I am a storyteller, performer, presenter and theatre producer. I love to combine all these skills to create compelling, physical performances and workshops with people of all ages.

I work around the country as a storyteller and workshop leader; in theatres, festivals, nurseries, schools and libraries, on local radio, at conferences and in the corporate world.

I produced and performed in a storytelling show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2009, which also toured in Warwickshire. In 2010 my company, Wizard Presents, produced The Tell Tale Festival, in celebration of stories.

My professional background is in theatre management and production, both in the regions and London’s West End. In 1996 I joined John Miller as a director of The Sound Company and together we established Wizard Presents, an independent theatre production company. In 2001 I produced a major stage musical, All You Need is Love! in the West End and on tour, and gave birth to a baby girl. In 2002 I moved to Paris to retrain at Lecoq, an international school for physical theatre and mime. In 2003 I trained on the London Waldorf Steiner First Three Years Course and ran a parent and toddler group for two years, at the same time founding a kindergarten in Warwickshire.

Danya Miller offers:

• Performances & Stories in Schools
• Schools Workshops
• Conferences
• Insets for Schools
• Storytelling Training Workshops

I work with children and the teachers in their different stages of development to help find the storyteller within them, and I tailor my work to be age appropriate. When I select stories for a particular school, I consider where and to whom they will be told, the season and the group. I work across the curriculum and undertake projects that are either set by the school or devised as a partnership between the school and me. Storytelling can be used in a myriad of situations and underpins literacy, numeracy, memory skills, reasoned and disciplined thinking. I use games; song; poetry; riddles; tongue twisters; movement and drama as part of my storytelling sack!

I believe that when we tell stories we can and should create a special sacred space; a time for stillness, listening, observing and when appropriate, participating. If the story includes a puppet show for the younger children, then I like to light a candle, reveal the scene at the beginning and cover it over at the end, to signify that it is special and to be treated with respect.I offer INSET training, workshops and talks which also include hands on learning as and when required.

“Our children are still talking about the stories Danya gave to us. Working with her gave us the confidence to take risks in our curriculum. Linking story and the environment to develop creativity in our classrooms and outside led to truly astounding improvements in our children's writing."”
Jenny Dingle - Head Teacher Ardeley St Lawrence CofE Primary School (ROH/CP Project 2010)

“Danya weaves magic with her storytelling. It was as if she spread this magic to the group who, with all their different first languages (from Ndele to German / from Afrikaans to Canton) came together to build a special language of their own.”
Kathy Rablah - Head of Drama The Nobel School (ROH/CP Yr 7 & 8 Project 2010)

“Midway through telling the story of Antonio, a little boy kidnapped and held in a cave, Danya Miller hands three very chuffed looking girls in the front row some ‘precious jewels’. It’s actually just fresh air she’s giving them, but the storytelling performance is all about letting the audience fill in the gaps with their imagination. Five minutes later, when the angry chief wants his ‘jewels’ back, the kids won’t hand them over to Miller. ‘That’s not in the script,’ she laughs, slipping out of character for a split second. It’s proof of how engrossed the kids are in the show, which besides a couple of props, is made up of mime, physical theatre and character voices”
(Dark & Stormy Night by Janet and Allan Ahlberg - Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2009) THE LIST issue 636

“I have worked with Danya Miller several times over the past 2 to 3 years, initially interviewing her for a language project at a primary school in Coventry. Part of the interview process was a practical demonstration of her skills and I remember being particularly impressed at the way she immediately built a rapport with the children (foundation stage) and at the way she used voice/songs/sounds/gestures/found objects/artifacts to provoke a feeling of awe and wonder.....and stillness. The children were naturally drawn to her. She went on to work in this particular school at length and built excellent working relationships with all who worked alongside her (teachers, young people and fellow practitioners). Since then I have gone on to recommend her for further work in some of the other schools I work with - and have never been anything but impressed at the work she has done. Danya is an excellent communicator and very hardworking, giving of her creative skills very generously, sharing techniques and skills and offering support and advice when needed, she comes highly recommended.” ”
Lesley Whelan – Creative Agent for Cre8us

“Danya is an enthusiastic, charismatic and enchanting storyteller. She is passionate voice promoting storytelling as a medium to bring people together and as way to educate children and young people. ”
. Roi Gal-Or Course Leader School of Storytelling

“Hearing you tell your story on BBC Three Counties Radio today gave me goose bumps. We are so lucky, thank you.”
Ann from Borehamwood

2 story books “Kika’s Birthday“ and ”Mrs Lotta Wasin” available in 2012 4 Story CD’s available 2012