Legem Dance Cooperative is a collective of early-career dance artists who have come together to maintain and develop each other's artistic practice. Hosting weekly professional-level classes, style-specific workshops and Scratch Nights, we have developed a growing community in East London including dancers, teachers, multi-media artists and audience members. Our position as emerging artists in the freelance dance sector requires a balance between seeking work in our trained art-form and making ends meet in alternative industries. Our work has offered a haven to over 70 artists, punctuating the week with a consistent opportunity to engage with dance and develop our professional skills.

Our initiatives:

• Challenging hierarchical traditions in dance making.

• Creating a non-for profit and self-sufficient environment that subverts the existing barriers to artistic becoming.

• Addressing complex challenges of maintaining a dance and choreographic practice in the current economy.

• A collective desire to work with methods of exchange and mutual aid; working with and for each other to cover the needs and wants of each member in the group.

• Working under open and voluntary participation.

• Maintaining individual responsibilities as part of such membership; dependent on skills and wants of the individual, and needs to sustain the group.

As of February 2025, funding from Abderrahim Crickmay Charitable Settlement has been instrumental in the development of our organisation, allowing us to establish regular, professional classes, free-of-charge to attendees. Rooted in our ethos, these classes are financially accessible to freelance artists and directly address the needs of this group; consistency, accessibility and opportunity. 

Alongside, members of Legem Dance Cooperative have completed multiple residencies at Dance East, Ipswich and have presented work at events including Iklectik Art Lab; IMT Art Gallery; PLATFORM | Professional Choreography and at Chisenhale Dance Space. 

In celebration of our first year offering weekly classes, Legem hosted ‘Legaversary’ Scratch Night; a sharing of five new or work-in-progress pieces created by artists working in and around Legem Dance Cooperative. The evening showcased an eclectic range of performances from Ciar Wild X Violet Savage, Martha Tribe, Olivia Devine, Kin Dance Company, and Esme Wales X Annarose Atamian, exploring contact methodologies, chance operations, intimacy and desire, improvisation and audience participation. This self-funded event sold out and provided the financial means to host further Scratch Night events in 2026. ‘Legaversary’ was a proud culmination of a year of hard-work and dedication, and a testament to the Legem Dance Cooperative community.