Shell Benjamin Assistant Professor of Theatre and Dance M.F.A. in Dance, The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 706-233-7787 sbenjamin@shorter.edu

She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree from The Juilliard School, Master of Fine Arts Degree and Early Childhood through Adolescence Teacher Certification-Dance from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

A native New Yorker, her professional credits include: Dance Theater of Harlem, Joffrey Ballet, Broadway, National Commercials, International Films, and National/International Television Broadcasts. A few countries she has been blessed to live and perform are: Norway, Amsterdam, England, France, Germany, Indonesia, Dubai, Scandinavia, and the Persian Gulf.  She has taught and choreographed internationally and nationally at Taipei’s International Dance Festival, National Taiwan University, Illinois State University, Columbia College, television, and theater. While in the states, she has developed arts integrated curriculum for the Chicago and Wisconsin Public School Systems, held positions of Dance Department Chair at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, Co-Chair for Alvin Ailey Dance Camp Chicago, and Director of Student Outreach Programs in Chicago.

While at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, she was the recipient of the prestigious Advanced Opportunity Fellowship, Graduate Travel Award, and Wisconsin’s Higher Education Award.

Her academic research presented at Hawaii’s 8th International Arts and Humanities Conference and accepted at Athens International Conference on Visual and Performing Arts looks at the validity of ballet and modern dance forms for Praise and Worship dance in the Christian Churches of the 21st Century. Her artistic research addresses the global state of women surviving physical and psychological hardships.

She is currently developing the curriculum for Shorter University’s dance department.