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Shearing
the Sheep
A
circle dance for 8-10 couples (random progressive) devised by Pam Merrigan.
Music
: 32 bar single jig
In
this dance we have shearers and sheep. After the circle has been formed, ladies
on right of partners, drop hands. Ladies will have first turn at being shearers.
They make a smaller circle in the middle with the men (now the sheep) on the
outside.
8 bars
: Shearers
circle left for eight steps then back to the right. Sheep on the outside
start walking around the circle
(paddock) clockwise direction. At the
end of the eight bars gaffer "rings the bell".
8 bars
: When gaffer
rings the bell shearers rush to the outside and grab a sheep and swing
on the spot (this is the
shearing).
8 bars
: Promenade
around the circle anti-clockwise (ladies always on outside) 12 steps and
then form up circle (lady
on right of man) hands joined.
8 bars
: All take
four steps in and back. Four steps in again and the shearers leave the
sheep (down the shute) in the
middle and shearers return to the outside
for four steps.
The dance
begins again with the roles reversed (sheep are the shearers & visa
versa). The aim is to shear a different sheep each time and alternately
everyone gets a chance to be a shearer and a sheep.
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