How to play
- Participants
- Couples; one pair or a line of pairs can practise.
- Space
- A level area where each couple can step and turn without colliding with others.
- Equipment
- Music suitable for this version, or a live musician · A leader who demonstrates the movements and musical section boundaries before starting
- Starting formation
- Stand beside your partner with inside hands joined low. Couples form a line, one behind another.
- Section I, bars 1–2: both start on the right foot and take four slow steps forwards, two per 4/4 bar. On the fourth step, turn halfway inwards towards each other and join the other hands.
- Bars 3–4: take the same four steps in the opposite direction. At the end, face each other and release hands.
- Section II, bar 1: take two step-close movements to the right; in bar 2 take two back. Teaching choice: each dancer travels to their own right and returns. The English source does not distinguish the direction separately for both roles.
- Bars 3–4: one partner stays still; the partner taking the source’s woman role makes one complete turn over the right shoulder in four slow steps.
- Bars 5–8: repeat the first four bars of section II.
Ending: The description finishes with that repeated sequence. Agree beforehand whether to stop or stand side by side for another cycle; this is a workshop arrangement.
Documented version: LNKC’s slow paired Drailinas. The clarification of rightwards travel in section II is a labelled teaching choice.
Getting ready
For a step-close movement, step sideways and bring the other foot alongside without passing it. Fit two such movements into a bar. This is a practical explanation of the step term.
Which version are we learning?
LNKC’s slow paired Drailinas. The clarification of rightwards travel in section II is a labelled teaching choice.