[Callers] Earth and Sky, Slapping the Wood and The Rendezvous

Earth and Sky – Rick Mohr I am preparing for a gig and just got back from calling Earth and Sky to a few friends for practice. Everyone loved the dance but we did have trouble with the transition from the hey to the left shoulder gypsy with our old neighbors. People found it more natural to gypsy right at this point, but of course we did not want to, and did not, so we could enjoy the transition from gypsy left with old neighbor to gypsy right with new neighbor. The men did not end the hey quite back where they started. Rather we ended the hey in a line across the set, looking at old neighbors from there. That seemed to fit the music. We found that if the men turned a bit extra to the right after the last change of the hey, then they could comfortably get into that gypsy left. But that took some getting used to. It is a great dance and well worth the trouble. Does anyone have an easier way of setting this up? Slapping the Wood – Don Flaherty The version I have has a B2 that goes: Circle left ¾ Balance the Ring (once) and California Twirl with your partner. Someone suggested that if we took 6 counts for the circle left ¾ we would have time to balance the ring twice. Once seemed to leave a bit of time empty, but twice seems pretty tight. How do people call this? The Rendezvous – Dan Pearl B2 has Circle left once, then with the men leading slide on to the next couple and circle left ¾. There was some confusion about where the “neutral” couple should wait out the dance, to be ready to dance with the couple that is sliding to meet them. Have you called (or danced this dance)? What worked best? Thanks for your help as always. It is wonderful to be able to ask you, and even more wonderful to hear from you. Rickey Holt.