**Ma*Shuqa Mira Murjan**

Who is Ma*Shuqa Mira Murjan? (Translates: Beloved Sweetheart of Treasure) says, “We must do what we love and share our talent, passion and joy with others.” Ma*Shuqa is known internationally as the “elegant” performer with a unique style of dancing which blends the music and dance into a compelling art form.

Ma*Shuqa worked overseas in with Turkish bands and Greek bands. She overcame the challenge of the language barrier and developed shows with bands through the medium of rhythm, cymbal playing, and humming the music. Ma*Shuqa teaches a unique Ma*Shuqa Method approach for dancing and playing cymbals in performance to live music. She was also an early adopter of shamadan dancing, and performed with a real candelabrum in Europe. She was the first dancer to dance with Isis Wings with Isis Wings that she created – and is known for her performances with Isis Wings. Her Egyptian styling is a result of study with Mahmoud Reda and performances in Cairo.

Ma*Shuqa has been performing, teaching and coaching 50 years. She extensively researches the music and dance and has authored many articles on rhythms, musicality, maqams, and the essence of Arabic music Tarab. “Taqsim and Tarab: Movement and Musicality”. She has authored an article series on the subject of “The Professional Difference – Elegance of Style” which defines professionalism in this dance genre and provides guidelines and direction for developing professional dance quality in Raqs Sharqi performers. She has coached many award winning dancers in competitions in the U.S. and abroad.

BA Psychology, BA Social Service, MPH Public Health Education, MBA, EdD ABD With an academic background and graduate studies in education and instruction, and in health education, Ma*Shuqa has the expertise to discern quality performance and has been invited to judge many dance competitions in the U.S. and in Europe. Juggling dual careers for over 35 years in dance and professional management, administration, and business development coaching, she retired from business after her cancer diagnosis. She is an ovarian cancer survivor and overcoming personal life challenges now coaches women with health issues and challenges of life changes. Her goal in teaching this dance is to offer women an opportunity to learn this beautiful art and dance form, while becoming healthier and happier as a result of movement, dance, and exercise.

Ma*Shuqa is known for instructing dancers in the Art of Bellydance, which Ma*Shuqa does with mastery in her performances and coaching based on sound educational principles and her Ma*Shuqa Method instruction and structure. Ma*Shuqa began dancing in 1973 and immersed herself in the dance genre. She reached international fame as a master teacher and starred in many Gala shows. Ma*Shuqa melds her professional background in instructional design and teaching experience with her passion for creating dancers with depth of performance and uniquely special dance styles that touch the hearts and souls of audiences. Ma*Shuqa is world renown as the first performer with Isis Wings – creating and dancing with them 30 years ago. She developed Ma*Shuqa Method which provides dancers a unique structure for creating their own signature performances and dancing with finger cymbals (sagaats) that capture the musicality of Middle Eastern music and presenting dance that captures the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide.

Ma*Shuqa shares her SIGNATURE DANCE SECRETS and her MA*SHUQA METHOD: an Intensive Performance Styling System. A professional dancer with over 50 years of performing; an instructor on the national & international workshop scene; sound educational instructional expertise; and a proven instructional method, Ma*Shuqa brings all of her knowledge, experience, and skills to her teaching. She has international performing experience with live bands in Greece, Germany, Japan, and Egypt; and an amazing history of coaching competition winners and professionals! Enjoy sharing dance experiences while learning -- Dance, laugh, and bond with your dance sisters .

**Ma*Shuqa's "Hidden Garden Oasis Dance Studio" - entrance gate off driveway**

Ma*Shuqa Magic Method

What describes "Ma*Shuqa Magic Method" of Raqs Sharqi Orientale Belly Dancing?

The Ma*Shuqa Method (often referred to as her "Magic" approach by students) is a structured, intensive performance styling system developed by Ma*Shuqa Mira Murjan, a master belly dance instructor and coach with over 50 years of experience.

Rather than just teaching choreography, the method focuses on providing a top-down structural framework for professional performance. Here are the defining elements:

1. Signature Performance Structure

The core of the method is a unique "blueprint" that allows dancers to create their own signature performances. Instead of memorizing a fixed routine, dancers learn a structure that helps them improvise and adapt to different musical arrangements while maintaining a polished, professional look.

The Ma*Shuqa Magic Method involves: ear training to recognize rhythms and musical phrasing. This training gives the dancer a knowledge base and along with Ma*Shuqa Method dance structure enables dancers to actively listen and create improvised dance performances. As a result, every dancer develops her own signature dance style.

2. Finger Cymbal (Sagaat) Integration

A hallmark of her method is the deep integration of finger cymbals (sagaats). The method teaches dancers how to use cymbals to capture the intricate musicality of Middle Eastern music, ensuring the cymbals complement the movement rather than just serve as a background rhythm.

3. Performance Styling and "Secrets"

Ma*Shuqa focuses heavily on the "theatrical" aspect of Raqs Sharqi (the professional stage form of belly dance). This includes:

Layered Shimmies: Teaching dancers how to perform fluid movements (like undulations) while maintaining high-energy shimmies.
Musical Interpretation: Training the dancer to respond emotionally and technically to specific Arabic rhythms (like Maqsoum or Baladi and exotic rhythms like Bamby, Samai Thaqil, Waheda Kabira, and Masmoudi Kebir).
Stage Presence: Utilizing specific arm framing, turns, and traveling steps to command the stage with a dynamic performance style.

4. Technical Innovation

Ma*Shuqa is credited as the first performer to create and dance with Isis Wings over 30 years ago, a prop that has since become a staple in modern Oriental dance. Her method often incorporates dramatic props to enhance the "magic" and visual impact of a show.

5. Coaching for Competition

Because it is an Intensive Performance Styling System, the method is frequently used to coach professional dancers and competition winners. It emphasizes muscle isolation—such as glute locks and rib slides—to create the crisp, controlled look required for high-level Raqs Sharqi.

Are you looking to apply this method to a specific style of music, or are you interested in how it integrates with props like the Isis Wings? Your dance performance style and dynamic presentation will benefit from the magic for your dancing with coaching by Ma*Shuqa.

MaShuqa Magic Drum Solo performance with sagats

A Ma*Shuqa Magic Drum Solo is a high-energy, technically demanding segment of a Raqs Sharqi performance that showcases the "duet" between the dancer’s body and the drummer’s rhythm. When performed with sagats (finger cymbals), it becomes a triple-threat display of rhythm, isolation, and musicality.

In the Ma*Shuqa Method, this specific performance style is characterized by several "magic" elements:

1. The "Human Percussion" Aspect

Ma*Shuqa teaches that the dancer is not just moving to the drum; they are an extension of the drum.

Layering: Dancers use the Ma*Shuqa Method to layer sharp hip pops and locks over a continuous, shimmering sagat rhythm.
Call and Response: The dancer often "talks back" to the drummer using their sagats, mimicking the doum (low) and tek (high) sounds of the tabla. Ma*Shuqa teaches “ear training” to immediately hear and understand drum riff patterns and enable dancers to play live improvised duet performances with drummers.

2. Complex Sagat Patterns

Unlike standard performances where cymbals might just provide a steady beat, a Ma*Shuqa-style drum solo utilizes syncopated patterns.

Dancers use Ma*Shuqa’s special instruction and technique to hear and create fast rhythms on the sagats to match the rapid-fire rolls of a live drummer.
The method emphasizes "silent" moments—stopping both movement and sagats simultaneously for dramatic impact, which Ma*Shuqa refers to as catching the "big finish."
Ma*Shuqa Magic Method teaches dancers to play sagats to mirror the musicality and perform dance as phrases; rather than just playing rhythms that cover and distract from the music and rhythms in a piece.

3. Isolation and Precision

To achieve the "Magic" look, the method focuses on micro-movements:

Muscle Locks: Using specific glute and abdominal contractions to hit every sharp accent of the drum solo.
Framing: Keeping the arms in a strong, steady frame so that the focus remains entirely on the vibration of the hips and the dexterity of the hands playing the sagats.

4. Technical Innovation: The "Isis Wings" Flare

While traditional drum solos focus purely on the body, Ma*Shuqa’s "Magic" often includes the use of Isis Wings (which she is credited with introducing to the dance world). In a drum solo, this might involve discarding the wings mid-performance to reveal a high-speed percussion set, or using the wings' edge to accentuate the drum's vibrations.

5. Performance Structure

A Ma*Shuqa drum solo typically follows a structured progression:

The Tease: Slow, heavy accents to build tension.
The Dialogue: Rapid exchanges between the dancer's sagats and the drum.
The Shimmy Finale: A climactic section where the dancer maintains a full-body vibration while playing a steady, high-speed roll on the cymbals.

Are you interested in learning the specific sagaat rhythms used in this method, or are you looking for tips on coordinating shimmies with finger cymbals? If these are your learning objectives, then Ma*Shuqa Magic Method instruction is what you need and want as you continue on your learning journey in Raqs Sharqi.