Vicki Balaam

Artistic Director

Vicki is the leader of StopGAP, seeing the company as being her art work. Her role is to listen, lead, advise, guide and solve; to ensure company and individuals are working to their full potential and opportunities are maximised, good ideas are heard and prioritised when appropriate and possible. She has final say on all aspects of the company and is determined to maintain ‘art’ being central to the company.

A founder member of StopGAP, Vicki graduated from University of Surrey and was elected Artistic Director when StopGAP became an independent dance company in May 1997. She was Surrey County Council’s Community Dance Development Officer until September 2000 when she began working full-time for StopGAP.

Vicki has led StopGAP through a huge transformation over the past 14 years. In 2003 it became the first dance company in the UK to employ its dancers full-time despite receiving no subsidy. Since then, under Vicki's guidance, StopGAP has grown by 40% a year on average and is now regularly funded by Arts Council England.

She is hugely proud that StopGAP has been accepted into the mainstream international dance world, and sees it as proof of successful integration.

Vicki is involved in the national debate seeking to develop the dance and disability sector, both as an advisor and through leading several lectures, seminars and courses both locally and at national conferences. Over the past 3 years she has been invited to advise on disability arts projects by the Department of Culture, Media and Sports, British Council and Arts Council England.

She enjoys revealing the potential of everyone, especially within the StopGAP team, supports their continued development and achieving ambitions.