Stopgap appoints Co-Artistic Director

LAURA JONES will take on the role of Co-Artistic Director of dance company Stopgap in November.

Jones joined Stopgap – a company committed to disability access and inclusive dance training and choreography – as a dancer in 2001, before becoming Head of Talent Development in 2017. She also served as Interim Artistic Director in 2016 and 2018.

She began dance training aged five. After sustaining a spinal injury in 1998, she became the first wheelchair user to complete 100% of the A-Level dance syllabus.

She has since choregraphed the Heritage Flame Ceremony for the Rio 2016 Paralympic handover and toured internationally in traditional and non-traditional settings.

Jones is also a trustee of East London Dance and English Folk Dance and Song Society, where she focuses on artists, safeguarding and diversity.

Stopgap says Jones is a fierce advocate for dance and disability, inclusion and equality and has advanced the sector through teacher training in inclusive practices, public speaking and consultancy work.

“I’m looking forward to bringing my lived experience of being a disabled person, a dance artist and educator into the Co-Artistic Director’s role and to share my perspective with colleagues inside and outside of the company,” Jones commented.