History of Belly Dance: Aiza Sherif رقص شرقي عزة شريف

Azza Sherif عزة شريف June 24, 1947 - February 4, 2019 Azza Sharif was a well known Egyptian belly dancer during the 1970’s and 1980’s. She began her career in 1965 at age 18 at Sahara City and the Nile Hilton with help from her friend, belly dancer Nahid Sabry. Before the Lebanese civil war, she performed in a number of Beirut nightclubs and commuted between Beirut, Germany, England and Cairo. In the 1970’s she married the famous sha’abi singer Katkout El Amir (the Cat, see my clip of Hayatim with Katkout, Ya Ghazel al-Darb al-Ahmar) but they later divorced. Azza also worked with the renowned Egyptian percussionist and Sands of Time artist, Khamis Henkesh and headlined at the Mena House for many years. Although she quit performing in the mid-1990s she continued to teach until 2016. She passed away in 2019 at the age of 72. Azza began her film career in the 1970’s with small roles as a dancer, but was catapulted to stardom in the cult classic Khalli Belak min Zuzu (Watch Out for Zuzu, 1972) with Souad Hosny and Tahia Carioca. Her other well known appearances were Ah Ya Leil Ya Zaman (Missing Old Times), Ramadan Fouk Al Bourkan (Ramadan on Top of the Volcano), Eshareet Morror (Traffic Light), Al Metassauol (The Beggar), and Nebtidi Menain Al Hikaya (From where Shall We Start the Story). She is credited in 31 productions. Filmography 'Iisharat murur 1996 - Movie (نور) Falling in Sabe' Well 1994 - Series (بهيرة) المنولوجست 1993 - Play Alttayir aljarih 1990 - Movie (زوجة المعلم) Atshanh 1987 - Movie (الراقصة أميره ) Satrak Ya Rab 1986 - Movie Basamat fawq alma’ 1985 - Movie (راقصة) Ramadan Above the Volcano 1985 - Movie (الراقصة ناهد) El Forn 1984 - Movie Al Laila Al Mawaoda 1984 - Movie (الراقصة) Wahda B’wahd 1984 - Movie Almutasawil 1983 - Movie (الراقصة) Bent Gheir Kol Al-Banat 1978 - Movie A Castle in the Air 1978 - Movie Mokalmet Baa'd Montasaf Elleil 1978 - Movie Min bila khatiya 1978 - Movie (الراقصة) Ah ya layl ya zaman 1977 - Movie (راقصة) Al'eyal El-tayebeen 1976 - Movie (عزيزة - جارة وائل) Habibat ghayri 1976 - Movie Daqet Qalb 1976 - Movie (راقصة) First Year of Love 1976 - Movie (الراقصة) Nbtdi minyn alhikaya 1976 - Movie Gonoun Alshabab 1975 - Movie (داليا) The Downtown Apartment 1975 - Movie (الجارة الراقصة) Girls and Love 1974 - Movie (الراقصة) القضبان - Series 1974 The Whirlpool 1973 - Series Khalli Balak Min Zuzu 1972 - Movie (بتعة - راقصة) Ragul Zayid 3an al-Haga 1972 - Movie (الراقصة) My Sister 1971 - Movie (الراقصة) Shay' fi Sadri 1971 - Movie (راقصة)