.
• February 2005
  StopGAP receive funding from Arts Council South West to create its first internal commission. Dan Watson choreographs the piece entitled Double-Booked which is specifically intended to be performed at rural venues.
• March 2005
  StopGAP celebrate their 10 year anniversary. A Decade Of Dance is an evening of entertainment and performances at Woking's Rhoda McGaw Theatre as part of Woking Dance Festival 2005.
• April 2005
  StopGAP is invited to undertake a Strategic International Development project for British Council — Turkey to support the development of their integrated dance sector. It includes a commission by Dan Watson and Lucy Bennett performed as part of the Ankara Music Festival.
• June 2005
  Denise Woods leaves Woking Dance Festival to begin work as StopGAP's new 'General Manager'.
• August 2005
  StopGAP is commissioned by Surrey County Council to create site specific work, as part of the First Footprints' project. It includes three dance pieces choreographed by Dan Watson, along with visual and audio support from StopGAP Creative Associates Greg Matthews and Willie Elliott.
• October 2005
  StopGAP begin their first UK rural tour, focussing on the South West region.
• January 2006
  StopGAP cross the Atlantic for a series of performances at the Alvin Ailey Studios Theatre in New York City, supported by the International Society for Performing Arts and the Association of Performing Arts Presenters.
• March 2006
  StopGAP perfrom as part of British Dance Edition, establishing links with European dance houses including Associate Artist of the Centre Nationale de la Danse in Pantin, Paris.
• March 2006
  StopGAP perform their first full evening performance at The Place (London) to a packed house.
• April 2006
  11 years after its conception, StopGAP Dance Company becomes a Regularly Funded Organisation (RFO) of Arts Council England.
• May 2006
  StopGAP become Associate Artists of The Point Eastleigh.
• June 2006
  The company begins to develop the concept of a series of short pieces to form part of a new full length performance, under the umbrella title of Portfolio Collection.
• Autumn 2006 to Summer 2007
  StopGAP undertake their first UK regional tour, focussing on the South East and South West regions, performing in both rural and traditional venues.
• March 2007
  StopGAP join with Carol Brown Dancers and various local community dance groups for the Glow Project, to celebrate the opening of The Light Box, a new gallery space in Woking.
• August 2007
  StopGAP is commissioned by Swedish Arts Council to create Le Picnic choreographed by Bernard Cauchard, co-produced by Norrlands Operan in Umea and Essegarden, in Vilhelmina.
• September 2007
  StopGAP return to La Casa Encendida (Madrid) and preview a selection from Portfolio Collection featuring Spanish-based choreographer Rob Tannion of Stan Won't Dance.
• September to October 2007
  StopGAP undertake their first 'national' tour of Sweden.
• November 2007
  

  StopGAP perform 6 performances in Centre Nationale de la Danse in Pantin, Paris previewing a selection from Portfolio Collection featuring French choreographer Nathalie Pernette of Companie Pernette.

  StopGAP premiere the full Portfolio Collectionat The Point (Eastleigh). The show is a sell-out and receives rave reviews.
• January 2008
  StopGAP launch their first ever UK 'national' tour. The tour is funded by Arts Council England. and supported by National Disability Touring Network.
• February 2008
  Chris choreographs a solo for Resolution! the choreographic platform at The Place, London.
• April 2008
  Corpus and Portfolio Collection receive a 4-star review in The Times from Donald Hutera.
  StopGAP perform Portfolio Collection for two nights at The Place, London.
• May 2008
  StopGAP is successful in their bid for a grant from Shape Arts to create a new piece of 'Street Art' to celebrate the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
• July 2008
  First performance of Tracking — still a work in progress — at The Ballroom in London's Royal Festival Hall.
• September 2008
  Sophie Brown becomes an apprentice dancer with the company.
• October 2008
  StopGAP lead a new Integrated Choreography module for University of Gloucestershire.
• October to November 2008
  Performance in Madrid and Oslo with guest artist Dave Toole.
• December 2008
  Chris choreographs with Sophie. StopGAP hold open auditions for a new full time dancer to join the company from January.
• January 2009
  StopGAP say goodbye to Dan Watson after 7 years with the company. Sophie becomes a full time dancer with the company, and David Willdridge joins as the 5th dancer.
• February 2009
  StopGAP set off for Japan for a month of performances and workshops, funded by British Council Japan, Fukuoka Foundation for Arts and Culture, Aubade Cultural Hall and Daiwa Foundation and hosted by Japan Contemporary Dance Network.
• March 2009
  StopGAP embark on the last leg of their UK tour of Portfolio Collection.
• May 2009
  Premiere of Tracking with guest artist Dave Toole on the Terrace at The South Bank Centre, accompanied by Surrey Youth Dancers.
• August 2009
  StopGAP perform Chocks Away outside The National Theatre as part of Watch This Space.
• September 2009
  StopGAP perform a special version of Tracking at the Liberty Festival in Trafalgar Square incorporating members from the Aspire Wheelchair Basketball Team.
• October 2009
  The Portfolio Collection tour comes to a close after performances in Bergan (Norway), Bremen (Germany) and Versailles (France).
• December 2009
  Thomas Noone is commissioned to start work on Within a new dance piece for the company.
• January 2010
  Rob Tannion returns to work with StopGAP for a second time. This time to create Splinter a 30 minute dance that will be the second half of their new theatre rep Trespass.
• February 2010
  StopGAP receive funding from the British Council for an eastern european project, travelling to Romania, Albania and Bulgaria to work with local dance practitioners and disability organisations and launch the first of their MAD (Mixed Ability Dance) projects.
• March 2010
  Donna Makins Joins the StopGAP team as 'Administrator'.
• April 2010
  Abi Reeve joins the StopGAP team as 'General Manager'.
• May 2010
  StopGAP premiere Trespass at The Point, Eastleigh.
• June 2010
  StopGAP start the first leg of their UK Tour of Trespass.
• July 2010
  

  StopGAP join in with Big Dance for a performance in Woking at The Light Box featuring members of their youth companies.

  StopGAP and guest artists perform 'Gleam Clean' on the steps outside St Paul's Cathedral, London as part of the City of London Festival.

  StopGAP give their second tour of Tracking taking it to various 'street arts' festivals around the country.

  StopGAP bids farewell to Denise Woods as she takes her new position as the 'Dance Relationship Manager' for Arts Council South East.
• August 2010
  StopGAP lead an integrated dance residency at The Point Eastleigh. attended by local young dancers and dancers from Epic Arts a joint UK and Cambodian integrated dance company. The week receives coverage on the BBC South Today programme.
• September 2010
  Anna Pearce and Hannah Sampson join full time as StopGAP’s new Apprentice Company. Their first work is an internal commission, with choreography by Chris Pavia.
• November 2010
  StopGAP perform Trespass in Bucharest and Barcelona, and also at The Place, London receiving a glowing review in The Times from Donald Hutera.
• December 2010
  The dancers enjoy a well-earned break!
• March 2011
  After a month of rehearsals, the dancers begin the second leg of the Trespass UK tour.