Jolene Konkel, MFA

Jolene Konkel began her dance training in Milwaukee under William Reilly, a descendant of Jerome Robbin’s Ballets: USA and at the Milwaukee High School of the Arts. While in Milwaukee she performed with the Milwaukee Opera Company, as a guest with the Milwaukee Ballet, and Danceworks before relocating to Chicago to study jazz dance at Gus Giordano’s and the Lou Conte Dance Studio. She went on to pursue a BFA in dance at the University of Minnesota and holds a degree in Christian Studies with an emphasis in Theatre from North Central University. She later completed her MFA in Performance and Choreography through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Ms. Konkel is the founder of the School of Dance Studies program through YWAM’s University of the Nations, which she led and directed for five years training and educating dancers from around the globe. Through this program her work has been shared with audiences throughout North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

Locally her choreography has been featured in the Jazz Here, Jazz Now concert at the UofM, Renovate Choreographers Evening at the Ritz Theatre, The MN Fringe festival, Zenon Dance Zone, Patrick’s Cabaret, the Old Arizona and several times for Rhythmically Speaking. Her work in music theatre has been showcased multiple times at the International Thespian Festival, KCACTF, and presented at the American Alliance for Theatre and Education.

Ms. Konkel has served as adjunct faculty in dance and Resident Choreographer in the Department of Music and Theater since 2009. She teaches all the courses that comprise the dance minor, directs the University of Northwestern Dance Theatre performance company, and choreographs the department productions.

Jolene is also the founder and Artistic Director of Concerto Dance by Jolene Konkel.