We recently connected with Eli Perez and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Eli thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I was born and raised in Mexico City, and ever since I can remember, salsa was everywhere. I have always enjoyed dancing and salsa specifically has been the one genre I never let go.

My parents/family loved to dance salsa and my sister was taking dance classes when she was in college. I remember seeing her in a recital once, I was probably 8 years old. And I fell in love with it all; – the way she looked, the lights hitting her face and body, the music so loud you could feel it in your seat and just how happy she looked on stage. That day, something hit and I wanted to be on stage as well.

When I moved to Atlanta, I was looking to be part of a dance studio but I was not sure what was out there for me. I took my first salsa dance in 2015 not knowing that my life was going to completely change from there. I joined Pasofino Dance Studio, I trained with several directors, competitions, congresses nationwide and several shows on different stages! I loved the progress I made with dance, I was always looking to become a better dancer, and dance has also taught me patience, perseverance and discipline.

In 2019 I was asked to take over the beginner classes for salsa and bachata and I felt really nervous at first but then I was in my element. I have been teaching latin dance classes ever since. During the pandemic, I was hired to do virtual classes with Rumbera ATL, a community of women created by women in Atlanta. I decided to continue encouraging others like myself to begin their dance journey, regardless of their age, gender, level or dance experience. I want others to find the same passion for salsa like I did, the key is in showing up.

Eli , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My journey with dance started when I was 10 years old, I took dance classes; jazz, hip-hop, latin dance and pop with my sister at a local dance school in Mexico City. I joined gymnastics for a short time as well but all classes helped me create a passion and love for movement and music.

I moved to Atlanta and I became homesick, I needed to dance in a safe environment that wasn’t a nightclub. So I picked up a salsa class within the local latin dance scene in Buckhead. I was not very good at it so I made it my goal to join a dance team and perform. I began training and joining dance teams such as; Alma Latina Franchise in Atlanta under the direction of Luis and Jess, PasoFino Dance Team Pro/Am Team directed by Jose Maldonado and Lucy Lu, and Alma Latina Bachata Ladies under the direction of Kristen who now owns a dance studio where I teach at.

Throughout my journey within the Atlanta Latin Dance Scene, I have attended several national congresses, national and local trainings, taken local classes and performed in several stages. My drive was not only to connect with my childhood anymore but to become the best version of myself. When our dance team started doing competitions, I was impressed by the discipline and the knowledge I’d acquired. I loved being on stage and pushing myself to be a better dancer and also had fun.

In 2019, I became an instructor at Pasofino Dance Company for beginner classes. In 2020 during the pandemic, I was a virtual instructor hired by Rumbera ATL, (a safe space for women only latin fusion classes in Atlanta) and gradually moved on to in person classes. I didn’t think much of the classes at the time but I really liked seeing people progress and become better dancers, feel more confident after a class and have fun.

My goal in life overall is to become the person I needed when I was younger. Therefore, in my classes, I tend to create a non-judgmental and safe space for others to connect with salsa (or latin dance in general). I love empowering others and helping them created a passion through dance.

I am currently, teaching beginner classes at AATMA Dance Studio in Chamblee, every Tuesday! I post TikTok tutorials as well for those who want to learn but still are a little shy to show up in class. (Username: @perezzzelii)
I create a fun environment for my students, I remember feeling really nervous about my first dance class, and I want to be that safe space and encourage others to get on the dance floor! My creativity never stops, (thankfully) so I also offer pop-up classes with short/fun choreographies for people who want to sharp their salsa/bachata style. I am incredibly grateful for a community where I am being supported in my art. All information about my classes can be found in my Instagram.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

When you hear the word “salsa”, you may automatically associate it with “party/fun”. And while that is such a beautiful and positive thing, it can also be negative. People often think that being a salsa dancer/instructor is easy or just a hobby, certain people may not take you seriously, and commercial industries tend to not hire actual latin dancers for their projects.

I think we can support local latin dancers and celebrate our culture at the same time. As a salsa instructor and teacher, I can only do my part on not taking cheap labor proposals, value my work and protect my brand. I look forward to a world where salsa is seeing as professional as ballroom. We have dancers putting themselves out there like Karen and Ricardo from World of Dance who didn’t change who they are. They are SALSA DANCERS and they’re as professional as a ballerina or the next ballroom dancer.

My advice to anyone who is interested in supporting and hiring latin dancers is, pay your local dancers fair prices! We also must have conversations about what we invest. I don’t do dance full time and yet, it is the one thing that I have invested in the most. To give you an idea, I have invested in dance shoes (from $100- $300), make-up, hair products, costumes (a latin costume can go from $200/$1,000), studio rentals, the list goes on! Also, we invest in our dance classes while also taking care of our bodies! Physical therapies/health insurance isn’t really a thing we get covered by anyone else but ourselves, so if you get injured you are out of the game. Be honest and create healthy boundaries when you are trying to get hire or hire a latin dancer for your next event.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

2021 was a pretty rough year for me. After a doctor’s visit, I was told I needed a knee surgery and my world shattered. I was so sad, disappointed in myself and felt defeated. I have had a few knee dislocations since 2019, and I didn’t do my best to take care of myself or took the proper rest to heal. 2 years later I was paying the price and I thought it was the end of my dance journey.

Luckily, I had the fortune to have a doctor/surgeon that listened to me and an amazing caring husband who advocated for me during my physical therapies. I had a MPFL reconstructive surgery and they replaced my ligament which was completed ripped (hence the several kneecap dislocations). I had to literally learn how to walk away with the “new knee” and stretch out my new ligament. It was quite a journey but it taught me so much. I learned to never take for granted the blessing of having a healthy body, always be thankful for movement and also appreciate being able to walk. My doctor and I worked really hard to have a plan that would get me back on the dance floor in no time. I was disciplined with it, while also giving my body the time and grace to heal.

I had to start from zero and my mentality had to change from being disappointed in myself to push myself and encourage myself because I was the only one in charge of the process, no one else. I asked so many questions during my PT sessions, I wanted homework, (exercises at home), I wanted to be able to listen to my body while also learning how to take care of it and it all paid off. Now, I am working out because I want to be strong and healthy dancer, and it has changed my perspective on being able to do so.

My dance community and friends and family also showed up for me, they reached out encouraging me, supporting me and sending me loving messages. Always surround yourself with people that impact your life in a positive and loving way. I am forever thankful for them. It was important for me to not give up, and teach what I preach: “It’s never too late to start over again.” 4 years later, I can say the surgery shaped my mindset forever, for the better.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://aatmadance.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perezzzelii/

Image Credits

Jennifer Pena
Dennis Jones