We're headed to 92NY! 🎉
Our Artistic Director, Madeline Maxine Roman, is a selected choreographer for this year’s 92NY Future Dance Festival.
We'll present her work Forbidden Fruit, a virtuosic duet that explores religion, sexuality, and anger in women through bold partnering.
Huge shoutout to Alex and Destiny for bringing their artistry and athleticism to this piece, and to Levi for rehearsal directing while Max was at a residency in Seattle.
Get your tickets now at the link in our bio (there's only a few left!)
Guess who's in the The New York Times this Sunday? 🗞️
I'm so honored to be the inaugural recipient of the Creative Capital State of the Art Prize for Maryland. Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the United States, this new national initiative awards a $10,000 unrestricted grant to one artist in each U.S. state and territory. More than 4,500 people applied, which makes this recognition feel absolutely unreal.
I grew up in Caroline County, where rivers, fields, and wide open skies taught me how to pay attention to nature's rhythms. Every Christmas, my family would eat lunch with my Mom’s relatives in Calvert County, then pile into our van to have dinner with my Dad's side in Prince George’s County.
I studied at Anne Arundel Community College and Towson University, where generous professors encouraged me to treat creativity as a calling. I began my professional career in Baltimore, moved to Montgomery County, and started working in the nation's capital, carrying all those experiences into my art today.
I’m deeply grateful for every organization, place, and person in Maryland that has supported my journey, especially my parents, my brother and collaborator Bill, my wife and collaborator Valentina, my grant co-writer and collaborator Dylan, and all my dancers and collaborators, past and present.
P.S. For a long time, that second photo was the only thing that came up when you Googled my name. It's good to start being more known for my work than my local catfish record.
📸 Headshot photo by Laura Metzler Photography
Perfect timing to invite you to our APAP showing.
Join GRIDLOCK Dance for a sneak peek of The Viagra Ballet (a new work in development) during the 2026 APAP Conference!
We'll be presenting during Pentacle’s Tour Ready Lab Alumni Showcase on Sunday, January 11 from 3:00-3:15pm at New York City Center Studios (Studio 5).
The showcase is FREE, and me & Dylan wanna see you there. Smash that RSVP in our bio like it’s leg day. Hurry, before we start a podcast.
📸 Photo by Scott Davis
What if we stopped saying “social media” and just said “Mark?”
It started as a joke while I was developing my work Rinse & Repeat for the Virginia Repertory Dance Company at James Madison University.
“Social media always shows me cat videos” became “Mark always shows me cat videos.” But the joke revealed something deeper.
Saying, “I met Mark when I was thirteen” made social media feel very different, surfacing questions around privacy, power, and consent for women and girls in America’s digital town square.
Thank you so much to the JMU dance department for having me as a guest choreographer. Thank you to Matt and Javi for making it all happen, Jenny for the costume design, Luis for the lighting design, Valentina for co-writing with me, Brooklynn for assisting in rehearsals, Julianna for assisting with the masterclass, and to the dancers who brought this piece to life.
Alexis F., Alexis H., Alana, Allison, Brooklyn, Ella, Emma, Francesca, Grace, Hailey, Haley, Jessica, Jordyn, Kylie, Lauren, Sireena, and Sophia: you all smashed it.
I'm deeply grateful to all of these amazing humans for holding the questions, the humor, and the work with such care.
📸 Photos by Richard Finkelstein for JMU Dance
Scenes from Seattle ⛰️
Lately I’ve felt more guarded when it comes to sharing my art. There’s a certain kind of vulnerability that comes with making something, sharing it, and knowing it might be loved, disliked, or misunderstood in equal measure.
With this being my first West Coast performance, I couldn’t have asked for a more generous space or kinder community to land in.
Thank you so much to the Men in Dance Showcase team for this wonderful opportunity, to Roy and Stephen for opening their home to us, to Dylan and Levi for embodying Honeysuckle with so much care, and to Valentina (composer! musician! wife extraordinaire!) who makes everything I do possible.
📸 Joseph Lambert / JazzyPhoto
packed pretty light if you ask me?
You should really come see Levi, Dylan, and Val in my work Honeysuckle at the Men in Dance showcase in Seattle this weekend.
This piece is so special to me, these folks are so talented, and the team is just lovely. Get your tickets now at the link in bio. 🌼
P.S. this film was masterfully conceived and directed by Levi.
Two casts, two coasts, two chances to see Honeysuckle in September 🌼
Levi Coy, Gabriel Mata, and Valentina Roman will perform at Dance Place in Washington, DC on Saturday, September 13 as part of their Spirit Week showcase.
Later in the month, we're headed west for Levi Coy, Dylan Lambert, and Valentina Roman to perform in the Men in Dance showcase at the Erickson Theatre in Seattle, Washington from Friday, September 26 to Sunday, September 28.
Choreographed by Madeline Maxine Roman, Honeysuckle is a duet inspired by secret longing, queer love, and the quiet beauty of rural America.
It explores the intimate, irreversible way one being can impact another through original live music and a few drops of water, all contained within an 8x10 grass rug.
Head to the link in our bio to snag your tickets. 🌱
Cherchez la Femme at the National Portrait Gallery 🌈
Choreographed by Madeline Maxine Roman.
Performed by Destiny Arlette, Khiana Gilmer, Madeline Maxine Roman, and Baylee Wong.
Original music by Valentina Roman.
Intimacy direction by Emily Sucher.
Photos by Bill Gorman.
Cherchez la Femme at the National Portrait Gallery 🌈
Choreographed by Madeline Maxine Roman.
Performed by Destiny Arlette, Khiana Gilmer, Madeline Maxine Roman, and Baylee Wong.
Original music by Valentina Roman.
Intimacy direction by Emily Sucher.
Photos by Bill Gorman.
Cherchez la Femme at the National Portrait Gallery 🌈
I had the amazing opportunity to create this piece for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in celebration of World Pride.
The dance was inspired by the French expression "cherchez la femme," which translates to "look for the woman."
Originally used in a sexist manner to imply women were the cause of your problems, we were inspired by the literal translation of this phrase. How can we not only look for the sapphic woman, but truly see her?
Thank you to my amazing dancers and collaborators: Destiny Arlette, Khiana Gilmer, and Baylee Wong.
I'm also grateful to Emily Sucher for being our intimacy director, Bill Gorman for being our photographer and videographer extraordinaire, and Dylan Lambert for being the company manager.
And last but not least, thank you to my creative partner, wife, and composer, Valentina Roman. I couldn't do any of this without you.
Friday show sneak peek 📸
Thank you to Bill Gorman for capturing these amazing photos of our upcoming performance on Friday, May 30 at 7:30pm at Dance Loft on 14.
We’re bringing back some favorites, sharing new pieces, and giving a sneak peek of what’s next for GRIDLOCK Dance.
Time is running out to get your tickets! ⏰ Use the flash code GRIDLOCK15 to snag 15% off tickets.
All smiles from our class with guest artist @madelinexmaxine with @gridlockdance at the 2025 National College Dance Festival. 😁
If you aren’t already, be sure to follow @gridlockdance and check out an upcoming performance.
Photo credit: @m3mitchellmedia
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