Dance Artist | Choreographer | Educator | Artistic Director

Julie Simon is an internationally recognized dance artist, choreographer, educator, and creative force whose career spans more than three decades and over 14 countries.

 

Her work moves between Brazilian, Caribbean, Latin, and Afro-Contemporary dance, drawing from a lifetime of cultural exploration, artistic collaboration, and an enduring fascination with the relationship between movement, rhythm, and human expression.

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Her artistic journey has taken her across the United States, Africa, Europe, and South America. During seven years living in Europe, Julie trained, performed, and collaborated across borders, deepening the artistic relationships and experiences that continue to shape her work today.

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Encouraged by her mentor, Eneida Castro, Julie began teaching in 2003, eventually developing the JSMethod, her own approach to movement education that integrates technique, musicality, personal expression, and embodied empowerment. She continues to share her work internationally through classes, workshops, performances, and artistic collaborations.

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Julie is the founder and artistic director of Tropicaleiza Dance + Drum Company, a nonprofit performance ensemble celebrating women's empowerment through dance, live percussion, and storytelling.

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She is also the founder of SALT STUDIOS, an inclusive adult dance studio in Southern California, where she has cultivated a thriving community of dancers, educators, choreographers, and performing artists.

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Across her work as a performer, educator, choreographer, and creative director, Julie remains committed to creating spaces where artistry, cultural appreciation, individual expression, and community intersect.

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Beyond the stage and studio, Julie is a wife and proud mother of two sons.