bio

Julie Simon is a seasoned dance artist with three decades of professional experience. Her versatile repertoire spans Brazilian, Caribbean, and Latin dance styles, as well as Afro-Contemporary dance. Julie spent seven years in Northern California, four months in Africa, and seven years in Europe, where she trained and performed across 14 countries before returning to her native Southern California. Since 2003, she has been teaching, motivated by the guidance of her mentor, Eneida Castro. She has since developed the JSMethod, a comprehensive dance training program, and continues to teach in the U.S., Europe, and South America. Julie is also the owner of SALT STUDIOS, a dance studio tailored for adults, and the founder and director of Tropicaleiza Dance + Drum Co, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women through dance, drumming, and storytelling. In addition to her professional achievements, she is a wife and mother of two boys.