I’d like to find more easy-going contras for newcomers that still have unimpeachable choreography and something of interest. By easy-going I mean:

• Straightforward transitions

• Stays in minor set (but OK to progress somewhere besides A1)

• A catch-up point like a balance or long lines forward & back

Here are some I think fit the bill:

Black Bird in the Night (rory o’mohr)

Give the Scout a Hand (half hey with hands)

Harmony Hey (half hey with hands, star progression)

Kinematic Vorticity (gate)

Rock Creek Reel (larks/robins balance in central wave)

Simplicity Swing (star progression)

Spoot the Dog (balance+dosido+allemande)

I don’t count dances like The Baby Rose where you balance & swing both neighbor and partner. Those don’t seem newcomer-friendly to me because there’s so much swinging.

What are some that you like?

Rick