- The aim is to dance as a team, not an individual
- All dancers should aim to pay attention to where they are in the set in relation to everyone else
- The lines of the dance are important – they give the dance its dimension, character and pattern
- When lining up to dance, the focus should be on getting ready for the dance itself and reminding yourself of key points
- The dance moves are `called’ by one person and should be followed at all times (dance what is called). Traditionally the caller would always be one person (usually the Foreman) and be danced at the number 1 position but this has latterly been varied by choice by many Sides.
- Usually a number of different `FIGURES’ between which there is a `CHORUS’ repeated
- Each figure has a name – this is what is `called’ – and once a figure is learnt in a particular tradition, this remains the same in whichever dance of that tradition you do
- Each danced is `stepped’ in the movements of that particular tradition and varies according to which tradition is being danced