Repeats marked * are now considered optional, and may be omitted to shorten the first three figures.

First Figure - Tug and Cross (Jigs)

288 bars

1

Circle: all take hands in a circle, advance and retire twice. The gent keeps his partner's L hand in his R, lifts his R arm over her head to rest it on her R shoulder, and takes her R hand in his L on the last bar.

8 bars

2

Lead around anti-clockwise.  On the last 2 bars the lady turns under the gent's R arm to face him, hands still held.

8 bars

3

Tug and swing: partners lean back from each other with arms extended on the 1^st bar and pull together on the 2^nd (the 'tug') to swing with R arms around partners' waists and L hands holding partners' R arms just above the elbow.

8 bars

4

Top couples:
Advance and return twice: with crossed hands held in front, couples advance, 2, 3, turn and back, 2, 3, turn, turning inwards both times, and repeat.

8 bars

Lead around each other, with R shoulder hold (R hands held on the lady's R shoulder and L hands held low in front).

8 bars

Tug and cross over: partners tug and change places twice, moving clockwise (4 bars), and all gents then swing the lady on the L in the corners of the set (4 bars).

8 bars

Advance and return: new couples advance and return twice, leading partners facing each other to form 2 lines of four down the set.

8 bars

Lead around each other: same couples lead around each other with R shoulder hold.

8 bars

Tug, cross back and swing: couples tug and partners dance back to each other (2 steps) and swing.

8 bars

All lead around, with R shoulder hold.

8 bars

All tug and swing partners.

8 bars

5

Side couples now lead to dance 4.

64 bars

6

Top couples now lead to repeat 4.*

64 bars

7

Side couples now lead to repeat 4.*

64 bars

Second Figure - Half Chain (Jigs)

256 bars

1

Circle.
Lead around.
Tug and swing partners.

24 bars

2

Top couples:
Ladies half chain: R hands in the centre and L to opposite gent to turn him anti-clockwise into R shoulder hold (4 bars) and lead back to the lady's place (4 bars).  Gents drop hands and ladies then repeat the chain and lead their own partners back to place (8 bars).

16 bars

Advance and return twice.

8 bars

Lead around each other anti-clockwise, with R shoulder hold.

8 bars

Tug and swing partners.

8 bars

All lead around.

8 bars

All tug and swing partners.

8 bars

3

Side couples now lead to dance 2.

56 bars

4

Top couples now lead to repeat 2.*

56 bars

5

Side couples now lead to repeat 2.*

56 bars

Third Figure - Full Chain (Jigs)

264 bars

1

Top couples:
Advance and return twice.

8 bars

Ladies full chain: R hands in the centre, L elbow to turn the opposite gent, R hands in the centre and turning partners anti-clockwise L hand on return into R shoulder hold.

8 bars

Lead around each other.

8 bars

Tug and swing partners.

8 bars

2

Side couples now dance 1

32 bars

3

Top couples:
Advance, return and turn across: advance and return once R hand in R and the gent turns his lady clockwise underarm 1½ turns into the opposite place.

8 bars

Advance, return and christmas, L hand in L, the gent turning the lady 1 turn clockwise underarm and then placing her L hand on his R shoulder and his arms around both ladies' waists to form a little christmas on the last 2 bars. Ladies place their R hands on the gents’ L shoulders.

8 bars

Swing four.

8 bars

Ladies full chain into R shoulder hold.

8 bars

Lead around each other.

8 bars

Tug and swing partners.

8 bars

4

Side couples now dance 3.

48 bars

5

Top couples now repeat 3.*

48 bars

6

Side couples now repeat 3.*

48 bars

Fourth Figure - The Hornpipe

184 bars

1

Circle: all join hands in a circle and advance and retire twice.

8 bars

2

House around with waltz hold.

8 bars

3

1^st top couple:
Turn the lady: the dancing lady dances 4 full anti-clockwise turns under the gent's R arm as he dances around behind her within the set and back to place.

8 bars

Line of three advance and retire: the dancing gent takes inside hand hold with his partner and the lady on his L (the 'visitor').  The three advance and retire twice.

8 bars

Arches: the visitor dances under the gent's RH arch, followed by the gent. The dancing lady dances under the gent's LH arch, followed by her partner and both movements are then repeated to finish back in place.

8 bars

4

Circle.
House around.

16 bars

5

1^st side couple (R of 1^st tops) now leads to dance 3.

24 bars

6

Circle.
House around.

16 bars

7

2^nd top couple now leads to dance 3.

24 bars

8

Circle.
House around.

16 bars

9

2^nd side couple now leads to dance 3.

24 bars

10

Circle.
House around.

16 bars

Fifth Figure - Foraer a Neaintin (Polka)

144 bars

1

Circle.

8 bars

2

Lead around with waltz hold, side by side.

8 bars

Dance at home, turning twice.

8 bars

Circle and change partners: all advance and retire, advance again (6 bars) and each gent turns anti-clockwise to the lady on his L , takes her in waltz hold and brings her into his place (2 bars).

8 bars

3

Lead around.
Dance in place.
Circle and change partners.

24 bars

4

Lead around.
Dance in place.
Circle and change partners.

24 bars

5

Lead around.
Dance in place. Circle and change partners.

24 bars

6

Lead around.
Dance at home.
Circle.

24 bars

7

Swing partners.

8 bars

STEPS
When dancing the Advance and return the brushed jig step is used. In this the toe briefly touches the floor and is raised before taking the weight on that count.  Also, according to Mick, the pivot step on which the dancers turn is accompanied by a low cut with the other foot in which the toe remains virtually on the floor.

SOURCES
Connie Ryan, London, 1992.  It was Mick Mulkerrin who, two years later, observed that repeats are now being omitted as some dancers think the figures are over-long.