Lucy Bennett

Dancer / Assistant Artistic Director

Lucy successfully auditioned for StopGAP after Vicki Balaam withdrew from performing with the company in 2002. Prior to joining StopGAP Lucy gained a 1st Class Honours Degree in 'Dance and Theatre Performance' at Doreen Bird College.

She worked with a range of dance companies, including the Bird Theatre Company on their world tour and Vitamin G Dance Company, and continues to organise summer schools and training courses with her dance school — Brighton Dance Diversion — as well as creating her own choreography. Her recent work with her company ‘Lunacy Nicked’ premiered at The Place at part of Resolution, January 2007. Lucy and Chris Pavia’s piece (jointly choreographed) for the Portfolio Collection has been made into a 10-minute dance film in 2007.

Lucy premiered her first dance piece for StopGAP in Portfolio Collection at The Point, Eastleigh in November 2007. The piece is dance theatre in style looking at speed-dating and has since been performed all over the world and even presented in French.

In 2008 Lucy was selected as the choreographer to devise StopGAP’s first outdoor dance piece called Tracking. Tracking was an ‘Inspired by 2012’ commission by Shape Arts (gaining the inspire mark) and then went on to expand with funding from Without Walls, premiering at the Southbank to thousands of people before touring to festivals around the country.

Since 2009, Lucy has also held the role of Assistant Artistic Director and can’t imagine not working in an integrated company, as it has become a very natural way to work and extremely rewarding. She feels people have different bodies and different ways of learning, and so is determined to ensure that StopGAP creates pieces that suit all and stretch each individual’s potential, which gives each performer a real sense of achievement. Lucy has been responsible for devising the rigorous training programmes for the StopGAP apprentices and youth group, and researching and developing principles for StopGAP’s company class.