Emma twirling her way in city

l EDGE HILL

| Gail Sedorkin

EMMA Memma’s Twirly Tour is twirling its way to Cairns in August.

She is bringing her friends Elvin Melvin, Waffles the Wombat and new friend BB Butterfly with her in her Butterfly Bus, and you can sing and dance with them all at Tanks Arts Centre on August 5.

After the sold-out success of her first Australian tour for 2023, Emma Watkins is delighted to be twisting her way to Cairns.

Full of dancing, music, singing, listening, stories and sign language, she said the August 5 show in Cairns marked a year since all the new characters, including Emma Memma, were created.

An Australian children’s entertainer, singer, actress and dancer, Ms Watkins is best known as a former popular member of the children’s group

The Wiggles from 2013 to 2021, the first female member of the group. In her recent pre-Twirly Tour visit, she played to packed and very enthusiastic audiences at libraries and childcare and preschool centres on her way up the Queensland coast, singing, dancing and reading her new book ‘Emma Memma: How Are You?’

During her journey to Far North Queensland, Facebook followers were invited to submit the name of a childcare or preschool centre for Ms Watkins to visit, with Child’s World Early Learning Centre in Bentley Park the thrilled audience on Monday.

“We have been working our way up the coast for almost two weeks – it’s been quite special,” Ms Watkins said.

“We want to be able to bring a show that people want, so visiting the community is our way to see what children and parents enjoy.”

To ensure the show is a more inclusive experience, Oliver Brian, Emma and Sue Wright (Auslan and deaf culture consultant) create the songs based on signs that are appropriate for pre-school children, and everyone in the Twirly Tour signs while they dance, including Elvin Melvin, who is also deaf.

“We can’t wait for our friends in Far North Queensland to sing, dance and learn sign language with us in August,” she said.

“This is the first time we are taking our live show to beautiful Cairns and we are so looking forward to seeing families dressing up in their favourite orange, pink and green outfits.

“All the choreography in the show is based from sign language foundations, so all the performers onstage use that to encourage children to join in,” Ms Watkins said.

Tickets and information for the Live Nation Twirly Tour at Tanks Arts Centre are available on Ticketlink: visit: https://bit.ly/3Y4RGBQ