With 'National Portfolio Organisation' funding from Arts Council England, at our core is social change, a commitment that people, communities and places can reach their full potential through dance. We give young people the opportunity to make the decisions, build confidence and become leaders, as well as developing their dance  and performance skills in a range of styles that speak to them. By building healthier lives with dance and the training that goes with it, we help develop physical health and mental wellbeing. We invest in independent dance artists and producers. Providing space, training, time and resources, allowing them to test ideas, learn, collaborate and share work; build their careers, creativity and communities. Our Impact Audit showed that since 2003, ELD held 784 events; had annual audiences of over 68,000 people; helped 138,000 participants; worked with 15,000 teachers, artists and producers; mentored 70 artists and producers every year; and during the COVID-19 pandemic used virtual hip hop dance sessions to help keep isolated young people active, engaged and mentally healthy.

We are about to move into a brand-new home which will allow us to do even more for the community, by welcoming people into a space that they can call home. This home, The Talent House in Stratford, has been provided to us as a shell, at a heavily subsidised rent, but we have had to raise £2 million to open the building with the best possible facilities. Most of that has now been raised and I want to help breach the target so ELD can help the community even more. My dance performance in January will be in this new building.