Safinaz
{{Short description|American belly dancer and actor}}
{{Orphan|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Safinaz
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| native_name =
| birth_name = Sofinar
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1983|12|20}}
| birth_place = Armenia
| nationality = Armenian
| yearsactive =
| children = Ashraf Al Zahrani, 2007
}}
Sofinar Grigoryan ({{langx|hy|Ծովինար Գրիգորեան}}), also known by her stage name Safinaz ({{langx|ar|صافيناز}}), is an Armenian belly dancer that has appeared in several films since 2013.[http://www.elcinema.com/person/pr2068236/ Safinaz - ElCinema profile]
Career
Grigoryan started her career as a ballet dancer but then switched to belly dancing. She had international exposure with video clips on the satellite channel Dalaa. Her breakthrough came in 2013 with her appearance in the Egyptian film El Ashash that starred Mohamed Farrag and Horeya Farghaly. According to Google data, she was the name most searched by Egyptian Internet users in 2014, outperforming actor Khaled Saleh who died the same year.[http://tech-echo.com/2014/12/%D9%85%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B0%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%AB-%D8%B9%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%AC%D9%84-%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%84-2014-%D8%9F/ ما الذي بحث عنه المصريين في جوجل خلال 2014 ؟ ]
Egyptian flag controversy
In May 2014, Grigoryan was summoned for questioning by Egyptian prosecutors over a report alleging she insulted Egypt by wearing a dancing costume fashioned after the Egyptian flag.[http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/124277/Egypt/Politics-/Famous-belly-dancer-Sofinar-arrested-over-insultin.aspx Famous belly dancer Sofinar arrested over 'insulting Egyptian flag', released on bail][http://www.thecairopost.com/news/tag/sofinar Manpower Minister’s call to deport Safinaz stirred sarcasm on social networking] In April 2015, an Egyptian court sentenced her to six months in prison for 'insulting the Egyptian flag' after she wore a skin-tight dress in its red, white and black color scheme.[https://archive.today/20150422005152/http://www.globoble.com/news/belly-dancer-sofinar-gourian-sentenced-to-six-months-in-prison-over-egyptian-flag-dress Belly dancer Sofinar Gourian sentenced to six months in prison over 'Egyptian flag dress'] In September 2015 she was acquitted of the charges but the fine was doubled.[http://www.thecairopost.com/news/169090/news/armenian-belly-dancer-acquitted-of-insulting-egyptian-flag Armenian belly dancer acquitted of ‘insulting Egyptian flag’][http://www.cairoscene.com/BusinessAndPolitics/Court-Cancels-Belly-Dancers-Safinaz-Sentence Court Cancels Belly Dancer Safinaz's Sentence] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151012012918/http://www.cairoscene.com/BusinessAndPolitics/Court-Cancels-Belly-Dancers-Safinaz-Sentence |date=2015-10-12 }}[http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/bellydancer-safinaz-acquitted-egyptian-flag-insult Bellydancer Safinaz acquitted of Egyptian flag insult] She has been accused of debauchery again as she was found dancing with two Egyptian fans in bikini and the video went viral.
Most searched on Google
The dancer Safinaz topped the list of the most searched people on Google in Egypt in 2014, surpassing Khaled Saleh and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
References
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Category:Armenian female dancers
Category:Armenian film actresses