Ma*Shuqa Mira Murjan: Tell us how you started oriental
dance? Where and with whom did you begin? What do you
love about this dance genre?
Victoria Teel: Starting to belly dance was a happy accident
for me. I was a tomboy who played competitive soccer
for more than 11 years, until my older sister saw a belly
dance recital. She was interested in taking classes, but
didn’t want to try it out alone. Next thing I knew, I
was addicted. I was practicing any moment I had and
soon found my way into festivals, competitions and the
YouTube belly dance black hole.
My first teacher, Viviane, provided a great learning
environment where I could work on technique and develop
my skills. Workshops and DVDs became my best friends,
helping me explore new styles within the dance. When I
moved to Washington, D.C., four years ago, I met Faten, the
former director of the National Folkloric Troupe of Egypt.
Faten is a fountain of knowledge of folkloric styling, oriental
dance history, and an amazing mentor who I am blessed to
have. She has taught me more about the history of the dance
and guided me in the belly dance industry. Anyone in the
D.C. area should study with her. No matter your style, she
will teach you so much!
M: Share your experience being on the road with the
Bellydance Superstars (BDSS).
VT: I will never forget my tours with the Bellydance
Superstars. Two weeks after auditioning in Los Angeles in
2011, I found myself at rehearsals for the Bombay Bellywood
show in Japan. This lead to tours for Club Bellydance, Magic
of Dance, and Danzara.
My years with Bellydance Superstars taught me how
to take my dance to the next level. Not having any dance
training outside of belly dance, I definitely had a learning
curve to conquer while working on the ballet, bollywood,
and modern fusion pieces. This also pushed me to develop
my body with cross training. I loved the environment
where I was working with dancers better than me, always
pushing me to another level as well as being able to perfect
choreographies by performing them six nights a week.
The skills and relationships I made on tour are invaluable
and something I hold very dear.
Photo by Princeps Studio