The Donnybrook is an easy two-step sequence dance composed by Professor Hurndill to celebrate St. Patrick's Night, 1907.
It's named after the Donnybrook district in Dublin, which hosted the Irish International Exhibition in 1907.
The version below was described by Charles Crathorn in 1963.
Facing partner without touching, both hands on hips, Lead facing out.
Part I - Pas de Basque and Trade Places (4 bars): Pas de basque along LOD (1-and-2) and against LOD (3-and-4), then link right arms and walk forward three steps clockwise around partner, trading places (5, 6, 7).
Part II - Pas de Basque and Return Home (4 bars): Pas de basque along LOD (1-and-2) and against LOD (3-and-4), then link right arms and walk forward three steps clockwise around partner, trading places (5, 6, 7). Note that the first pas de basque in Part I in with the Lead's left, and the first pas de basque in Part II begins with the Lead's right.
Part III - Pas de Basque and Chassé (4 bars): Pas de basque along LOD (1-and-2) and against LOD (3-and-4), then side, close, side, close along LOD (5, 6, 7, 8), closing up to closed position at the end.
Part IV - Two-Step (4 bars): Two full turns of two-step (1-and-2, 3-and-4, 5-and-6, 7-and-8).
Repeat from the beginning.
Irish music in 6/8 time.
© 2018 Nick Enge
For more dance descriptions, see our three books on dancing:
The Book of Mixers: 100 Easy-Teach Dances for Getting Acquainted (2022) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge,
Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide (2019) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge, and
Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living (2013) by Richard Powers and Nick Enge.
For full-length teaching videos, visit: University of Dance.
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