Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Followers :: The step "is" the embellishment...

I was just looking for some audio of Osvaldo Fresedo's "Vida Mia" - the long, slow, really orchestral version with Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet - when I ran across this. Gustavo y Giselle Anne dancing to another Fresedo song "Araca la cana".

I was watching and noticed that Giselle Anne doesn't do much in the way of embellishments - a tap here, a flourish there - that's about it.

The quality and character of her step, her movement. The "way" she moves - is in fact the embellishment. The extension and reach of her leg - embellishes and brings attention to her leg. The angle and attitude and trajectory of her foot - her ankle - brings attention to her feet.

Her waiting for the lead and not anticipating is a beautiful embellishment in and of itself.

Am I making sense here?

The quality and character of motion through time and space...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Giselle Anne is one of my favorite dancers of the current "crop". She and Gustavo are the embodiment of this dance, for me. No superfluous movements to distract from the beauty of the connection, or to draw attention to oneself or one's movements. The partnership above all.

AlexTangoFuego said...

Hola Johanna!

You and I are up late! Yes G&G are a class act.

studio wellspring said...

ahh, gorgeous encouragement!

La Nuit Blanche said...

yes! again, thanks for an enlightening post. patadura was writing about a smiliar line of thought....

about the quality of the simplest movements. if even a simple forward ocho can be marked with a beautiful quality, the step itself is an embellishment!

http://milongabox.hautetfort.com/archive/2008/04/10/figures-de-niveau.html