According to family sources, the celebrated artist passed away following a period of declining health that ended with severe dehydration that led her to the intensive care couple of weeks ago.
Her funeral is scheduled to take place tomorrow, Sunday, at the Police Mosque in Sheikh Zayed, with burial to follow in the family cemetery on the Fayoum Road.
A legacy of elegance and innovation
Known as the "Dancer of Kings and Presidents," Zaki was a titan of Egypt’s Golden Age.
She was born in Mansoura, Egypt, on 4 January 1945, with origins from Upper Egypt.
At the age of nine, her parents moved to Alexandria.
While performing in Alexandria’s nightclubs in 1962, Sohair Zaki was discovered by famous Egyptian TV director Mohamed Salem, who got her to dance in a concert aired on TV, starting her fame.
Zaki began to participate in the TV shows and soon after films, before becoming among the known names in the belly dancing world in Egypt.
She achieved international fame for her refined style, famously becoming the first dancer to perform to the music of Om Kalthoum.
Her ability to interpret the complex compositions of Baligh Hamdi and Mohamed Abdel-Wahab earned her the respect of the musical elite and millions of fans worldwide.
Throughout her career, she performed for world leaders including Richard Nixon, the Shah of Iran, and Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Appeared in over 100 films, leaving an indelible mark on Egyptian cinema.
Influenced generations of performers with her trademark "soft" technique and dignified stage presence.
Zaki had largely retired from the public eye in the early 1990s to focus on her family life, but she remained a revered figure and a consultant for cultural historians and ethnomusicologists.
Her death marks the end of an era for the traditional performing arts in the Arab world.
Sohair Zaki was married to Egyptian cinematographer Mohamed Amara.
She is survived by her son, Hamada, and a legacy that continues to define the height of Egyptian “belly dancing” Raqs Sharqi.
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