BadAZ Balboa & Shag Weekend is proud to Welcome Jeremy Otth & Julie Roman as your Featured Instructors!

Julie Roman is a Phoenix-based artist. As a classically trained concert pianist/vocalist (with a past career as a certified music educator and private vocal coach), she is passionate about pursuing excellence and spreading a love for the arts. She enjoys working with people to find the aspects of dance that inspire them most so they can identify and pursue the spaces and skills that bring them joy. Julie also loves exploring the technical skills that give people mastery over their movement so they can embody the music in whatever ways they choose. You can find Julie collaborating with vintage swing dancers from around the world to compete, teach, choreograph, and perform. While she studies and competes in as many Jazz dances as she can, she is especially in love with Collegiate Shag, Balboa, and air steps.

Julie is also the artistic director for and a founding member of the Phoenix Swing Project (an arts coop dedicated to growing and enriching the swing dance experiences available to people in Phoenix through collaborations and team training). The program is focused on creating contest teams, advocating for junior swing dance opportunities, and mentoring dancers who want to work toward specific goals within the swing dance community. Julie was selected to participate in a mentorship program with SW!NG OUT the show in 2022, and she has danced on or directed several teams including The Phoenix Bomb Squad (Lindy Hop), External Balidation (Balboa), The Rain and Shine Shufflers (Balboa), The Heart Breakers (Chorus Girl-Solo Shag), The International Shag Sailors (Shag), Shagnanigans (Shag), The Phoenix Firecrackers (junior Lindy Hop), The Sunny Side Stompers (Lindyhop/Charleston), the Salty Dogs (Solo Jazz), and the Hot Club Jitterbugs (Solo Jazz).