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Show Songs and Dances 71 the zinc. This hollow cave was said to be connected with the bear, and the rasping sound produced by the morache was said to be like the sound made by the bear. Dancers in their best finery assembled in the enclosure, the women on the south side and the men on the north. When the danc$ started, the women walked over to the men's group and selected their partners by waving or pointing toward whomever they wished to dance with. The men completely ignored the women and continued their conversation. After choosing their partners the women lined up in the middle of the lodge and joined hands. As soon as the music and chanting began, the men walked up to the women who had chosen them and also grasped hands. The two lines, which faced each other, started moving forward and backward in time with the music. The dance step consisted of two bold steps forward and three mincing steps backward. As the men went forward, the women retreated and as the women advanced, the men retreated. Occasionally, the couples took hold of each other's arms and swayed their bodies for a few minutes. The Bear Dance usually lasted for three days and three nights. |