SPUN Productions – Chris

I like the characters and the Camera crew because it makes me feel that my character JB takes the lime light.

In  our piece we have a GMTV scene, I like this  because it shows my character off. I imagine that Ben Shepard and Christine Bleakley are interviewing my character’s life and the story of JB and how he has had a short but wonderful career in music and will also be nominated for a Brit award.

I also like the new idea of having a TV in the living room scene while Dave is having a time of his life dreaming of fantasy tales in his dreams.

The new music by Jim Pinchen and voice overs work very well and it does link the piece together because it introduces the characters in Dave’s dream.  For me the music of the trio in the shoe shuffle really climaxes and I like dancing with David and Tomos.

I also see that Dave is living his life with Lu in the opening duet and later on in the new choreography. I do like the new set that includes wooden frames it gives the whole piece a stunning out come.

 

Chris Pavia

Trespass 2012 – Hannah

Trespass is a dance piece that had been choreographed by 2 professional choreographers, Rob Tannion and Thomas Noone. Trespass has 2 pieces all in one; each piece is about an hour and a half for both sections of the Trespass piece. The two pieces are called ‘Within’ and ‘Splinter’.

Within is about a lone dancer where she faces her imaginary dream with a lot of loud dramatic effects and hardcore drama involving the other dancers as a four. This piece makes me feel like it’s on a 3D TV screen with really loud dramatic music blaring out at you. What I think about this piece is that it is a beautiful amazing story which tells you about a lone dancer. I’m guessing in the piece itself, all five dancers has their own dreams where they dance continuously until the end.

Splinter is a Japanese themed tradition where they bring hope, fortune, happiness, joy and war hatred. This piece makes me feel blessed and passionate about the story line plot itself where it can take you into a fantasy adventure of different words. This piece’s plot helps you understand more on what the eye can see through the dancers dancing.

Here are the venues they will be performing ‘Trespass’ at this year in 2012:

• Salisbury  - 22 Feb: Salisbury Arts Centre, Bedwin Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 3UT – £11 (concession: £9)

• Canterbury – 8 and 9 March: Marlowe Studio, The Friars, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3AS – £12 (concession: £11)

Hannah Sampson

Hollie’s first week at StopGAP

Ever since I heard that I would be starting as the new Intern at StopGAP I have been anticipating my first day, getting more and more excited!

The Big Day finally arrived on Wednesday 4^th January. I entered the StopGAP base… where my new friendly and welcoming colleagues greeted me and began the task of gently easing me into the team.

The office, I realised, seems deceptively calm. After an introduction to the team and a breakdown of who is who in the company my head was already full of a massive amount of information. During a scheduling meeting it dawned on me how busy and active StopGAP will be this year. I cannot wait to learn more about the workings of the company. I am eager to experience as much as possible!

On Thursday 5^th I helped the Dancers construct the table used in ‘Within’, easier said than done, imagine a flat pack table, then imagine numerous bolts/screws/nuts, unusual design and no instructions…that about sums it up! But completing the build was very satisfying and involved a lot of good humour and banter. Priceless.

I then joined the company class with Sophie, Chris and David, using my brain and my body more than I have in past last few weeks, I was expecting to ache the next day, and I was right! Ouch! I finished up the day by observing the Dancers at work: preparing for weekend workshops and rehearsing movement material. It was impressive to see how movement was generated and how focused and self-driven they were even at the end of the day.

Friday 6^th, the last day of my first week and another day packed with information. I watched the DVD of Trespass, giving me an insight into what the Dancers are currently working on. I sent off my application for the all-important CRB check and read through some project info sheets, which I will soon be creating myself! After a chat with Abi I am ready for next week and looking forward to some more challenges. Challenge No.1: to read the company handbook, all 43 pages of it…

Hollie McGill

Sophie’s thoughts on Recruitment Workshops

From the dawn of 2012, StopGAP Dance Company will be opening their doors and inviting the curious to come wandering in. We are hosting a series of ‘Dancer Days’ up and down the country, not only to stretch the parameters of our little dancing bubble, but also with a view to recruiting a new dancer. After five happy years with the company, the winds of change are blowing me across the Atlantic to sample life on the West coast with my new Californian husband.

The ‘Dancer Days’ are an opportunity for StopGAP to meet dancers outside the adrenalin fuelled, sweaty palmed confines of an audition, and for curious and open-minded dancers to come along and meet the company. When I arrived five years ago as an access officer, it was not with the intention of eventually becoming a full-time performer with the company. I was a disillusioned dancer cum barmaid on whom risks were taken, and owing to fortuitous timing, opportunities given. Instinctively I seized them, and developed the deep-rooted passion for integrated dance and heartfelt responsibility for the company essential for any member of the team. Whether looking to recruit, or seeking employment, perhaps we don’t always know exactly what we are looking for, or what we need. What better time to call out for the curious and open-minded?

As an intimate company that spends a great deal of time together, it is essential that time is taken to find new team members. The group dynamic and often visceral relationship between the dancers is a unique and regularly celebrated element of our work. This cannot be plucked from thin air – or an audition alone! The balance of personalities in an artistic setting is a masterful kind of alchemy. Trust and intuition in abundance, combined with an imaginative and creative new dancer, could be the catalyst that allows the company to clamber to new heights, developing and refining their innovative and exemplary integrated practice (no apologies for the pressure new dancer!). We are entering a period of change, re-evaluating our progression, ambitions and our representation in the world we inhabit, time will be spent to ensure the ‘right’ person adds their voice to the chorus.

What a voyage creating the next season of rep will be, one that I personally hope will be rife with obstacles. I say this not because I will probably be sitting on the dock of the bay enjoying a clam chowder by that time, but because these obstacles are the heart and soul of our creations. Without restriction and resistance we are wading in a lukewarm paddling pool on a mild sunny day. It may feel nice but we aren’t getting far – it’s certainly no white water rafting in a lightening storm! Perhaps I am a little over-zealous with my metaphor but you know what I mean.

The creation of pioneering integrated work with StopGAP demands an expansive mind and a passion for problem solving. Blossoming in adversity is a skill necessary for the delivery of our education work also, throughout the year, by all the dancers. I was involved in a long term project that took me to Albania four times in the past year. A collaboration with the British Council, Help the Life and Vodafone Albania, we were asked to train professional Albanian dancers to teach inclusively and in turn form their own fledgling integrated companies across the country. Initially daunting, it was at times challenging, and constantly enlightening. Moments were lost in translation, and I grappled regularly with cultural divides and my own demons telling me to ‘do a fantastic job’. My eyes were opened, my inclusive practice improved, and my teaching scrutinized, explored and refined. It was a remarkable experience and ended with a surprise appearance on Albania’s ‘Dancing With The Stars’. Who’d have thought? Now there’s something to tell the grandchildren about.

There is an undertone of unpredictability and hilarity to our everyday interaction, but perhaps the most challenging times at StopGAP are in fact the humdrum days. When the nights are drawing in and it’s the same faces in the studio again and again, maybe we just need someone who will come in, put the kettle on, and then just get on with it.

Curious? You bring the biscuits, the doors are open!

Sophie Stanley

Hannah’s thoughts on play time with Charlotte Vincent

On the 17th and 18th of October we had a new choreographer called Charlotte Vincent. Charlotte was really good, helpful and understanding of the work in our company and us as dancers.

It was really interesting for us as dancers in the company to see how she uses her body and our dancers bodies and technique moving around. Charlotte led the workshop with us with good interpretation of how her company works together.

In a couple of years from now we are hoping we’re going to see her company and her as a choreographer putting together a dance piece for the professional dancers or for all dancers in the company.

Hannah Sampson

Shine On!! weekend – Hannah

On the 8th and 9th October it was the Shine On!! weekend. On both days we had a lot of fun dancing and playing around.

We had lots of young teenagers and adults. The support workers Kat Ball, Joy St’ Denis, David Willdridge, Anna Pearce and Chris Pavia really helped out the young dancers. Our young dancers had lots of  laughs and had done really good dancing as well. I was impressed with how they’ve worked hard.

On both days we started out with a class led by the StopGAP team. After class we all played games and danced around using props and pictures on animals, shadows and mats. By using these props and pictures the dancers had split themselves  into partners or groups to do a dance. By this time we all put everything together into one big show.

We showed our dance in front of our family and friends. They all enjoyed the show in the end.

Hannah Sampson

Summer Schools

August was an important month for me, not only because we rehearsed SPUN Productions for the performance outside the National Theatre, as part of Liberty Festival, but also because I had the pleasure of leading two Summer schools.

The first Summer school was housed at the Ashcroft Arts Centre in Fareham, and was aimed at young teens with disabilities wanting to have fun through dance. So I took along my bottle of bubbles, my pieces of paper with different shapes doodled onto them; and my rubbery face to pull and contort in a way that has become somewhat of a trademark in StopGAP!

 

After 4 days of learning new ways of moving through different stimuli, we showcased our hard work to the participants parents, and were happy to find that not only had we built up a new movement vocabulary, but had created a short dance too.

 

The second Summer school took place at The Point in Eastleigh, a venue StopGAP knows very well having not only taught there at the Summer school the year before, but also Premiering StopGAP’s latest stage production Trespass.  The Point offers a weeklong course aimed at teaching participants about integrated dance practice.

 

I was asked to plan and lead the week, with Anna Pearce as my assistant (a partnership I look forward to continuing with StopGAP’s Youth Dance Group every Wednesday. But I digress).  Throughout the week we looked at tasks aimed at creating movement whilst working alongside one another in an inclusive manner. Each participant brought a wide range of abilities to collaborate and produce exciting movement material that I found a genuine pleasure to watch.

 

It was thrilling watching the next generation of contemporary dancers work with each other in an integrated way. After all it’s a natural thing.

 

Some of the StopGAP Youth Group members took part in the week, and having taught them for almost 3 years (through YG or workshops) it was amazing to see them come out of their comfort zones and grow in confidence.

 

The week’s tasks culminated in a sharing/performance to friends and family; and were met with loud applause and happy faces. Judging by the standard of dancing and the level of understanding in such a short amount of time, I’d say the week was a success. One that I look forward to re-creating next year…

SPUN Productions at Liberty Festival – Hannah

On the 3rd of September the StopGAP dancers were invited to do a performance on our piece ‘SPUN Productions’. When we all got there it was jam-packed with thousands of people and performance rehearsals. The weather was really hot and light windy which was perfect on the day. We performed our piece ‘SPUN Productions’ in the afternoon and the evening. Our performances were at 1.30pm and 6.45pm.

We performed by the London Waterloo train station, nearby the National Theatre. Our space was next to the National Theatre where there was a café, the river and the bridge.

When we performed the audience loved it and participated very well. At the end of the day people came up to us giving smiles, compliments and commented on our performances and our character insights in the piece itself.

While performing our piece we had an electric song and script board where our script lines and songs appeared. We didn’t know whether the audience were singing along or following our lines, but we all noticed some of the people dancing and mingling around like they were enjoying the piece full of comedy and chaotic drama.

Hannah Sampson

SPUN Productions Premiere – Anna

The premiere of Spun Productions came on a day of forecast showers and, certainly for me, some real nerves; for my own performance and for the Youth Company’s debut performance of new piece ‘Get Set, Go!’

What greeted us in Woking Town Square though, was something of a greenhouse effect, with the glorious sunshine bouncing off the front of the Peacocks centre and onto the performance space….we found ourselves almost wishing for cloud!

As is the nature of street art, the crowds began to gather during our rehearsal and were strictly told by Norma to come back later.

12 o’clock came around fast and the first performance began as soon as we left the dressing room. Holta (Laura), Cindy (Hannah) and Sandy (myself) made our way through the Woking Saturday crowds offering good quality make–overs, autographs from the star and invitations to be part of the hit TV show, ‘So You’re Not Sure If This Is Dance’. We were met with a range of reactions, including being asked for directions, being keen to be made-up like a star and being asked to pose for photos.

The crowds from the earlier rehearsal returned and the atmosphere felt great. The experience of performing outside is so different from being on a theatre stage and is something I’m loving more and more with each run through.

It was then time for the StopGAP Youth Company to take to the stage, and as this was the debut of the full version of their new piece, I had everything crossed for them. They did themselves proud and I received many comments on how professionally they handled themselves throughout the performance; well done guys!

It’s safe to say a good day was had by all in the StopGAP world, Here’s to sunshine for the rest of this season’s performances.

 

Anna Pearce

Charlotte’s first week at StopGAP

I joined StopGAP last Wednesday to become the full time administrator here. In the last week I have attempted to absorb as much as possible as quickly as possible … from the company’s catalogue of work to how to use a Mac and from how to update the online diary to remembering how everyone takes their tea.

I have been overwhelmed by how lovely, welcoming and not to mention patient everyone has been.

One day is never the same, which is exactly how I like it! Amongst many other things I have sat in on a rehearsal of the latest piece, Spun Productions (make sure you catch it out and about this summer – http://www.stopgap.uk.com/html-eng/tour_dates.html – it’s a vibrant breath of fresh air); helped transport set across Farnham in the Friday sunshine; taken on various office, marketing and education duties and tried to find my way around Farnham town centre (being a Portsmouth girl) and make it back to the office without getting completely lost.

The breadth and depth of the work here at StopGAP is staggering; there will always be something new to learn and I look forward to being a part of it.