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Photo by Hugo Glendinning
StopGAP are a joyous burst of technicolor, and through this triumphant, energetic affirmation had me questioning my own attitudes.Total Theatre Magazine
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What excites me about our work is the richness that comes from such different bodies on stage and the different ways we all approach the way we learn.Vicki Balaam — StopGAP Artistic Director
StopGAP is a company proud to be integrated — An honest integration, with integrity and strong ethics that underpin all aspects of the company and give a distinct flavour to our work.
StopGAP is the dancers. Our 5 resident dancers are full time artists who are with us for the long haul: between them all they have clocked up 35 years in StopGAP, and they are only young! With that length of time comes a depth of knowledge that is unparalleled elsewhere and sings through all our work. This depth and passion, combines with our real commitment to encouraging participation, to contribute to local and national dance infrastructure and to support the integrated dance sector to flourish. We really do see our performance work and our participation work as of equal importance, and each informing the other.
StopGAP is a dance company that challenges traditional notions about dance by using each dancer's physical and intellectual potential as a starting point for creating new work. We work from a philosophy of physical, psychological and social integration. In so doing, we recognise and celebrate individuality and the differences between people whilst continually seeking artistic and technical excellence.
StopGAP leads a wide range of activities, which covers workshops, education residencies, talks, creative exchanges and performances. We deliver these activities locally, nationally and internationally. StopGAP are also actively involved in the national disability arts debate.
StopGAP is more than just about the performances. We believe we need to take responsibility in investing in the future of dance so look for ways to contribute to dance development locally through initiatives we lead, as well as nationally and internationally where we work with key partners. These are the dance development projects we are leading in surrey.
Funded by Children in Need, StopGAP is leading a comprehensive range of workshops throughout Surrey. Individual workshops are taking place and building to establishing regular integrated youth dance companies within the county.
Comic Relief are funding workshops in Farnham.
We are in the early stages of creating an apprentice company with one apprenticeship currently funded by Ernest Cook.
StopGAP has developed training programmes for “Integrated Choreographic Practice” and “StopGAP Integrated Dance Practice” leading courses at degree level, and international cross country training, the most recent funded by British Council Creative Collaborations working in Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.