Ma*Shuqa and Carl Sermon
Los Gatos, California
Ma*Shuqa Mira Murjan, Owner/instructor Ma*Shuqa Mira Murjan School
of Dance, and Artistic Director of Reel Sound and Light Productions
Carl Sermon, Photographer/Videographer Carl Sermon Photography,
Reel Sound and Light Productions
www.MaShuqa.com - www.CarlSermonPhotography.Zenfolio.com
“We both focus on a) Spirit of Character: our need to be creative and share value in our work on behalf of others, and b)
Mental stimulation: feeding our need for learning new things through reading and research; and working together to create
new recipes; and creating and sharing through videos and photography”, say Ma*Shuqa and Carl.
Carl is busy responding to dancer requests from around the world – for their images and video taken during festivals
and dance shows over the years. He has been uploading Ma*Shuqa performance videos to YouTube. He built raised garden
beds and planted a vegetable garden.
Ma*Shuqa continues researching and writing for The Belly Dance Chronicles magazine. She loves interviewing
professional musicians and dancers to reveal their fascinating lives and share their professional experiences. She continues to
enjoy analyzing new Middle Eastern music and sharing her thoughts about how to teach and perform to the music.
They are both working on developing a series of Ma*Shuqa Method short mini-classes on topics that mirror her articles
and teaching: finger cymbals and dance, taqsim and tarab, Drum duets, Ma*Shuqa Method improvisation, and styling
techniques. These mini-class videos will be available at Carl’s Zenfolio.com website and will be supplemental resources for
the book Ma*Shuqa is writing that includes: her articles on dance, exercise, and music reviews, Ma*Shuqa Method dance
instruction, Ma*Shuqa workshop handouts, Ma*Shuqa Diva Retreat Intensive instructional material, and many images of
favorite dancers.
Myra Krien
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Owner/Director Pomegranate Studios
patreon.com/myrakrien
I closed my studio due to COVID-19 March 16th. Immediately, I needed to respond to my
SEEDs Youth Mentorship Program that was still in progress at a local high school, so I turned
to Zoom. Prior to COVID I had already opened an online platform on Patreon to both serve
as a place for instruction and as an archive of my work. When COVID closed my studio I went
to work on Patreon; I began uploading as much work as possible and I am continuing to do so.
The students have responded very favorably. They love the accessibility, variety and price. Next, I
brought my dance company back together. We meet two times per week virtually and I cannot express how wonderful it is to
see their beautiful faces each time we gather. I am finding this time to be both extremely creative and financially frightening.
While we have applied for everything that comes across the desk, we have been eligible for very little. However, there are
some beautiful things that are coming out of this time. Many of my students who live in other places have been coming back
to study with me and to dance in my company virtually. Renewing these relationships has been a powerful gift. I have been
sewing and creating beautiful costumes for our performance future. I pray that I can keep this studio open through this time,
that we may all come together in dance again on the other side.
30 The Belly Dance Chronicles � July 2020