Markham Tacadena

Living in Texas for a couple of years while attending college, I watched plenty of people dance salsa at nightclubs. I always wanted to learn, but never really tried it. Growing up in a Filipino community, dancing was a big part of our culture. Because of it, I was drawn to salsa dancing as soon as I saw it. Not until I moved to Indiana did I begin to learn salsa dancing. A great friend of mine, Yang, asked me to go salsa dancing -- an Asian brother asked me to go salsa dancing -- I figured I definitely had to see this! After watching him dance, I absolutely and without any doubt knew that I had to learn how to dance salsa.

In 2001, I seriously pursued salsa dancing. At the time, nobody was teaching salsa in Indy so I learned by watching instructional videotapes and observing friends while having fun at Jazz Kitchen. Early in 2002, I met my partner Robin and began performing with her at different venues around Bloomington and Indianapolis. Also, we started teaching Latin dances in Bloomington encompassing salsa, merengue, bachata, and rueda. Dancing salsa has been a rewarding hobby for me. If you're looking for an active lifestyle and are wanting to have fun at the same time, salsa dancing would be your best bet.

Markham passed away on Thursday, May 3th, 2007, at University Medical Center in Las Vegas. He has been battling leukemia since October, and proved to be a real FIGHTER! He was only a few weeks away from a life-saving bone marrow transplant and very excited about it. However, the chemotherapy drugs that treated his leukemia had weakened his heart, and when an infection somehow found his way into his body through his IV last week, the high fevers it caused proved to be too much for his heart. He left very peacefully, and is now watching over us from a happier place. All who knew him will remember him for the kind, radiant person he was.

Reader's comments

Thank you for being there for Markham in his last hours, thank you for attending his memorial service, thank you for sending flowers, e-mails, and text and phone messages. It was all deeply appreciated, and I know Markham was very happy to see so many of you and to hear from so many of you. He knows he was not very good at keeping in touch too often, but you were always in his thoughts, and I hope you will keep him in your hearts, in your memories, as the kind, sweet, energetic, and fun person he was.

His mission in life, it seems, was to bring his family back together, and now that he's accomplished that, he could leave, happy and content, for a different life. He knew he was dying, yet he did not let any of us know because he didn't want to see us unhappy or worried. He bore it all by himself, and that speaks of unbelievable bravery. He was a soldier through and through. He lived fast and fierce, almost like he knew, subconsciously, that he has limited time to enjoy himself. And enjoy himself he did. His motto said it all:

May we live like we were dying
With passion and purpose and mission and meaning
And with a little wild abandonment
With no forgiveness withheld and no anger within

- Zsuzsanna Cselenyi

IM SORRY TO HEAR OF THE PASSING OF A SALSERO MARKHEM TAKADENA RIP SALSERO QUE VIVA MARKHEM Y QUE VIVA LA SALSA THAT HE LOVED SO MUCH 223;)
- 223;)

It was always a pleasure to both watch and dance with Markham. There was no one quite like him on the dance floor. Most of us in the salsa community have a passion for dancing, but few like Markham. He never missed a dance, never missed a beat and had endless energy. He always had a smile on his face, and was second to none as a dance partner and a gentlemen. I have been praying for him and Zsuzsanna, and hope that she and his loved ones will be consoled in this time of grief. Peace...
- Naomi

One of the happiest people that I have ever met...I enjoyed dancing with you, Markham, because you were so free in your expression and giving that you made your dance partners shine! We may have had only a handful of dances togehter, but you will always live in my memory as an example of what living is about. The motto your wife so lovingly shared with us explains so much about you...may God rest your soul, and may you keep everyone smiling in heaven as you did on earth!
- Patricia

Remarkable person. Five or six years ago, I was a regular at the Jazz Kitchen. I do remember seen Markham dancing in the floor and I was very surprise than he could do it so nice and smooth. A couple times we did chatt and he was a great guy. My admiration goes with you Markham.
- Hector

I am deeply saddened to hear of Markham's passing. He was an amazing person whose kind, gentle spirit was infectious. He always had a smile on his face and was always ready to dance! I fondly remember dancing with him...like others have mentioned, he was truly incredible on the dance floor -- such grace and passion. I will dearly miss his friendship and always admire him for the person and dancer that he was. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.
- Sonja

I am a little late on hearing about Markham and am very shocked and sad! Over the last six years I knew him, I never saw him without wearing the biggest smile, full of energy, fun, and the most positive outlook on life. He was a hard resposible worker and played just as hard. I know he has impacted the lives of anyone he knew well. I will carry in my heart, all the fond and funny memories my children and I shared with Markham throughout the years. I give my regards to all of his family..
- Tara