Roman Baca

Roman Baca, a New Mexico native, is a classically trained ballet dancer and choreographer. In 2001, recognizing his desire to defend the vulnerable, he took a hiatus from dance and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving as a machine-gunner and fire-team leader in Fallujah, Iraq during the Iraq War.

After the war, Baca returned to dance and co-founded Exit12 Dance Company, which tells Veterans’ stories choreographically, to increase cross-cultural understanding and heal divisions. He has choreographed and championed dance works that explore the Military Veteran experience and the impact of war on civilians and families. Baca has presented his work at the 1st and 4th National Summits for the National Initiative for Arts & Health in the Military, the Mayo Clinic’s Humanities in Healthcare Symposium, TEDX San Antonio, TED@NYC, and Lincoln Center’s Veteran Home Show.

He has also led choreographic workshops at schools, universities, and Veteran’s centers to inspire Military Veterans, victims of war, and civilians through the power of dance.