Trepsiukas: walking, stamping and passing around a partner

How to play

Participants

At least two couples and an even number of dancers. Ratilio also describes pairs of two girls.

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

Couples stand one behind another around a circle. Join right hands; the inside partner reaches their left hand over their own shoulder to take the outside partner’s left hand.

1. Section I, bars 1–4: walk around the circle in couples, stamping three times in every second bar.
2. Bars 5–6: take small steps backwards. In bar 7, turn together around the couple’s own centre; in bar 8, stop and stamp three times. Perform the whole eight-bar section twice.
3. Section II, bars 1–2: release hands and face your partner. Each dancer takes two steps to their own right, nods to the neighbouring dancer and stamps three times.
4. Bars 3–4: make the same sequence to your own left, returning to your partner.
5. Bars 5–6: pass around your partner right shoulders first, maintaining your original facing direction, and return to your place. In bars 7–8 do the same left shoulders first. Perform section II twice.
6. Teaching choices: start section I on the left foot and travel anticlockwise; make the couple’s turn in bar 7 clockwise. Ratilio’s text does not specify these directions or the starting foot; these choices make the rehearsal consistent.

Ending: Return to section I after the repeated sections. For a workshop, agree to finish after the second performance of section II; this is an editorial arrangement.

Documented version: Ratilio’s Trust workshop version. The source explains the shared handhold under Lelinderis.