Shafiqa al-Qibtiyya

Shafiqah The Copt, the most famous, most influential, and the richest-ever Ghazia of Old Egypt.

Shafiqa al-Qibtiyya or Shafiqa the Copt (1851-1926) was an Egyptian belly dancer (ghawazi). She is known as the first internationally famous belly dancer.

Shafiqa al-Qibtiyya was born in a Coptic family in Cairo in Egypt. She was the student of the ghawazi dancer Shuq. As an adult, she became a professional dancer at the mawalid.

She had a succesful career. She became the first belly dancer to become famous outside of Egypt. In 1869, she performed at the inauguration of the Suez Canal. She also travelled abroud to perform in Paris, France. She became a famous performer in the newly founded theatres and night clubs in Egypt, notably the El Dorado. She eventually founded her own club, Alf Leyla, and retired.

Many stories are told about her, such as an admirer buying champagne for her horses. She has been called the first dancer to perform balancing a candelabra (venyara or shamadan) on her head. She has erroneously been called the last awalim.