Julia Hallissey Horner is originally raised in Cleveland, Ohio and currently a resident of New York City. She is a graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program where she graduated with a double major in Dance and Women & Gender Studies. Working as a freelance dancer, she has danced with Mook Dance Company & Antonio Brown Dance, and she now performs with Hudson Ballet Theatre. She worked as a dance volunteer with JUNTOS throughout her entire college career, attending 3 Abroad trips and participating in local outreach and events in New York and San Francisco. In summer 2017, she completed the Ambassador program with a capstone project, teaching for a month in Jocotenango, Sacatepequez, Guatemala (read more here). Julia had always had an interest in the intersections of activism, outreach, and dance. Her senior year at Ailey/Fordham was spent researching, writing, and choreographing a thesis finding the connection between physical bodies, dance, art, and political protests/movements. She will graduate with her Masters of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in May 2023.

Julia joined the JUNTOS team as the East Coast Manager in 2018 and has worked in communications, development and has recently transitioned to JUNTOS Managing Director. Through this new position, she hopes to lead JUNTOS in using the arts to transform this world into a more just, connected, and caring place. 

I remember an experience on my first JUNTOSAbroad trips, while we were in Nagarote, Nicaragua. I had a really difficult day, trying to get about 5 boys to focus on the movement and stay engaged in the class. I had to switch my approach to teaching them, moving from sternness, to encouragement and positive energy.  They went on to perform the piece with confidence and excitement, days later. This not only taught me to be a better listener, but also  how learning something new, specifically dance, can build confidence, and provide and outlet for expression that the young men would not have had otherwise. It was also important for me to realize that dance is not just about technique and rules, but also about enjoyment and community.