About
Meet Max
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, she is the Artistic Director of GRIDLOCK Dance in Washington, DC. A standout force among Gen Z choreographers, she has received numerous choreographic commissions and grants, pays dancers an hourly wage, and presents her work across the country. Max’s choreography is “intellectually probing, politically minded, and personally revelatory” (Dance Magazine), “conceptually rich and ambitious” (Maryland Theatre Guide), and "boldly explores technology's downsides" (Washington City Paper).
Photo by Bill Gorman
The dynamic tension between acceptance and change is at the core of Max’s work. The company name symbolizes the “gridlocked” issues she investigates using dance as her medium. Through audience interaction, creative collaboration, and fraught yet fruitful conversations, Max explores what it means to be human as technology disrupts society’s sense of meaning.
Values
Max values every dancer's hard work, health, and happiness—whether it's during an audition, in a rehearsal studio, or under the stage lights. She prioritizes:
Transparent compensation (hourly rates above minimum wage)
Communication and balance (real life comes first)
Curiosity and collaboration (making work in collaboration with dancers)
Joy and excellence (having fun in both process and performance)