Lydia Anneli Bleth

Melaya Leff (Egypt)

The melaya is the black modesty garment worn by all Egyptian women, but most associated with dances from Alexandria.

Gamila El Masri in Meleya costume

Authentic melayas are wide enough to reach from the top of the head to the floor and long enough to wrap centered on the head, the left side is pulled under the left arm across the chest and tucked under right armpit. The left hand holds the edge of the melaya framing the face while the right works the free edge of the right side. This portion of the melaya is also furled and unfurled around the arm in the process of the dance. There are various wraps and unwraps accomplished while still wearing the melaya; also removing the melaya from around the body and slipping it through the arms like a shawl, then furling and unfurling the melaya around the arms; holding it by the very edge while it glides behind you; and many other specific manipulations.

Source: Dances Along the Nile by Gamila El Masri

Naima Akef

Melaya Leff (Egypt) by 'TheCarovan Bellydance Videos' / Vimeo

This is a three part clip featuring dancers performing with a wrap known in Egypt as a melaya leff. The melaya itself is made of black fabric, usually reaching from the head down to the floor. Egyptian ladies once used the melaya leff to cover themselves modestly when they went outside the home. They wore their regular clothes underneath the melaya leff. The melaya leff used for performances has sequins or pailettes sewn on to it while the regular daywear version does not. The melaya leff was most popular up to the 1950s and is often worn in old time Egyptian movies. It can still be seen occasionally today being worn by older women in some more rural or conservative parts of Egypt. Dancers use the melaya leff as part of a 'character piece'. Its become a prop usually combined with a floral ruffled dress, headscarf with pom poms, burqa and ship-ship.

In this clip we have:

(1) Naima Akef and singer Mohammad Abdel Mottaleb. This is part of a longer scene and in this melaya section Naima Akef is wearing ship-ship on her feet, these are backless mules or slip ons with a high heel. The word for the footwear is also written as shep-shep, it all depends on your Arabic accent :-)

(2) A chorus line of melaya clad dancers.

(3) Fouad el Mohandes and Shweikar in the 1968 Egyptian film 'Mutarada Gharamia' (‘Chasing Passion’ مطاردة غرامية) which was based on the successful stage play ‘Boeing, Boeing’. Fouad el Mohandes and Shweikar were married in real life at the time this film was made.

~ TheCarovan Bellydance Videos

Joana Saahirah of Cairo

Photo by Martin Kabrt Joana Saahirah Magical World

Video: Eskandaranie with Mellaya Choreography by Joana Saahirah of Cairo

Fifi Abdou (Arabic: فيفي عبده‎) about 'Melaya Leff':

"The 'Melaya Leff' is a common 'character' piece performed by belly dancers. The basis of any Melaya Leff routine starts with the melaya itself. The melaya is a large black rectangular wrap women once used to use to cover themselves for more modesty.

Leff means 'to wrap'." ~ Fifi Abdou

Video: Fifi Abdou - Melaya Leff