| Birth Date: | 1851 |
| Birth Place: | Cairo, Ottoman 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.[1]
Shafiqa al-Qibtiyya was born in a Coptic family in Cairo in Egypt.[2] She was the student of the ghawazi dancer Shuq, despite her family's disapproval.[1] As an adult, she became a professional dancer at the mawlid.[3]
Qibtiyya was the first female cabaret owner in Ezbekiyya, and she and other female caberet-owners, singers, and actresses dominated life in this area for decades. A talented performer with a devoted following, she counted Egypt's elite among her admirers and regular patrons.[4] 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 abroad 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.
She created the “Dance of the Candlesticks,” where a belly dancer balances a candelabra (venyara or shamadan) on her head while performing. The routine also features champagne glasses rhythmically clinking on the dancer's stomach as it moves.[4]
Many stories are told about her, such as an admirer buying champagne for her horses. She has erroneously been called the last awalim.