.
In 2007, I published an article in a local business magazine, The Health Benefits of Salsa.
At the time, I had been learning and teaching Salsa for five years, and during this short time, had experienced a dramatic shift from ever-present lower back, neck, and shoulder pain, to full mobility and renewed energy. I was in my mid-30s.
I also shared changes in my students as well – dancers expressing excitement in losing weight, marriages mended, traveling and having more confidence to meet and dance with others.
Twelve years later – and seven years after no longer teaching Salsa – I had an falling accident. This was in Olympia, Washington, where it is common during the winter months to have slippery growths on the sidewalks – including moss, algae, lichen, and/or mildew.
One night, when I started to walk down a narrow set of outdoor stairs, with no lighting nor railing, I slipped and flew over five steps, then slammed onto a rocky path.
Years prior, I often walked by those stairs and that rocky path, watching day after day, each colorful stone being carefully placed into a beautiful design. I especially appreciated the creative detail of including thin rocks – perfect for skipping over water – placed upright, creating a visual of thin lines between the colorful ones.
This gorgeous creative rock design is what I slammed onto, with all fours. The bumpy and sharp rocks piercing my knees and hands. I had fallen with such force, that the emerald-green mossy growth was fully removed in four distinct circles. After the impact, I slid toward the parked cars in the street. A couple walked by at that moment, asking if I were okay. I felt embarrassed and immediately stood up, assuring them, that, yes, all was good.
But, it wasn’t good.
Over the next week, my injuries started to show, and got worse – I’ll spare you from the details – but the effect was inability to walk, drive, dress, sit, cook, and sleep soundly. And, it was January of 2020 – so, guess what was next? Covid-19. Thus, my access to doctors, insurance, support systems one-by-one disappeared, and being in middle of a big move out of state didn’t help much, either.
After nearly a year of feeling devastated and unable to heal, I found a physical therapist who helped me understand that I was in a place of choice – I could chose to decide I was done, that I now had a chronic condition, and that was it. Or, I could see the body as an ever-resilient force, to at least try to get better with exercise, diet, and mostly, to get out of my present failure, the destructive mindset.
I chose the later, and soon recognized an element that was missing in my life – SALSA!
So, I returned to Salsa. Slowly, I walked myself through exercises I did with my students, inspired by my Jazz teacher (who learned from Bob Fosse), my ballet teacher (who is an American Ballet Theater Certified Teacher), and my training in Afro-Cuban and Brazilian dance. I also returned to my project of developing the Salsa Teacher Training Program that I started in 2012, when I stopped teaching.
Now, five years since the accident … I am back, dancing and teaching Salsa again!
Though, this time it is different. This time, there is a change.
There is now an emphasis to encourage my students to take the time to get the details, to focus where their body is, how their motion of their arms are effecting their partner, how to listen for that double conga beat at the 4 and the 8, how to more throughly understand the music to be inspired and create their own style, how to be patient with themselves and slow down the training…
… all of this and more, resulting in an exciting culmination of dancing WITH the band, rather that TO to the band. Of dancing WITH their partner, rather than going rotely through the moves, trying desperately to recall what was taught, and being so quick to self-shame.
Of enjoying every moment, every beat, every step.
Perhaps this seems to be an exaggeration, though this is how I am now feeling when I dance Salsa. It is different this time, and I am thrilled to share with you my renewed joy.
The strength now is refined movements in time with the music, anticipating when the music will become a crescendo, and spinning the follow right at that moment. Where a Lead is so aware of their partner, that when they take the Follow into a spin, and they can feel and see, almost like time slowing down, that the Follow is starting to wobble, and they can be there to catch them in a comfortable and solid way that is kind, supportive, and encouraging for self-expression.
Where there is no judgement.
Where there is so much joy.
Where we can dance and share these the ever fleeting moments together.
¡Suave con Fuerte!
By Marie Maez, Director, Salsa Santa Fe. September 21, 2025
Salsa Santa Fe 