BY CARRIE STETLER

SPECIAL TO NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Dancers Christina and Eric Samson mean it when they tell their students: “Dance like you’re trying to save a life.’’

Since Christina Rak Samson graduated from Rutgers in 2004, the couple, both professional dancers, have used their art to overcome emotional trauma and hopelessness and to inspire others do the same.

Dance was also the reason they fell in love in 1999 after meeting in a Rutgers Recreation dance class – both were Rutgers first-year students – taught by hip-hop dancer Tom McKie.

Although Eric was shy about approaching Christina, he shared an unspoken bond with her. “I guess you could say he spoke to me through dance,’’ recalls Christina, who majored in psychology.