You Dance From Instinct and Emotion. Now It’s Time to Give Words to What You Intuitively Feel.

🎶 Connect to the Music — Back by Huge Popular Demand!
The 5-day challenge dancers everywhere are talking about returns for a limited time (8th to 14th October) with all replays available and a live bonus Q&A.
Awaken your ear. Feel the emotion behind the melody.
 Finally understand how taqsim flows — and bring clarity, connection and confidence to the music you’ve always felt so deeply.
Made for belly dancers and Raqs Sharqi artists.
No theory. Just your ears, your heart, and the music.
Maya's Classes Are Treasures
Maya Youssef’s classes are treasures! I highly recommend them to all dancers.

Whether you are brand new to Raqs Sharqi and find Arabic music intimidating, or you are an experienced dancer who have been dancing for decades, Maya has valuable knowledge to share.

Her clear and comprehensive method makes maqam feel accessible and you don’t need any prior music theory to follow and benefit.

I have produced multiple CDs with music for Raqs Sharqi in Egypt and Lebanon and performed with many musicians from various MENA countries, but maqamat were still something mysterious to me until Maya. Her workshops clarified a lot!

Maya’s teaching style resonated deeply with me because it was very practical and understandable. Maya also has a sparkling, charming personality and her classes are a lot of fun!

❤️🙏🏼💕 Shukran, Maya!

 Jalilah

Raqs Sharqi Artist & Legendary Educator

Here’s What You’ll Learn Over 5 Transformative Days

DAY 1
The Hidden Alphabet of Arabic Music
Learn what Maqam actually is, why it’s the emotional foundation of Arabic music, and why it’s essential for dancers.
Discover the core “alphabet” behind every Maqam — so you can start hearing the structure beneath the melody.
DAY 2
The Real Emotion Behind the Melody
Today, you’ll meet key maqam elements that shape the emotions of Arabic music.

You’ll explore how a single element can express different shades of feeling — and why Maqam emotion isn’t fixed to labels like “sad” or “happy.” By the end, you’ll start to understand what truly gives Arabic music its emotional depth so you can reflect that authentically in your dance.
DAY 3
How to Recognize Maqam by Ear (Without Second-Guessing)
This is where mystery becomes muscle memory. You’ll learn to recognize Maqam changes intuitively not by theory, just by training your ear. You’ll discover how legends like Umm Kulthumm developed this skill by listening without theory or memorisation and how you can too.
DAY 4
How Musicians Create Tarab & Emotional Peaks 
Today, we’ll build what I call the Maqam Tree — a visual map that shows how melodies shift, evolve, and return.

You’ll also learn how musicians create emotional peaks to produce Tarab — so you can start listening for, and anticipating, those brief, spine-tingling moments that make Arabic music so powerful.
DAY 5
Demystifying Taqsim: How to Hear Its Structure and Flow
Now that you’ve learned the language of Maqam, it’s time to apply it to Taqsim — the improvised solo section that often feels like a mystery.

You’ll learn that Taqsim isn’t just spontaneous inspiration — it follows a clear 7 stage structure musicians have used for generations.

By understanding this framework, you’ll start to recognize where you are in the arc, anticipate what’s coming next, and finally listen to Taqsim with clarity and confidence — no more guessing.
Think You’re “Not Musical Enough”? That’s Not True.
Many dancers worry their musicality is lacking.

They are often told to just ‘listen and feel’ the music.

But the truth is: you’ve simply never been taught how to hear the part of Arabic music that carries the real emotion — Maqam — or how to navigate the mystery of Taqsim.
This challenge will shift the way you listen — and show you that musicality isn’t a gift.
 It’s a skill you can develop, trust, and feel.
Hear from Other Dancers Who Did The Challenge 
Hear from Other Dancers Who Did The Challenge 
CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT / HTML
CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT / HTML
CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT / HTML
CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT / HTML
CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT / HTML
CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT / HTML
CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT / HTML

Here’s How It Works

🌹 Instant Access to All Replays

Watch five short sessions (15–30 minutes each) — dancer-friendly lessons you can binge watch before 12 October.

🌹 Bonus Live Q&A with Maya

Join Maya live on Monday 13 October 17:00 BST for a special integration Q&A — bring your reflections, questions, and breakthroughs from the replays.

🌹 Community Space

You’ll still have access to the private group to share insights , get your questions answered by Maya and connect with other dancers on the same journey.
Meet Your Mentor: Maya Youssef
I’m the world’s leading Maqam & Taqsim mentor, an internationally celebrated musician and the BBC’s "Queen of the Qanun."

I grew up in Damascus, immersed in the emotional depth of Arabic music. After formal training in one of the Arab world’s top music institutes, I earned a Master’s in Ethnomusicology from SOAS, where I later taught Maqam myself.

Over the years, I’ve performed on world stages from the Royal Albert Hall to WOMAD but my deepest joy is teaching dancers and Arabic music lovers how to truly hear this music.

I’ve helped hundreds of dancers move from confusion to clarity not with theory, but with a step-by-step method that makes Maqam and Taqsim feel intuitive, grounded, and accessible.

If you’ve ever felt unsure during a melody or lost in a Taqsim, I want you to know — it’s not because you’re unmusical. You’ve just never been shown how to listen. And that’s what this challenge is all about.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT / HTML

🌟 Ready to Finally Connect to The Music?

If you’ve ever felt unsure, disconnected, or like you’re missing something in
the melody... you’re not broken.

 You’ve just never been taught to listen like this.

 If you missed the live challenge this is your opportunity to experience it one last time.

Limited Time Replays Expire October 12th.

Join over 2000 dancers from all over the world who deepened their connection to the music. 

@Copyright 2025, All rights reserved. @Maya Youssef