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I learnt this from Black Shuck, who possibly in turn learnt it by watching and videoing
the Shropshire Bedlams.
Although lengthy, it has an elegant flow.
For clarity here, the top dancer is called the Aadvark.
Set : Seven dancers in a
line. One long stick. Single Stepping. Right Foot start. Aadvark at top. All other dancers
facing each other, in couples.
The Chorus, Through the Middle and Hey were originally repeated, but I have deleted
this for brevity, and it was considered too tiring for the dancers and too boring for the
audience.
Music : Highland Mary (A)
(AA BB)X2, Old Tom of Oxford
Calls
- START
- CHORUS
- THROUGH THE MIDDLE
- HEY
- END CHORUS
- Start
- With no music, the team process slowly 15 steps from crowd to position led by the
Aadvark. All but Aadvark have their left arm outstretched on dancer in front's left
shoulder. Sticks, held in right hand are dragged on the ground. As they walk, the line
rocks from the side. In a goulish low voice they sing :
- The worms go in, and the worms go out
- Those that are in, are small and thin
- Those that are out, are thick and stout
- Be happy my friends, be merry.....
- The musician plays one note for the sixteenth note. Aadvark and dancers 1, 3 and 5 caper
a half turn to their left; dancers 2, 4 and 6 do a high caper, and, without pause, go into
the chorus.
- Chorus
- In a long line facing partner. Top spare dancer, initially the Aadvark, takes 8 steps to
reach bottom of line. Everyone then turns and clashes with the person that was behind
them, leaving a new spare dancer at the top, to travel to the bottom of the line. Repeat
this until everyone is back to place. Everyone clashes for remaining four bars.
-
- Through the Middle
- All three couples start left-arm waisting. Aadvark dances down to left, then between top
and middle couple. Middle couple follow Aadvark around bottom of set, and back through
middle to top of set. Once past the middle of the set again, the top couple, still
waisting, dance down to become middle couple.
-
- Hey
- When the previous middle couple have arrived back at the top, everyone dances the hey,
left shoulders first, by spinning out of waisting straight into that hey. Aadvark waits
for the first two steps and joins in. Alternate ends will be spare, and use two steps to
turn. Continue until everyone is back in position.
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- End Chorus
- In a long line facing partner. Top spare dancer, initially the Aadvark, takes 8 steps
right round the set and back to position, whilst everyone else is clashing. Everyone then
turns and clashes with the person that was behind them, leaving a new spare dancer at the
bottom, to travel towards the top of the line. This time dancers leaving the set line up
alternately in columns on left and right of the set, facing up dancing on the spot. When
the last couple joins the two lines, Morris for 8 steps, turn outwards and Morris
anti-clockwise for 8 steps. Peel off.
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