Embellishments - At the Freno
This really is a place for followers to choose what happens in a more macroscopic way, while still being traditional. And they can do this without getting in the way of the lead/follow. But really, if you do a single embellishment or if you layer a number of embellishments together, think about what you are showing the world. Ask, "can my movements have a clearer direction?", "do I have a real understanding of the technique behind this particular movement?", "does what I have chosen to do fit with the music or with the mood between myself and the leader at this moment?"
When embellishments are chosen carefully and are well executed, they can add interest to the dance both for the audience and for the interpersonal conversation you are having.
- Artist Name:
- Jaime Wilensky
- Song Title:
- Aquella Noche
- Album Title:
- Tango Nuevo 2
(From Latinpulsemusic.com): This is nuevo "electrified" tango produced and arranged by Jaime Wilensky. Aquella Noche is a tango with a gothic sound and theme.
- 00:05
- Every time we have way too many women in the class,
- 00:07
- Or we don't know what to do to keep the class really happy,
- 00:10
- The answer is...It never fails if we teach embellishments.
- 00:14
- And I have this thing, because I think that people embellish too much.
- 00:17
- But, at least, if they're going to embellish, they should embellish in a way that looks beautiful.
- 00:21
- So, what we're going to do now, is show you a ton of embellishments, in certain different circumstances.
- 00:26
- And you can pick them off and practice them. And a few of them, we'll give you more technique about.
- 00:30
- But we just want to show you a lot.
- 00:33
- Now, and remember, and the rule of thumb: in a song, you want to do... two embellishments, maybe.
- 00:39
- And two is one too many, yes.
- 00:41
- So, less is more. But if you're going to do it, do it well.
- 00:46
- So, these are embellishments at the freno.
- 01:23
- D: You know, he checks his watch.
N: Ha-ha, there were a lot of them. - 01:28
- So, if we go over those, just numbering them. So, the first one. I'm the girl now.
- 01:33
- D: Actually, the first one, is you drag up his leg. Right? So, you're here...
N: Oh, watch my skirt there. - 01:38
- D: OK, she drags up my leg.
N: Yeah, he always wants to do this, but with a skirt, it's a little difficult. - 01:44
- It's just you flex your foot, and then with the top of your foot, you go up his leg.
- 01:50
- Make sure he can really feel it, or it doesn't count.
- 01:52
- N: And don't go too fast, this doesn't have as much impact.
D: Ha-ha-ha, Yeah! - 01:57
- "You OK?" It doesn't... It's not the same.
- 02:00
- And another one.
- 02:01
- And another one. From there, you might do a boleo, which is what she did first.
- 02:05
- D: So, you're in a freno. And you can just pivot, on the ball of the foot. Throw back; bang; boleo. Come back.
N: And this is just an embellishment. - 02:14
- N: It's not led. You were going to show some?
D: Oh, yes. - 02:22
- So, from here, I mean, you can do a lot of stuff.
- 02:25
- So, there's... First there's what you do before you walk over. You can hit the back foot first.
- 02:30
- Cut behind yourself. Touch his leg. Roll up. Go up your own leg.
- 02:35
- D: There I'm going foot along my leg.
N: With the knee pointing over. - 02:39
- Walk over; you check, maybe. Beat over; kick over.
- 02:45
- D: Here, this is in the hips.
N: Yeah, that's important that it be the hips to drive that. - 02:50
- Right now, small circle. Small lean away, if you know that he's balanced.
- 02:54
- You can't see it at that angle. But, for example, over here,
- 02:59
- After I came back, and I beat, I did a small lean away, if I knew he was good for it.
- 03:05
- So, a lot of things.
- 03:07
- So, I'm going to show each one of a large number of embellishments slowly. But I only going to show it once, and talk about it once.
- 03:13
- And then you can just watch that segment often, and practice it. So, for example:
- 03:18
- First one, you can drag up along the guys leg.
- 03:21
- Because she has a skirt, I'm going to use a chair, as a proxy for a leg.
- 03:27
- Or, you know, if you're at home.
- 03:30
- Here's the guys leg. You can drag with the top of your ankle, up along his leg, and then, down along his leg.
- 03:37
- It was better with a... with a light, with a real leg.
- 03:41
- Different thing is that, when he's here, in the freno, you can boleo yourself.
- 03:51
- Remember, tighten the thighs, pivot on the ball of the foot. Or, you can do other kinds of boleo, yourself.
- 03:57
- N: Actually, with that one, you... Can't you hook my leg?
D: Depending, right? So, I can pivot; hook around her foot, even; and come back. Or, his foot. - 04:04
- When you walk over, you can make that special. You can drag up along your own leg. Notice, my foot is pointed.
- 04:09
- You walk over. As long as you don't shift, and as long as you're hold him down, he won't move. You can take that time to do other things.
- 04:15
- If I kick up, you can kick straight up. Or, you can kick, bending the knee.
- 04:21
- As I'm there, I can pivot in and out. I drive that from my hips.
- 04:25
- You should do the flick, because everybody in the world does the flick.
- 04:28
- D: You can do a flick, if you like. But everyone in the world does it, so don't.
N: Well, they don't do it that way.
D: Yeah. - 04:33
- So, you can get to the end, and circle with the foot. And then, you can come back.
- 04:39
- Once again, for practice - that's fine. But if you do each one of those, after...
- 04:44
- The leader waiting for you, for... Who knows, he's looking at his watch, you know.
- 04:48
- D: And the song finishes...
N: Do one. In a song, do one, at one freno. - 04:52
- And then, in a different song, do a different one. So, you'll have this whole group of them.
- 04:55
- But just don't throw them all in at once. Then you use them up.
