Stopgap Dance Company
Stopgap creates dance productions for national and international touring, employing disabled and non-disabled artists who find innovative ways to collaborate. They also run a training and community outreach programme.
Stopgap openly shares skills and knowledge through performance, professional training, community outreach and publications. They create work for the widest possible audience in an attempt to shift perceptions about difference and inspire everyone to achieve their potential.
Stopgap Dance Company
Target Beneficiaries
Stopgap work with diverse dance artists and target diverse audiences.
Stopgap was the first company in the UK to integrate dancers with a learning disability, a physical disability and non-disabled dancers, proving that it was possible to develop dance technique and choreography to a professional level with such diverse dancers.
Stopgap values a pioneering spirit and as an organisation are committed to making discoveries about integrating disabled and non-disabled people through dance.
Delivery
Stopgap’s productions are devised by the company dancers and collaborators, working as an ensemble under the artistic direction of Lucy Bennett.
The initial ‘repertoire model’ (with various visiting choreographers) enabled Stopgap to experience different methods of dance making and explore how each could be applied in an integrated context. Through these collaborations, Stopgap continued to refine its unique dance practice and move towards creating its own fully integrated dance works. Stopgap decided to move away from the repertoire model and assume more control over its artistic expression. In 2012 the company became focused on creating its own dance work under Lucy’s direction, without relying on visiting choreographers. With this step change, Stopgap became the first British company of disabled and non-disabled dancers to create its own dance work for national and international touring.
As a choreographer-led company, Stopgap are experts of inclusive choreography and have extensive experience of nurturing disabled and non-disabled artists for making inclusive works.
The company continues to invest in the next generation of integrated dance artists by sharing its expertise with SG2 Company, Youth Company and through other creative learning projects and publications.
Impact
Stopgap Dance Company
In 2018/19:
- Performed in high profile venues / festivals including Brighton Festival, Norfolk & Norwich Festival: in Madrid and Japan.
- Launched apprentice company Sg2 with three disabled dancers and supported learning disabled dance artists Chris Pavia to gain commissions for new indoor touring piece, acting as his mentor and producer.
- Inclusive dance syllabus IRIS evaluated by and launched at University of Bedfordshire.
Acknowledgements
Arts Council England NPO, Anglo Daiwa Foundation, Japan Foundation, Sasakawa Foundation, Surrey Communities Foundation, Access to Work by DWP and BBC Children in Need.