Born and bred in Asheville NC, that is where her dance and aerial arts journey began. After a youth spent dancing and being dramatic onstage, she made doing such things an official document by receiving her BA in Theater and Dance in Santa Barbara, CA. She really liked the west coast so she made it her home for five years. During which she dedicated all of her energy and attention to training in and performing aerial dance. An unexpected move to Fargo, ND gave her the unexpected opportunity to both strike out on her own professional path and help FM Aerial Arts develop their aerial arts program. In 2021 the south called her and her partner back to the warmth, this time to Atlanta GA where she is currently teaching, developing work and striving to build a vertical dance community.

Condensed, in no particular order, does not include general classes, festivals, workshops and some intensives. If you’re super curious, send her a message. Just buckle up for a loooooong response)

• Dance Canvas: DCOF recipient, 2022/23

  • A dance film creation grant and mentorship program provided by Dance Canvas Inc, Atlanta GA. This opportunity supported Emily’s creation of “Dependent Variable” (see the choreography page for more info).

• Festival Winner, Inanimate 48 2021

  • Inanimate Dance’s annual 48 hour dance on film festival.

• Bachelors of Arts in Theater and Dance, Westmont College

  • Westmont College’s BA program included education in theater direction, dance technique, choreography, set design, costuming, theater history and culminated in her senior project, “The Crane Wife”, a dance theater performance set to live music written by The Decemberists, performed by her now partner, Josh Stratton (of Phantom Engine).

• Fidget Feet and the Irish Aerial Creation Center’s Creation Intensive for act development 2022

  • This three week program in Limerick Ireland provided mentorship from excellent industry professionals (Including Chantal McCormick, Carolina Cabanas, Kat Cooley and Emma Poole), classes in aerial arts and dance, technical support and artistic development. This resulted in the first performance on Ring Trapeze.

• Bandaloop’s Intermediate/Advanced Summer Intensive 2024/2025

  • A week-long vertical dance training intensive taught by Bandaloop Project artists. This included vertical dance technique, dance, low flow harness, artistic exploration, collaboration with other artists and many days spent dancing on the Breuner building in downtown Oakland, CA.

• Audacity Project with Rachel Strickland

  • This professional development course run by Rachel Strickland provided guidance and support in creating professional materials, branding, guidance in artistic direction and mentorship.

• Aerial Dance Intensive Training Program at The Santa Barbara Center for Aerial Dance 2015-2019

  • Specialized floor to air aerial dance training that included trapeze (static and dance), fabric, sling, lyra, corde lisse, invented apparatus and modern dance. This training resulted in a Emily’s membership as a dancer in The Paloma Project with whom she performed in a variety of settings, primarily evening length shows.