Soheir Zaki, Egyptian dance and screen icon, passes away at 81

The world of oriental dance just lost one of its brightest stars. Egyptian dance and acting legend Soheir Zaki is no more.

The Golden Era legend passed away aged 81, following a period of declining health that ended with severe dehydration, reported Ahram Online. She was taken into intensive care couple of weeks ago. Zaki's funeral is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 3.

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She began her career as a wedding dancer in Alexandria, where her talent quickly caught attention. Television producer Mohammed Salem discovered her while she was performing and introduced her to Egyptian television as a presenter.

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However, her true strength lay in dance. She soon gained recognition for her performances on shows such as 'Adwoua El-Madina', which helped establish her reputation.

She later moved into Egyptian cinema, appearing in a number of films —mostly in smaller roles — while continuing to focus on her dancing. ​She appeared in over 100 films, including 'Thaman al Hob', 'Hekayet Gawaz' and 'Cairo 30', leaving an indelible mark on Egyptian cinema. 

In 1964, she became to first belly dancer to dance to Umm Kulthum's music.

Zaki is a titan of Egypt's Golden era, with a particular hip movement in belly dance named after her that is popular even today.

Written by

Bahni Bandyopadhyay