Soheir Zaki | |
|---|---|
 Soheir Zaki performing | |
| Born | Suheir Zaki Abdullah January 4, 1945 Mansoura, Egypt |
| Occupation(s) | Dancer, actress |
| Years active | 1960–1992 |
| Spouse | Mohamed Emara |
| Children | 1 |
Soheir Zaki (Arabic: سهير زكي, born in Mansoura, Egypt on January 4, 1945) is an Egyptian belly dancer and actress. She appeared in over 100 Egyptian films from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Soheir Zaki was born in Mansoura, Egypt on January 4, 1945. When she was nine, her parents moved the family to Alexandria. Her father died when she was young and her mother remarried. Her stepfather later became her manager. Zaki first learned how to dance by watching films featuring Taheyya Kariokka and Samia Gamal.[1]
She began her career as a wedding dancer in Alexandria. Television producer Mohammed Salem saw her dancing and decided to launch her as a TV presenter on Egyptian television. However, she showed more skill as a dancer and became known for her appearances on shows like Adwoua El-Madina.[2] She then moved to appearing in Egyptian films. She played minor roles in most of her films, concentrating mainly on dancing. In interviews, she has stated that Nagua Fouad was her "biggest rival" at the time.[2]
Zaki also performed frequently in Egyptian nightclubs, particularly at the Nile Hilton Hotel in Cairo.[3] In 1964, she became to first belly dancer to dance to Umm Kulthum's music when she danced to "Inta Omri".[1]
Over the course of her career, Zaki danced for many politicians, including Anwar Sadat, Gamal Abdel Nasser and Richard Nixon. She retired in 1992, although she later taught belly dance at Raqia Hassan's Egyptian Academy of Oriental Dance in Cairo.[2]
She was married to Egyptian cinematographer Mohamed Emara. She gave birth to their son Hamada in 1987.[1]
