How long is a Melaya?

[Nat242]

How long should a melaya be?

I'm not performing a melaya leff, just need one to wear to my dance teacher's fancy dress party. It's a middle eastern/egyptian/greek themed party, and I don't really want to go in full bedlah, so I figured, party dress and melaya. I'm a cheat.

Anyway, I don't think I can buy one by Saturday so I thought I'd make one. Of course I don't have a sewing machine so I don't yet know how I'm going to hem it.

How long should I buy the chiffon? How wide should it be? Are there specifications or am I asking how long is a piece of string? It must be black though, is that right?

I'd love some help.

Also - on the off chance any Aussie dancers that could express post me one they're willing to part with, I'd love just to buy it!!!

[beafarhana]

Your arm span at full extension, plus about 50 cms.

ETA- Oh and NOT chiffon, stage satin has about the right weight/opacity.
Back in the days of OldBhuz, I posted the full dimensions of mine, but I can't get OldBhuz to work for me on my work puter. When I get home tonight, I'll do a search and try to find it, for you.

[lizajuk]

Originally Posted by Nat242

How long should a melaya be?

I'm not performing a melaya leff, just need one to wear to my dance teacher's fancy dress party. It's a middle eastern/egyptian/greek themed party, and I don't really want to go in full bedlah, so I figured, party dress and melaya. I'm a cheat.

Anyway, I don't think I can buy one by Saturday so I thought I'd make one. Of course I don't have a sewing machine so I don't yet know how I'm going to hem it.

How long should I buy the chiffon? How wide should it be? Are there specifications or am I asking how long is a piece of string? It must be black though, is that right?

I'd love some help.

Also - on the off chance any Aussie dancers that could express post me one they're willing to part with, I'd love just to buy it!!!

The "traditional" meleya is made of a heavy satin NOT chiffon and it is trimmed with pailettes and crochet trim . It's longer than the normal veil as it envelopes the dancer. I would say 4-5 yards. Mine is black but they come in all colours and they're are not cheap.
I'd say if you can get hold of 4 yards of cheap but reasonably heavy satin type material either black or bright red, you're on the right track.You can hand hem the edges if they'd fray. If you've time sew a few pailettes on the narrower edges or even just on a corner.
A melaya dress doesn't have to be an Alexandrian one, it can be the Cairene version more like a tight straight high-necked dress with a mandarin collar ( though you open it of course to look just that little bit..) Any tighter fitting and pretty evening dress long or shorter length should do but make sure ir shows off your curves so with..... lycra!?

[zumarrad]

Mine's about 3m. And it's stretch. It's very low-cost cotton rib fabric with a LOT of paillettes on it. The stretch component means hugging it to your butt is a breeze, and it drapes well too.

Before I got this one I practiced with 3m of plain black stretch fabric and it looked good.

[deelybopper]

Is it this one: http://ads.bhuz.com/forum/topic.asp?...&TOPIC_ID=3691

D (who obviously has nothing better to do at work this afternoon than trawl the archives )

[beafarhana]

That's the one!

[lizajuk]

oops I should say stretchy satiny finish...slaps hand!

[kashmir]

Originally Posted by lizajuk

The "traditional" meleya is made of a heavy satin NOT chiffon and it is trimmed with pailettes and crochet trim . It's longer than the normal veil as it envelopes the dancer. I would say 4-5 yards. Mine is black but they come in all colours and they're are not cheap.

As in "traditional for stage" the real thing is heavy black cotton and has a extra bit where it folds in the front. Oh, and no paillettes.

For dance, 2.5-3.5m heavish, stretchish fabric does fine (I've found panne velvet a cheap way for class). The ones you buy in Cairo for dance are often too short - you need to use more the Raqia hold rather traditional wrap to keep them on.

[Nat242]

Wow thanks everyone!!!

Off to the fabric store tomorrow!

[lizajuk]

Originally Posted by kashmir

As in "traditional for stage" the real thing is heavy black cotton and has a extra bit where it folds in the front. Oh, and no paillettes.

For dance, 2.5-3.5m heavish, stretchish fabric does fine (I've found panne velvet a cheap way for class). The ones you buy in Cairo for dance are often too short - you need to use more the Raqia hold rather traditional wrap to keep them on.

Oh sorry again yes the first were and I'm sure the dockside ones BUT I was going on what is on offer in Cairo and at bazaars now...retreats slapped hand again.
My first was "spongy" lycra plain black but I do think the "modern" ones are very attractive and a few pailettes adds a bit of flash for a fancy dress. Dress in plain black and they might get confused with Islamic costuming at its' most sever.
I thought it was a fun event not a desire to be "authentic"

[amina_kamal]

I performed one of Faten Salama's melaya choreagraphies in her show and we made our own melayas because the costume melayas are too long and wide with too many paillettes and stuff. The material needs to have weight to it in order to be able to manueuver it around. Also Faten had us sew on a sequined edge in order to have a place to grab onto in order to get the melaya to fall into the right position at the right time. HTH

[kashmir]

Originally Posted by lizajuk

Oh sorry again yes the first were and I'm sure the dockside ones

Dockside? The meleya was used by respectable woman who had to venture into public - the folds were used to hold groceries and small children

[kashmir]

Originally Posted by amina_kamal

I performed one of Faten Salama's melaya choreagraphies in her show and we made our own melayas because the costume melayas are too long and wide with too many paillettes and stuff. The material needs to have weight to it in order to be able to manueuver it around.

When wearing a meleya you gather it into the hands vertically. This also makes a "nice" fit.

Did your performance not include sauntering in the wrapped meleya? The meleya needs to have length to be able to wrap it and have it stay in place when you move The ones I saw being sold to dance tourists in Cairo were too short and you had to hold them in place - very restricting.

Originally Posted by amina_kamal

Also Faten had us sew on a sequined edge in order to have a place to grab onto in order to get the melaya to fall into the right position at the right time.

Not the dreaded dropping onto the floor?

[zumarrad]

I will have to come and see you again and get you to remind me of those other wraps, Kashmir. I do the Raqia one I think, which does stay in place fairly well with a firmly gripped armpit! But I'd like to be able to remember how to do the pockety one.

But yes, gathering them vertically is the key to making them hug your butt so "modestly"! A melaya is no longer than your average USer's veil (we use shorter standard veil lengths here), so it's not that hard to handle. (I am veil-challenged. If I can do melaya leff, ANYONE can do melaya leff.)

[tomasia_bella]

Well, I got to view the melaya (and see it in action) at the fancy dress last night...looked stunning :)

[Nat242]

Now who is that? Sandra? Thank you!
Everyone looked beautiful, it was such a great night. I've got some interesting photos of belly dancers doing the Madison!!

[tomasia_bella]

No, its actually Sharmane..I was being a little sneaky:)

I would love to see any photos you have!! I will PM you my email address

[Nat242]

I'll burn a CD of photos for you if you like, sneaky Sharmane - it might be easier than emailing them.

[amina_kamal]

Originally Posted by kashmir

When wearing a meleya you gather it into the hands vertically. This also makes a "nice" fit.

Did your performance not include sauntering in the wrapped meleya?

Yes it did, the melaya covered my butt but not past the knees. It was not a full length chador like veil. If it had been that long, there would be much too much fabric to be able to deal with gracefully.




Not the dreaded dropping onto the floor?

Sorry I just saw this, I am not a good bhuzzer

[Lauren_]

You'd have to meet Faten Salama to understand why she thinks commercially sold melayas are too big.

Faten using a full melaya would look like me dancing with a queen-sized sheet.

[sahar_raqs]

Can someone describe how to wrap the melaya? It's been so long since I have done it that I can't remember! I tried searching the archives but couldn't find anything.
Thanks!