What is GRIDLOCK Dance?
Learn more about our story, values, and team.
Our Story
Based in the heart of our nation’s capital, GRIDLOCK Dance is a cutting-edge contemporary dance company led by Madeline Maxine Roman.
The dynamic tension between acceptance and change is at the core of our work. Our name, GRIDLOCK Dance, captures the feeling of being stuck while yearning to move forward. It symbolizes the “gridlocked” issues we investigate, using dance as our medium.
Through audience interaction, creative collaboration, and fraught yet fruitful conversations, we explore what it means to be human as technology disrupts society’s sense of meaning.
Our Values
We value every dancer's hard work, health, and happiness—whether it's during an audition, in a rehearsal studio, or under the stage lights.
Transparent compensation (hourly rates)
Communication & balance (real life comes first)
Curiosity & collaboration (making work together)
Joy & excellence (having fun in both process and performance)
Artistic Director
Madeline Maxine Roman is talkative and loud. That's partly due to being hard of hearing, but primarily because she embraces her queer, disabled, and neurodivergent identity.
Featured in Dance Magazine's 25 to Watch, Roman is the founder and Artistic Director of GRIDLOCK Dance in Washington, DC.
Our Team
Behind each of our performances is a dedicated team of dancers and collaborators. Meet the people who bring GRIDLOCK Dance’s work to life.