Martha Isabelle Scott
Dancer and Psychologist based in the United States.
Salsa dance instructor and psychologist with over 10 years of experience in the fields of teaching and psychotherapy through dance. Recipient of three national awards in Colombia recognizing dance as a therapeutic and educational tool (Ministry of Culture 2013, Colciencias 2012, Ministry of Culture 2016). Author of the book *Después del silencio: El Movimiento* (After the Silence: Movement), which explores dance as a therapeutic method for processing grief.
2017 Salsa Champion in Cali, Colombia, and a featured performer at the Salsódromo during the Cali Fair on more than seven occasions. Soloist performer at the 2018 Las Vegas Salsa Congress.
A certified Zumba instructor and writer with a background in acting, she presents a book that proposes movement as a pathway to emotional healing. She explains why dance has been utilized for decades as a therapeutic tool and offers simple exercises designed to transform internal feelings into something the body can release.
Martha Isabelle Scott
my social enterprise
Since 2016, the foundation has developed initiatives in Colombia aimed at supporting children from the Colombian Pacific region, girls who have experienced violence in Cali, and salsa dancers in vulnerable contexts within Cali. These efforts have been coordinated with the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF) in Cali and other partners such as Javeriana University, Ruta Pacífica de Mujeres, Universidad del Valle, Maria Sanford, Combinación Rumbera, Antorcha Films, El Manglar de Ramsel, Hostales Viajero, among others.
Through these processes and the commitment of volunteers over the years, a methodology has been consolidated that integrates art, performance, and movement as tools to strengthen mental, physical, and emotional health.
Although registered in the United States, the foundation has operated primarily in Colombia. However, in 2021, it launched several beach cleanup campaigns in Florida. In December of last year, operations were paused to restructure the foundation’s general project and plan its next phase for the year 2027.
Publications
AFTER THE SILENCE, MOVEMENT
How can we transform pain into vital strength through the body?
Psychologist and dancer Martha Isabelle Scott presents After the Silence: Movement, a work that merges somatic psychology with dance therapy. Through her innovative methodology, “My Body is My Story” —integrated with augmented reality— the author offers a profound guide to healing the losses that reside in physical memory, uniting science, testimony, and poetry on a journey back to oneself.
Interviews
Interview as a salsa dancer
Colombian newscast highlights my methodology
Interview as a musical theater student in New York
Interview as a dance therapist