My new favorite recipe , which is CRAZY addictive and delicious , is :
“ Raw Chocolate Mousse ” ( Serves 4 ) Ingredients : ¼ cup pitted Medjool dates ¼ cup maple syrup ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ( optional ) ¾ cup mashed avocados ( 1 ½ avocado ) 5 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ cup water / or oat / or almond milk
Put everything into a food processor or blender and serve chilled or at room temperature . Will keep for 3 days in the fridge or 2 weeks in the freezer .
A silver lining of the pandemic is inviting faculty who live outside of NYC to teach at the Bellyqueen School
via Zoom . An example includes my friend and master percussionist , Rami El Nasser . He used to live in NYC and teach at the Bellyqueen School and moved to Massachusetts . I am one of his regular Doumbek students and have enjoyed the chance to develop and grow my sense of rhythm with him .
I love and appreciate that Yaa Halla Y ’ all offers dancers valuable opportunities to perform live music with bands like Badrawn and study and play with a world-class musician like Faisal Zedan .
What is the biggest challenge for you ? Now ? My biggest challenge is learning how to take a break and rest . So much of my identity is tied to my productivity , so it ’ s tough for me to shift from being a human doing to a human being .
MA * SHUQA MIRA MURJAN
Ma * Shuqa Mira Murjan has been performing , teaching , and coaching for over 45 years . Her Ma * Shuqa Method gives dancers a structure for developing improvised choreography while performing with individualized styling . Her workshop is perfect for teachers and dancers who want to enhance performance dynamics and styling . She has authored many articles on aspects of professionalism and performance in Middle Eastern dance – including a key work entitled “ Raqs Sharqi Improvisational Taqasim Dance Part 2 : The Performance Intersection of Music , Raqs Sharqi , and Tarab ” found at www . MaShuqa . com . Ma * Shuqa offers dancers extended study opportunity through her Diva Dancer Professional Development Workshops which offer dancers topics on cultural aspects of music , rhythm , and dance theory to enhance their weekly studies and performances . As a dance photographer – what she sees through the camera lens reflects a dancer ’ s professionalism . Her husband , Carl Sermon , is well-known for his festival and performance photography of Oriental dancers . Ma * Shuqa and Carl work together to provide artistic direction and performance photography for photo sessions with Oriental dancers . See their work in The Belly Dance Chronicles magazine , The GildedSerpent . com E-zine , and www . CarlSermonPhotography . Zenfolio . com
September 2021 � The Belly Dance Chronicles 15