Maya Torres

Latin Beat Magazine, June-July, 2004 by Rebecca Burkeen

If you've ever had the privilege of attending a Salsa Congress or any show produced by Albert Torres Productions, then you've probably seen the gorgeous Maya Torres, and you've definitely witnessed her hard work. As wife/business partner of Albert Torres, she is considered the "engine lighting the fire" of the production company that is responsible for organizing more salsa events than any other in the world.

Torres has had her share of work experience, doing jobs such as picking grapes in the wine country, being a nanny, a museum tour guide, even working at Domino's Pizza. After several years working in the hotel industry, however, Maya met Albert Torres while working within convention services for the Hyatt hotels. Albert Torres hired her to join his team where she had to start at the bottom and prove herself to him and everyone else. As Torres says about being a woman working in the male-dominated Latin music business, "It's a hard task! Other than being a woman in a world still dominated by male power and energy, you are dealing with the 'macho' man. I had to gain the respect from the musicians, the dancers as well as the employees within ATP. I was full of trepidation, but I'm excited that I found my place now and that I'm able to work in the Latin music industry and contribute."

On a daily basis Torres oversees all the departments of ATP, hiring the staff and delegating responsibilities; she puts Albert's ideas into practice. Through her hard work and experience in the hotel industry, she has helped her husband go from running a one-man show to having a departmentalized business with several employees. Torres affectionately refers to their business as a true "morn and pop" operation, but after a weekend at a Salsa Congress or even a night of dancing at the Sportsmen's Lodge, you'd find that hard to believe. Maya admits that the perks of working with her husband, such as traveling and dancing, do not come without a price. It's been a rough ride finding her place alongside Albert, especially among men in the music business who initially showed her little or no respect. Fortunately for all of us, her feminine savvy, confidence and determination to succeed have taken ATP to its greatest heights to date.

Torres has another passion that fits in nicely with her business and that is for dancing. She began dancing ballet at age six in Algiers, where she was born, but after moving to Syria at age nine, had to move on to other activities such as basketball and martial arts. She began training in ballet again while she was in high school and enjoyed successes through dance and through competitive Karate. Torres discovered zuke dancing, merengue, and lambada while living in Paris but it wasn't until 1999, while in San Diego, California, that she came across salsa for the first time. Since then, Torres openly admits that every decision she has made since has revolved around salsa dancing and music.

Torres has been a member of the salsa dance teams Salsa Confunkshion and Salsa in the Mix and currently dances with the Seaon Stylist Dance Team. Dancing is her means of expression as well as her escape from the grueling business she is immersed in day to day,

In addition to ATP and her dancing, Torres has produced her own line of innovative wallets especially for dancers that she calls Mayateez. The wallets can be worn on the upper arm, ankle or thigh and free a dancer from having to carry a purse while dancing, jogging or other activities, Mayateez are sold exclusively on the website www.alberttorresevents.com. She also aspires to write about her travels and other topics in her own column on the ATP website as well as on a future Mayateez site. As if there was time for more, Torres also hopes to work with exchange programs from other countries, especially with young people coming to the U.S. for the first time, and introducing them to salsa. For her personal aspirations, children and more quality time with her husband are also on her extensive "to-do" list.

When describing her work in and contribution to the Latin music business, no one explains it better than Maya herself when she says, "We are history in-the-making, and I am so very proud to be Mrs. Albert Torres."

QUICK FACTS:

* Torres speaks English, French, Arabic and some Spanish

* She holds a Masters Degree in Business and Languages

* Tortes created unique and sensible wallets for dancers called Mayateez

* email: maya@alberttorresevents.com or telephone: 310-445-9705