Fellas Flourishes

[Heather2007]

With Zoop's brill idea of starting a thread for Female Embellishments I thought I'd start one for the fellas.

Question: Do you embellish, decorate, fancy flick etc when leading or do you just (albeit no just about it:cool:) walk. Are their workshops/classes designed for leaders' embellishments or did/do you just make 'em up. (Me: I cheat. I just use Follower's Flourishes when I lead - but study religiously the walk of the men walking on the wild side - but open to new ideas other ways etc.)

Let's get this party started:

[bordertangoman]

toe and heel taps once in a while.

I like to lead a double time cross where the man steps and collects (2 half beats) then a moment later the woman crosses and collects! sort of call and response- usually in milonga.

and the delayed gancho on the the womans back ocho so my leg gets flicked out
not strictly an adorno I guess but quite fun to do.

[bastet]

When I am leading I will do some toe taps if the music is rhythmic and sometimes some little foot crossing in front of the ankle thingys with a toe tap or crossing and hooing in back.

Sometimes if the music is more romantic, or slow, I'll do a little lapis...but I guess that's the old and tired one that everyone uses so I don't use it much.

[newbie]

Tap behind or changing the position of the behind foot (vertical/flex/vertical), or going heel-heel-toe-toe double-time on a milonga piece. And a lot of opposing moves, that is, sending the foot in the opposite direction before actually taking the step.

[dchester]

Toe drags when walking. Also (if I'm having a good night), I'll do toe taps between steps, and an occasional planeo or lapiz when turning.

My problem right now is my consistency. There are nights when I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of this thing (and then I'll do some embellishments), and then there are other nights when . . .

:?

[Heather2007]

Tap behind or changing the position of the behind foot (vertical/flex/vertical), or going heel-heel-toe-toe double-time on a milonga piece. And a lot of opposing moves, that is, sending the foot in the opposite direction before actually taking the step.

Hmm...Nice one:)

[Gssh]

I mostly do embellishments in milonga - for me tango is just not as inspiring for them - in tango i mostly embellish by playing with the follower (saccadas, small boleos and colgadas, taking her a tiny bit off axis, curving walks - the small things you can fit into walking/ochos).

At the moment i am all about doing stuff on my heels: Walking on my heels, standing on my heels while turning, doing amagues as heel-stomps, heel-taps.

Gssh

[Ampster]

First of all, I try to keep my flourishes/embelishments appropriate to the mood and music. It has to fit, otherwise, too much, or out of timing embelishments (even as a leader) upsets the rhythm of the dance.

What I like to do (when approprite), would include Tracing my foot's path with the toe before I complete the step/movements; The proverbial taps to accentuate beats; I drag my feet to accentuate a long bar of music to build up tension... then move (good for Pugliese music); Watch my leg lines to make sure I'm in the right form.