Shut Up & Listen with Jolene
We sit down with Jolene who is a social justice, animal rights, climate change advocate and sometimes-maverick. She’s been to 63 countries, speaks two languages and – most thrillingly (and terrifyingly), once fell off the Great Wall of China.
The more you get to know Jolene, the more you feel inspired to join her in her bubbling desire to make the world a better place 🌎
We are so honored to be one of the people you want to spend your time with, Joelene!
Lez go! 👇
My name is Jolene and my coordination level is 8/10. (…I am clearly very coordinated or clearly very delusional).
I’m happiest when I am listening to music, out in nature, with people I love and soaking in the sun 🌞 and moana 🌊
My favourite “guilty” pleasure song is anything by the Spice Girls because 90s nostalgia of me and my friends dressing up as the Spice Girls for girl guide camp and thinking we were the shiz 😆
Best music video of all time is Peter Gabriel, Sledgehammer. I probably watched this on MTV’s greatest video hits in the 90s, and this one stuck!
Something that I continually ask myself is …is it dinner time already? 😋
Why do you think dance is important? It charges up my soul and gets me going for the rest of the week. I really believe movement is medicine and dance is just extra special. I also do West African Dance – live drumming is fire 👌
And how does it show up in the other areas of your life? I am ALWAYS dancing down the street, in the shower, to meetings, to the fridge, to bed. It’s a habit 🙃
Something that has changed since my first Shut Up & Dance class is - the way I move my body and forget about how I look while I move. I don’t care about aesthetics!
What is something that people don’t know about you? I have been bitten by three wild animals.
*SU&D looks at Jolene like 😳*
The Shut Up & Dance routine that best describes me is Fame because it’s peppy and get-up-and-go, mixed in with super femme energy that rings in my head for days ✨🪩
My life motto is NO REGRETS. But seriously… be kind and treat others the way you want to be treated.
My alter ego is Someone akin to Xena Warrior princess 🤔😍
My favourite artist is Yayoi Kusama ⚪️🔵🔴
The most important thing life has taught me so far is that you can’t sweat the small stuff.
To pay the bills I work as a communications advisor for an awesome social justice organisation.
If money was no object I would buy a couple of farms, build a community for animals who need shelter and people with mental health needs 🫶
My most empowered moment this week was successfully making ginger lollies 🧑🍳
I wanted to be a Vet when I grew up 🐶🐹🐱🐰
The world would be a better place with more female leaders and a fairer economy.
*SU&D interjects*
”JOLENE FOR PRIME MINISTER!!!”
*Hands back microphone*
The routine I want to learn the most is Cream - Prince.
If I was a cake I would be moist chocolate cake with cream cheese layers. Btw, this question is TORTURE. You’re asking me to be a cake and not be able to eat myself 😤🤪
Thanks Jolene! Time to make a moist chocolate cake with cream cheese layers now 😊