Emily grew up surrounded by story and music.  Running wild in the countryside of Kent by day, she entertained (& terrified) her cousins and sibling with story.  By night, she sat in front of the fire with her Northern Irish family telling and singing of fairy folk, ghosts, monsters and myths.  Her folk musician father helped her find her musicality and singing voice, something often used when Emily tells. She spent 10 years teaching English in inner-city London schools.  Telling stories was key to making connections and raising the self-esteem of young people demoralised by the school system.   This continues to be a passion for Emily, engaging with children and young people in schools, storytelling clubs, and community events. 

As Tales from the Dragonfly, Emily has been a professional storyteller in and around London for the past 7 years, telling in national museums and galleries including The Museum of London, The National Gallery and The Royal Academy of Arts. She also captivates adult audiences with her “Stories for all Seasons” evening shows. Described by audience members as ‘magical, heartbreaking, hilarious!’, Emily performs at festivals around the UK and Northern Ireland, and has told tales in all sorts of places – monasteries, caves, river boats, graveyards, steam trains. Most importantly, she tells regularly to her son Leo. Emily believes that the role of a storyteller is to inspire the storyteller in others – she and young Leo currently host a children’s podcast series “Dragonfly Tales”, providing free stories for families all around the world.

 

 

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