Meleya Leff
(sometimes malaya, lef,luf and various different combinations of spellings)
The background
Photo by Aldanah photography
Literally means windings or coverings and it refers to the large piece of fabric beledi ladies used to wear to cover up to go outside. You see ladies in the old films wearing them. They are no longer worn.
This dance was largely but not exclusively, made up for stage by Mahmoud Reda and has been adapted by other dancers in their own way-sometimes it is flirty, comic or sometimes elegant but always strong. With the Reda version it is a celebration of the laudable beledi girl character that they were trying to promote-proud,strong but sweet and honest.
When a dancer puts on a melaya lef she has license to play a part and dance a character- a beledi one, but this is up to the dancer-one dancer added the chewing of gum during her performance but that was her and does n't mean it has to be done that way.
A whole back history legend has been made up about this dance and it is full of misconception. Often associated with Alexandria and thought of as an Alexandrian dance-sometimes it is introduced by men doing the Reda version of the Bambutaya (which was a dance of the fish sellers on the docks). I found an example of this in a film from 1954 with Katy as the principal dancer (see Golden Age-less well known)
It has become a beledi/shaabi character dance and it is a bit hard to pull it off if your audience does not know the background to it.
This dance was largely but not exclusively, made up for stage by Mahmoud Reda and has been adapted by other dancers in their own way-sometimes it is flirty, comic or sometimes elegant but always strong. With the Reda version it is a celebration of the laudable beledi girl character that they were trying to promote-proud,strong but sweet and honest.
When a dancer puts on a melaya lef she has license to play a part and dance a character- a beledi one, but this is up to the dancer-one dancer added the chewing of gum during her performance but that was her and does n't mean it has to be done that way.
A whole back history legend has been made up about this dance and it is full of misconception. Often associated with Alexandria and thought of as an Alexandrian dance-sometimes it is introduced by men doing the Reda version of the Bambutaya (which was a dance of the fish sellers on the docks). I found an example of this in a film from 1954 with Katy as the principal dancer (see Golden Age-less well known)
It has become a beledi/shaabi character dance and it is a bit hard to pull it off if your audience does not know the background to it.
The history
These used to be worn as outdoor garment a bit like modesty shawl. Woman who wore the meleya lef were usually lower class (beledi).
Reda Troupe Meleya Leff
I think it is fair to conclude that Mahmoud Reda took the idea of using the meleya lef as a dance prop and ran with it to make a stage dance. The Reda troupe was a nationalistic statement at the time, the simple beledi Egyptian girl was much idealised in his dancers. His meleya leff dancers had non of the vulgarity that is often seen in the dance.
It was Farida Fahmy (principal dancer and sister in law to Mahmoud Reda) that designed the frilly costume now often associated with the dance-link to her website The quality of the sound is not good in this clip
It was Farida Fahmy (principal dancer and sister in law to Mahmoud Reda) that designed the frilly costume now often associated with the dance-link to her website The quality of the sound is not good in this clip
The full kit
Obviously the main thing you need is a meleya leff
Everything else is fairly optional. You can do the frilly dress or galabeya.
Its nice to wear the head scarf with pom poms or flowers on
The burka is the face veil
Khulkhal is the ankle bracelet
Sheb sheb are the slip on noisy shoes
Everything else is fairly optional. You can do the frilly dress or galabeya.
Its nice to wear the head scarf with pom poms or flowers on
The burka is the face veil
Khulkhal is the ankle bracelet
Sheb sheb are the slip on noisy shoes
To keep it on or get rid of the meleya-different schools of thought
Photo by Aldanah Photography
As usual opinion is divided about what to do with the meleya when you have danced with it as much as you want. Some dancers keep the melaya throughout the dance, some use it as a hip scarf (as I am doing in the photo) and may or may not put it on again and some dancers discard it after a while. I remember being in a lecture with Farida Fahmy where she described with horror her hurt feeling at watching a foreign dancer throw the meleya on the floor, Nadia Hamdi is also of this opinion but as can be seen in the old films , it happens with Egyptian dancers. Raqia Hassan teaches choreographies where it ends up on the floor. As usual the decision is yours and in someones opinion it will either be right or wrong.
Meleya Lef in Cairo dance shows
Like using the stick or shamadan, meleya lef can be a nod to the folkloric in a Cairo dance show. It can be a good opener to a second or third set or maybe be part of a Alexandrian tableaux complete with male folkloric dancers or part of a baladi or shaabi set. Dancers wear either versions of the short frilly dress, a figure hugging dress, galabeya or trouser costume. As every other style the personality of the dancer is all important. Each of these meleya dances has very different treatment.
Camelia
Now this I love. There is a nod to the olden days with tarbouches (fez) and its lots of beledi fun and Camelia looks like she is having the best time.
Nour
A Russian dancer very popular in Egypt now retired from performing. A little bit cheeky in a cute way but always ladylike
Asmahan
Very much the ma'lema (boss lady) here. part of a shaabi routine.
Aleya
An American dancer on the Nile maxim, again this is meleya as part of a shaabi routine.
Some Music Suggestions
Banat Baherei
Good song if you want to do the Alexandrian treatment of meleya on CD Wash ya Wash 2.its about the boys trying for the attention of the girls on the beach
Banat Alexandria-Girls of Alexandria
From CD Raks Claribel. Girls of Alexandria
Eh el Hekaya-whats the story
on CD Wahyatak Habibi. This is such a fun song. The translation is on Outi's website
Melaya Luff
From CD Ashraf Zakaria presents Music for Egyptian Dance for Sahra Saeda. An american dancer who danced in Cairo in the 1990s. Its about how pretty the girl looks
Edallah Ala Kayfak-spoil yourself as much as you like
from Yasmina's Heya Di Yasmina CD. The clip is of Lorna of Cairo dancing with meleya to a live version of it as part of her Cairo show
Melaya laff
CD Raks Ayoub. Good one because it keeps repeating the words meleya leff. Its another about how pretty the girls looks in her meleya