Video: Chrysanthemum
CHRYSANTHEMUM
SBBC Silver Jubilee Book
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
Video: Chased Lovers
Chased Lovers
32-bar jig for three couples in a four couple set
1-8 1st couple set then, without giving hands, cross down one place and face out in second place. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4. 1st couple dance down behind 3rd couple and up between them to finish in the middle of the dance, 1st woman in front of her partner.
9-16 1st woman, followed by 1st man throughout, dances a reel of three on the diagonal with first corners. 1st couple pass 2nd man by the left to begin. On bar 16, 1st couple pull back right shoulders individually to finish in the middle of the dance, facing down, 1st man in front of his partner.
17-24 1st man, followed by 1st woman throughout, dances a reel of three on the diagonal with second corners. 1st couple pass 3rd man by the right to begin. 1st couple finish facing first corners.
25-28 1st couple and first corners dance corners pass and turn. Corners turn with right hands in the centre. 1st couple finish facing second corners.
29-32 1st couple and second corners repeat bars 25-28. 1st couple pass partner by the right to finish in second place owne side.
Repeat having passed a couple
Devised by Tim Wilson, an IB Member living in San Francisco, California, USA
Music: Fun, flirty jigs with flight
Note: You may notice that 1st couple do not actually youch in this dance. I liked the play on words with “chased” and “chaste” and tried to incorporate both ideas. The dance was first taught to the combined class at the 2013 International Branch Weekend in Kilarney, Ireland.