Wendy Jehlen is a Contemporary dancer/choreographer, whose unique approach to movement incorporates elements of a wide range of dance and movement styles. Jehlen has studied the South Indian dance forms of Bharata Natyam, Odissi and Kuchipudi since childhood. While an undergraduate at Brown University, she was introduced to Butoh, Capoeira, West African
dance and, a wide-range of Modern and Contemporary dance styles, which she has continued to study in New York City, Boston, Washington, DC, Venice, Tokyo and Madras. Jehlen also collaborates with Deaf performers and poets, and uses the language and aesthetics of American Sign Language poetry in her choreography.

Jehlen's emotionally powerful choreography has been performed in the United States, Europe, India and Japan. Her work is informed by her study of storytelling, literature and performance theory. She holds a Bachelors with Honors in Storytelling, Ritual and Performance from Brown University and a Masters of Theological Studies in Religion and Performance from Harvard University.

Jehlen has received funding and recognition for her choreography from the Ford Foundation/Arts International (1996), Bennetton Group/Fabrica, SpA (1997-1998), the Artist Grants Program of the Massachusetts Cultural Council (2001, 2003), the Senior Performing Artist Fellowship program of the American Institute of Indian Studies (2001), the Puffin Foundation (2001, 2007), the Tokyo American Center (2002), the National Endowment for the Arts (2005), the Fulbright program/United States Educational Foundation in India (2005-2006), the National School of Drama (2006) and the Alliance Francaise de Madras (2006), the Somerville Arts Council (2000, 2005, 2008), and the Cambridge Arts Council (2008), among others.

Press and audience comments:
"When Wendy Jehlen goes on stage, you know you are in the realm of the heart." – The Hindu newspaper, India

“Wendy Jehlen’s gorgeous ‘Dawn’…was about the careful generation of rhythm and tempo in the arms, an elegant accumulation of energy.” – The Boston Herald

"more than dance" – India Today

"works wonders on the stage" - The Telegraph, India

"(Jehlen's) dance style is contemporary without its customary abstractness. The movements had an inbuilt rhythm and mood...the well choreographed, tightly knit movements were executed with discipline and professionalism."
-The Hindu newspaper, India

"bravissima" - La Tribuna, Italy

"(Wendy Jehlen) is the most spiritual, the most honest, the most heartfelt and gloriously pure artist. The love and the spiritual element of her work elevate you above the everyday world."
– Brother Blue, storyteller

Grants, Awards and Commissions:
2008: Artist Fellowship from the Somerville Arts Council with funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council

2008: Project Grant from the Cambridge Arts Council with funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for US presentation of "He Who Burns"

2007: Presentation Grant from the Puffin Foundation for US presentation of "He Who Burns"

2007: Commission from the Jahan-e-Khusrau Festival in New Delhi for the creation and premiere of "The Moth"

2006: Project Award from the US Educational Foundation in India for the creation and presentation of "He Who Burns"

2006: Grants from the Alliance Francaise de Madras and the National Schoolof Drama in Delhi for the presentation of the premiere performances of "He Who Burns" in Chennai and Delhi, India

2005: Creativity Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for the creation of Hands: Rhythm Project for the Seattle International Children's Festival

2004-05:Fulbright Senior Research Fellowship for the project "Women on Stage"

2005: Artist Fellowship from the Somerville Arts Council with funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council

2004: Artist Grant finalist award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council

2003: Grant from the Tokyo American Center and the International House of Japan for the creation and presentation of "Hands: Rhythm Project," a music and dance performance with artists from the United States, India and Japan.

2002: Artist Grant finalist award from the Massachusetts Cultural Council

2002: Grant from the Government of Jharkhand, Indiafor the creation and presentation of Safar, a music and dance performance with musicians from India, the US, Italy and Japan and dancers from the US and India

2002: Senior Performing Artist Fellowship from the American Institute of Indian Studies for a research project entitled "The Language of Dance"

2001: Choreography Grant from the Puffin Foundation for the development of Crane

2000: Artist Fellowship from the Somerville Arts Council with funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council

1998-99:Research Fellowship in Dance and Choreography from Fabrica, SpA, Treviso, Italyto support research, development and performance of new works

1996: INROADS Grant from the Institute for International Education with funding from the Ford Foundation to support an international collaborative performance project with Mukund Nayak's Kunjban: Chotanagpuri Folk Music and Dance Troupe of Ranchi, India