Video: Chrysanthemum
CHRYSANTHEMUM
96 bar Reel for 4 couples in a 4 couple square set
Devised by Betty Grant
1–2 Each woman casts to right behind partner and into centre.
3–6 Right hands across once round (past partner).
7–8 Each woman casts to left behind partner to original place.
9–16 Men repeat by casting to left behind partner into centre, then dance left hands across once round (past partner) and cast to right behind partner to finish in place facing partner.
17–24 STAR GRAND CHAIN halfway round (2 steps each hand). Women finish with backs to the centre facing partners. Men are slightly outside circle facing in to partners.
25–32 Dance back to back with partner and turn with the right hand one and a quarter times to finish in circle. Retain right hands.
33–40 Continue STAR GRAND CHAIN halfway round and women again finish with backs to centre facing partner. Men slightly outside circle facing in.
41–48 Dance back to back with partner and turn with the right hand one and a quarter times to finish with women facing out and men facing in.
49–64 SCHIEHALLION REELS (16 bars) Finish in place.
65–72 In couples nearer hands joined, slip step to left (2 bars) one quarter round and set once (2 bars). Slip step to right (2 bars) to place and set. Bar 8, women advance set towards centre and retaining nearer hands with partner form a cross facing clockwise.
73–80 Dance right hands across in couples. Bar 8, release right hands in centre and curve out to original positions ready to form a circle.
81–88 Eight hands round and back. Retain hands in circle.
89–92 Advance using 2 short skip change of steps, then with nearer hands still joined with partner only, retire using 2 long skip change of steps to original size of square. Finish facing corner.
93–96 Turn corner with LEFT hand once round. Finish facing partner for bow and curtsey.
This dance was devised by Betty Grant, Toronto, Ontario in 1986 to commemorate her visit to Tokyo as a member of the Oriental Fling tour led by the late Bob Blackie and was presented to the Tokyo Scottish Bluebell Club.
Chrysanthemum –
A native of China, the ‘pompom’ originated from the Chusan Daisy, Elaborate Japanese varieties have been developed over hundreds of years. The first chrysanthemum in Britain was grown at Kew Gardens in 1790 and came from France. Chrysanthemums are a worldwide family of flowers. We Scottish Country Dancers are also a worldwide family. Betty Grant
Note on Chrysanthemum:
In the Star Grand Chain men give right hand to partner and dance into the centre, left shoulder to left shoulder, as woman dance outside the circumference but holding hands and extending arms longer than usual. They then release hands and give left hands to next woman to bring women into the centre left shoulder to shoulder, again extending arms. Repeat right hand and left hand, adjusting on the last left such that women are in the centre facing partner, on the outside, ready for back to back. Then turn partner 1 ¼ times to form the square set again (releasing hands as usual), then repeat the Star Grand Chain back to place followed by back to back and a 1 ¼ turn before the Schehallion reel. The Star Grand Chain is, therefore, making the regular grand chain into a series of points of a star. The idea of the Star Grand Chain and the Schehallion Reel is to form the petals of a Chrysanthemum.
Video: The Lea Rig
The Lea Rig
RSCDS Book 21 – No. 5
32-bar strathspey for two couples in a four-couple longwise set
1–16 1st couple dance a petronella turn to face each other up and down the middle and set. 1 st couple repeat this three times to finish in original places. On bars 1-2, 2nd couple step up and, on bars 3-4 set. 2nd couple dance petronella turns and set, following the 1st couple one place behind. On bars 15-16, instead of setting, 2nd couple dance a petronella turn to original places.
17–24 1st couple lead down the middle and up.
25–28 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across once round to finish facing partners in a diagonal line across the set with 1st woman and 2nd man back to back in the middle.
29–32 1st and 2nd couples dance a half poussette.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
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TACNotes:’
17-24 1st cpl finish in original places on sidelines.
DANCING DOLPHINS
THE DOLPHIN BOOK, 11 SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCES by Barry Skelton, Auckland, New Zealand, 1994
8 x 32 bar Jig
1–8 First couple, cross with the right hand and cast off one place. (Second couple step up on bars 3 & 4.) First couple turn each other with the left hand 1 ¼ times. First couple finish facing the lady’s side, the man has his partner on his right. ***
9–16 First couple in tandem, dance a right shoulder reel of three with second and third lady. *
17–24 First couple in tandem, dance a left shoulder reel of three with second and third men. **
25–32 First couple with promenade hold dance out the ladies’ side and down around third lady. First couple dance up the middle, drop hands and cast around second couple to finish in second place.
First couple repeat from second place.
* First lady, followed by her partner, they pass third lady with the right
shoulder to begin. First couple turn by the right to face up the set. First man,
followed by first lady pass second lady with the right shoulder. First man,
followed by first lady pass third lady with the left shoulder. First couple
turning by the left they face down the set. First lady, followed by first man.
Dance across the set to face third man.
** First lady, followed by her partner, pass third man with the left shoulder
to begin. First couple turn by the left to face up the set. First man, followed
by first lady, pass second man by the left shoulder. First man, followed by
first lady pass third man with the right shoulder. First couple turning by the
right they face down the set. First lady, followed by first man, dance across
the set to finish between second and third lady.
*** Note: First couple should begin parallel with the side of the set and
remain parallel with the set throughout the reel. This will require good
covering. First couple must be aware of their partner especially on the turns.
First couple cover with each other not just follow each other. Where the
instructions say follow also read cover.