Yorkshire girl's dazzling return in Cirque du Soleil’s Crystal
She plays the title lead role's stunt double in a story of self-discovery about a misfit teen who she dives into a world of her own imagination.
Emily, aged 24, from Tingley - between Leeds and Wakefield - will perform in front of family and friends when the UK tour kicks off with four performances on its only Yorkshire stop at Sheffield FlyDSA Arena, Friday to Sunday, March March 6 to 8.
"It's my passion and it's what I love. I feel like it's what I was born to do," says Emily, in an exclusive chat with Graham Walker about living the dream and travelling the world with Cirque du Soleil.
LISTEN: Hear the full interview online - CLICK HERE.
BOOK TICKETS: Sheffield show times are Friday, March 6, 8pm; Saturday, March 7, at 4pm and 8pm; Sunday, March 8, at 1pm. For tickets visit www.flydsaarena.co.uk, www.cirquedusoleil.com or www.livenation.co.uk.
The debut UK tour will then travel to Glasgow, Aberdeen, Belfast, Manchester, Birmingham and Nottingham.
Crystal is a creative young woman who feels misunderstood and out of sync with the environment.
To escape her reality, she ventures out on a frozen pond and falls through the ice into an upside-down world. This magical show invites audiences to suspend reality and glide into a world that springs into colourful life with astonishing visual projections and an original score that seamlessly blends popular music with the signature sounds of Cirque du Soleil.
Featuring a multitude of ice skating styles from extreme and freelance to figure skating, audiences journey into the wonderful world of Crystal in a unique show that’s set to capture imaginations across the UK for the very first time.
In her own way Emily's life has been a magical journey.
She took up acrobatics aged just six, later underwent Olympic training at Wakefield Gymnastic Club and was part of the Great Britain acrobatic team which took part in the World Championships in Orlando, Florida, in 2012.
It was there she was spotted by Cirque du Soleil talent scouts who signed her up. The job has taken her around the world many times, visiting 40 countries around Europe, North and South America.
She performed locally three years ago Leeds First Direct Arena when Cirque came to town in Varekai, Tales of The Forest.
Emily had to learn how to ice skate for her latest role and had lessons at Bradford Ice Arena before starting on Crystal from its creation back in 2017.
The one of a kind arena show blends circus arts and the world of ice skating in a stunning production that will take the audience on a journey into a whimsical frozen playground where skating combined with jaw dropping acrobatic feats defy the imagination.
Created by Shana Carroll and Sebastien Soldevila, Crystal, has an international cast of 43 artists and more than 40 crew members from 24 different countries.
Emily, who is in the spotlight throughout the show, says her big number is at the end. She revealed: "I play Crystal in the finale act of the show. I'm the body stunt double and I do an act called hand to trapeze; it blends ice skating, duo trapeze and hand to hand acrobatics.
"It's quite a powerful number and I'm really proud to perform it.
"This is the first Cirque du Soleil ice skating and acrobatic show - which is something the UK has never seen before."
She added: "All my family and friends will be coming to see me in Sheffield. But I've found after all these years of performing, I just really know myself and I know how to control those nerves. To be honest, I'm just so excited and looking forward to be performing for all my loved ones and everyone else back home."
Emily's advice to anyone wanting to follow in her cartwheeling footsteps is to work hard and follow your dreams.
She said: "It was a dream of mine to be a part of Cirque du Soleil.
"Don't give up. It can be very challenging. All the training and the long hours - but it honestly is so worth it. You'll get to perform your dreams every single night. So just keep working hard."
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ‘CRYSTAL’ UK ARENA TOUR
6 March Sheffield Fly DSA Arena 8pm
7 March Sheffield Fly DSA Arena 4pm and 8pm
8 March Sheffield Fly DSA Arena 1pm
11 March Glasgow Braehead Arena 8pm
12 March Glasgow Braehead Arena 8pm
13 March Glasgow Braehead Arena 8pm
14 March Glasgow Braehead Arena 4pm and 8pm
15 March Glasgow Braehead Arena 1pm
19 March Aberdeen P&J Live 8pm
20 March Aberdeen P&J Live 8pm
21 March Aberdeen P&J Live 4pm and 8pm
22 March Aberdeen P&J Live 1pm
25 March Belfast SSE Arena 8pm
26 March Belfast SSE Arena 8pm
27 March Belfast SSE Arena 8pm
28 March Belfast SSE Arena 4pm and 8pm
29 March Belfast SSE Arena 1pm
01 April Manchester Manchester Arena 8pm
02 April Manchester Manchester Arena 8pm
03 April Manchester Manchester Arena 8pm
04 April Manchester Manchester Arena 4pm and 8pm
05 April Manchester Manchester Arena 1pm
08 April Birmingham Resorts World Arena 8pm
09 April Birmingham Resorts World Arena 8pm
10 April Birmingham Resorts World Arena 8pm
11 April Birmingham Resorts World Arena 4pm and 8pm
12 April Birmingham Resorts World Arena 1pm
15 April Nottingham Motorpoint Arena 8pm
16 April Nottingham Motorpoint Arena 8pm
17 April Nottingham Motorpoint Arena 8pm
18 April Nottingham Motorpoint Arena 4pm and 8pm
19 April Nottingham Motorpoint Arena 1pm
LINKS
Follow #CRYSTAL and #CirqueduSoleil on social media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CrystalbyCirqueduSoleil
Twitter: @cirque
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cirquedusoleil
Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/cirquedusoleil