About Marci Darling

Know more about Marci and the many hats she wears

Marci Darling is a creative powerhouse: storyteller, writer, dancer, filmmaker, teacher, consultant, and Mom of two fabulous teenagers. She worked as a professional belly dancer, circus acrobat, and burlesque dancer for twenty years, dancing on tour with The Go-Go’s, the B-52’s, Paul McCartney, and many others. She has written 5 bestselling books and written for the Boston Globe and Oprah Magazine. She is Adjunct Faculty at Endicott College, teaching teachers how to integrate art into teaching strategies, in addition to working with terminally ill children children for more than a decade.

Ms. Darling is currently working on a book about grief. In 2017, her world was shattered when she lost her father to cancer, her mother to dementia, her marriage to infidelity, and her best friend to suicide. She turned to writing and dancing to cope, to restore her soul and rebuild her life.

She is currently directing a documentary on legendary 1930’s burlesque dancers Nita & Zita. Darling created her own contortionist-acrobat-burlesque act with Kim based on these extraordinary sisters, performing it weekly at the Viper Room in Hollywood and all over the world. Telling the story of Nita & Zita is a love letter to Kim. She is also working on a book about grief and loss, as well as hr third mystery novel.

She holds a Masters degree in Education from Harvard, a BA in English/Creative Writing from UCLA, and a Certificate in Novel Writing from Stanford. She currently volunteers with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Horizons for Homeless Children.

As a storyteller, Ms. Darling revels in helping others tell their stories, in the form of college essays, personal memoir, and fiction. As the creator of the Diva Writing Workshop, a series of classes designed to teach women how to take back their power by telling their story through writing and dancing, Ms. Darling teaches diverse groups of women: celebrities, remote teachers in Alaska, front line workers zooming in from hospitals… the transformative powers of writing and dancing.

She currently lives in a cottage by the sea with her two children, two hooligan dogs, one cat who thinks he is an emperor, and one Ewok in disguise as a cat.

Marci the Author

Marci Darling is uniquely qualified to have written her fabulously entertaining mysteries set in New Orleans, based on her many years performing as a professional belly dancer/burlesque dancer/circus performer. Martini Mystery: A Love Letter to New Orleans and The Champagne Scandal: The Spirits Are Calling are part of her Martini Mystery series starring a burlesque dancer-turned-amateur detective. In true New Orleans Style, each chapter begins with a cocktail recipe.

Segueing from her professional belly dance career, Marci Darling attained her writing degrees, and wrote for multiple publications, including the Boston Globe, Oprah Magazine, Louisiana Homes and Gardens, Louisiana Health, Vineyard Style, Martha’s Vineyard Times, Marblehead Reporter, etc.

Her world fell apart one fateful year, and she became uniquely qualified to write a book on surviving grief and loss. That book was Divorce Diva: Navigating Grief and Loss with Hope, Humor, and Chutzpah.

Her healing journey included traveling, and Magic Carpets, Flying Ships, and Moonlit Kingdoms: The True Travel Stories of Marci Darling was written.

Marci the Belly Dancer

Marci Darling worked as the premiere Modern Egyptian Cabaret dancer of the Middle Eastern community in Los Angeles for more than ten years. She has taught and performed all over the world, including Egypt, Africa, Paris, London, Amsterdam, and Mexico. She has danced with many prestigious artists, notably Paul McCartney, the B-52’s, the Go-Go’s, Berlin, and Placido Domingo.

Known for her graceful passionate style, Marci Darling danced as a soloist, choreographer, and company member of the critically acclaimed Arabian Dance Company, Flowers of the Desert, to sold-out crowds at many of the top American theaters including the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Greek Theater, the El Rey and Highways. The dance company also opened for several Middle Eastern superstars including Hakim, Alabina, Ehab Tawfik, and Amr Diab.

She has also performed multiple times with belly dance superstars Jillina, Veena and Neena, Sonia, Ansuya, Dolphina, Princess Farhana, and Mesmera. She performed Persian folklorico dances for several years with Mohammed Khordadian’s Persian Dance Company and has danced many times for the Arabian Royal Family.

Marci Darling organized performers for many high profile parties, most notably the Universal Studios premiere of “The Mummy” with Brendan Fraser. She also danced at the 1999 PETA Benefit at Paramount Studios honoring Linda McCartney, where her dancing was lauded by Paul McCartney. She danced again with Mr. McCartney on his East Coast Tour in 2002, with the Go-Go’s on their West coast tour in 1999, with the B-52’s and Chrissie Hynde, John Taylor of Duran Duran, and many others.

Marci Darling was “Honey” of famed burlesque duo, “Honey and Vermilion” with her soulmate Kim Murphy. They performed weekly for several years at the Viper Room in Hollywood with burlesque legend Catherine D’lish and Oyster Girl Lady Jane, basing their cheeky acrobatic-contortionist-burlesque act on the vintage famous New Orleans sister duo, Nita and Zita.

In addition, Marci Darling has belly danced in multiple films and television shows, ie. The Waltons TV Special, where, in a surreal clip now on youtube, she belly danced for John Boy’s bachelor party.

She is also the creator of wildly popular workshops, empowering women through belly dance to feel beautiful no matter your age or body type.

Marci Darling’s extensive dance training includes more than twenty years of ballet and jazz, as well as several different folklorico styles. Her background in theater includes studying at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute and performances in several award-winning musicals with some of the most prestigious directors and choreographers onstage today. A highlight: performing eight shows a week with award winning artists Scott Wittmam, Marc Shaiman, and Adam Shankman.

Marci the Mom

I’ve often dreamed of being an artist like Josephine Baker, Mata Hari, Anais Nin, or Eartha Kitt: fabulous, glamorous, brilliant, with adventure and sparkles and a wardrobe to match. I want to dance barefoot under the moonlight and swim in the sea, run barefoot through a field of wildflowers during a storm, sing cabaret on top of a piano in a smoky jazz club in a shimmery dress, adopt twelve children from around the world and live in a castle…I want to create and be wild and sprinkle stardust.

I also want to nourish and protect all the children in the world. The greatest delight of my heart and courage soul are my children, and I have devoted myself to raising them with magic. I encourage dance parties in the kitchen, turning the stairway into a slide, building forts, pillow fighting, midnight board games, and jumping on the furniture. (Our couch is an excellent launch pad.)

I deeply believe in allowing my children to unfold into who they are, like butterflies in a chrysalis slowly spreading their wings. Now that they are teenagers, I encourage them to be makers and creators, to forge their own paths where there were none before.

My daughter has started several popular clubs at her school, including a support group for children from split families, a club for allies of racial equality, and she’s currently student body president. My son has just begun his high school journey.

And I get to stand by their sides and marvel at the wonders they are becoming.

Also, I always tell them MOM stands for Monarch of Merriment.

Marci the Education Consultant

While getting my Masters in Education at Harvard and working with children all over the world, I learned many techniques designed to create a world of wonder and tranquility, where parents and educators can truly connect with children in a deep and authentic way.

I am a parent of two fabulous children living in Massachusetts. I have worked with children my entire life, coming from a family of six children with thirty three nieces and nephews.

I have also worked as a teacher and education researcher in Norway, Egypt, Africa, Mexico, and around the United States, giving me a unique perspective on human development across cultural boundaries and different styles of parenting.

In addition, I worked for more than ten years with children with AIDS in the inner city of LA; with children with Cerebral Palsy on Martha’s Vineyard; with teens with cancer at the Children’s Hospital in New Orleans, with homeless children and teenagers from the Foster program in Boston, and I currently work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, granting wishes for medically fragile and terminally ill children.

For the past fifteen years, I have worked intermittently with the award-winning company TeacherCare, helping to design educational curriculum for in-home caregivers for every stage of child development. For the past eight years, I have created and run the most popular after-school classes and summer camps on the North Shore of Boston exploring literature and academic domains through literature, ie. teaching chemistry and Latin through Harry Potter Potions and Spellbooks class; teaching Greek mythology through Percy Jackson Stage Combat and Shield Making Class; and teaching Louis Armstrong and New Orleans Jazz through Magic Treehouse Movement and Music.

Marci Darling Essay Ninja

When I work with students, my goal is to help them uncover the sacred narrative of their accomplishments thus far in their lives, in a fun and engaging way. Together we learn to weave a personal story so compelling, a busy distracted reader will be pulled into the story and read to the end. Learning the process of writing a deep soulful essay can be transformative, unlocking a student’s potential and giving them a toolbox for writing all future essays, both personal and academic.

I am a long-time educator with a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard. Over the past twenty years, I have worked with numerous students to help them convey their unique purpose in a manner that will give them the best opportunity to attend the school of their dreams. While no one can guarantee admission, I have successfully assisted students gain admission to their top choice schools, including: Harvard, Vanderbilt, USC, UCLA, NYU, and various medical schools and graduate programs.

Additionally, I am a successful author myself, having published 5 books and written numerous articles.

Visit my website at Essay Ninja if you need a Curriculum Designer & College Essay Advisor!