A Mother-Daughter Team

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Both mom and daughter were happily immersed in the ballet world until March 2020. Konora is the ballet heroine and face of Once Upon a Dance. Her mom spent the pandemic learning InDesign, publishing, Web sites, marketing, and piles of things outside a dance instructor's wheelhouse. 

Konora's danced with Texture Contemporary Ballet, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, and Ballet Idaho, and spent 2 years in the Professional Division at Pacific Northwest Ballet. 

Konora’s mother—Teacher Terrel—taught creative movement and ballet for decades and was honored to be  recognized by her local City Council for embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community for her work with young dancers.   

If you want to know more, further details below. 

Once Upon a Dance was created by a mother-daughter duo during COVID-19. 

The books have won many awards/endorsements:

  • Kirkus Reviews Starred Review 

 • Outstanding Creator Awards Top 10 Author of 2022        
 • PenCraft Award First Place Winner         
 • Mom’s Choice Gold Award Recipient
 • Family Choice Award       
 • Firebird Book Award First Place  
 • Royal Dragonfly Book Award First Place
 • B.R.A.G. Medallion Award          
 • International Impact Book Award Winner
 • Maincrest Media Award Winner  
 • Golden Boar Cover of the Year    
 • Pinnacle Book Achievement Award - Best Book Juvenile Fiction           
 • Outstanding Creator Awards Winner (Best Children's Book, Winter 2022)      

  • Readers Favorite Certified Great Read     
 • Love Reading 4 Kids Indie Books We Love        
 • Literary Titan 5-Star Book Award
 • Indie’s Today 5-Star Recommended        
 • Wishing Shelf 5-Star Emblem 

Once Upon a Dance is a proud member of

·     Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators 

·     American Library Association

·     Alliance of Independent Authors

·     Pacific Northwest Writers Association

·     National Dance Education Organization

·     American Booksellers Association

Konora is a Company Artist at Ballet Idaho under Artistic Director Garrett Anderson. She's also danced for Texture Contemporary Ballet and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. Prior to COVID, she was a Professional Division student at Pacific Northwest Ballet under Artistic Director Peter Boal. 

She’s a YAGP regional first-place winner and took a contemporary duet to YAGP (Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition) New York finals.

Her previous ballet training includes Ballet West Trainee Program (Adam Sklute, Artistic Director) and Emerald Ballet Academy (Viktoria Titova, Artistic Director).  

Her professional performances include:
·       Ballet Idaho

·       Texture Contemporary Ballet
·       Pacific Northwest Ballet
·       Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
·       Seattle International Dance Festival

She attended summer programs at:

·       Ballet Met, Edwaard Liang, Artistic Director
·       LINES Ballet, Alonzo King, Artistic Director
·       Hubbard Street, Johnathon Alsberry, Artistic Liaison
·       Grand Rapids Ballet, James Sofranko, Artistic Director
·       Pacific Northwest Ballet, Peter Boal, Artistic Director
·       ArtEmotion Choreographic Workshop, Allison BeDona and Rex Tilton, Artistic Directors
·       Ballet West, Adam Sklute, Artistic Director
·       Ballet Austin, Stephen Mills, Artistic Director
·       Ballet Chicago, Daniel Duell, Artistic Director
·       Oregon Ballet Theatre, Kevin Irving, Artistic Director

Teacher Terrel taught creative movement and ballet for decades. She was honored to be chosen and recognized by her local City Council (2014) for embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community for her work with young dancers. 

Her training included Ballet Met and The Louisville Ballet. Before having children, her dance classes were for older kids and adults, but she developed toddler and preschool curriculums after witnessing the joy her young daughter found in dance. She was selected for and completed a nine-month certification program with King County Arts Commission on teaching arts to children. 

Complementing extensive dance experience, she served as a Program for Early Parent Support Board Member as well as Bellevue College’s Family Advocate. She studied child development and early childhood education in graduate school. As a Peace Corps volunteer, she taught English and dance at the University of Namibia.

She’s breathed dance from every angle: child to pre-professional to adult ballet student, zoom student, dance teacher, dance mom, competition mom, ballet-school parent-guilder, audience member, recital planner, business owner, and board member.  

She lives in Washington with her husband, son, and a handful of hard-luck-case cats.