Carole Edrich Weblog

result!

It’s not surprising that Sarita Bansal was selected to be photographed by Eamonn McCabe or that Craig Taylor wrote about her. She’s a beautiful woman as well as an excellent and enthusiastic amateur flamenco bailaora. She’s also very well connected. When Craig Taylor asked if she knew of any other types of dancers I was lucky she thought of me.

Eamonn McCabe at work
photo (c) Carole Edrich, 2007

I need as much publicity as possible both for some dance projects that are coming up and for next year’s expedition to Argentina. The Guardian is a good paper and I’d love to write regularly in it myself. When Sarita told me that Eamonn McCabe would be working with Craig Taylor my decision was made. A talented man in his own right Eamonn was the Guardian’s picture editor for years, has won prestigious prizes for his photography and is someone I really wanted to meet.

Years ago it was normal to follow three hours of flamenco lessons with all night salsa. I still like the dance but tango has become much more of a passion. There's a quantum leap in sophistication and depth between the two dances. Tango is more difficult to learn and the communication's so different. Salsa might be sexy, flirtatious and fun but tango is exotic and an intoxicating physical and mental challenge that takes things to another level.

The writer Craig Taylor is an interesting guy. He came to the UK from California about seven years ago as part of Naomi Klein’s “No Logo” team. Although his first love is punk rock and American Indie, he enoyed Nik Ransom’s Goth track so much he joined in the dance! Outside the studio he was a quiet, engaging interviewer who left me with the impression that his brain was sparking rapidly. It put me in mind of the way that a swan’s legs paddle frantically in the water despite its peaceful and graceful demeanour above.

Nik Ransom dancing for Eamonn McCabe
photo (c) Carole Edrich, 2007

Eamonn McCabe has a twinkle in his eye and a preciseness of movement that must come from years of practice. He asked each dancer to run through their favourite track and then talked with them about how the photography would best work. That wasn’t really possible for tango. I had to imagine the moves, and pose as if dancing with an invisible man. It was so difficult! One could say that's because the best tango steps are only possible when you dance as a couple. It's more likely that spending the whole day at an intensive WSET Advanced Wines Course is what made my shoes unaccountably wobbly.

Craig wanted one favourite track. Truth be told, what I like depends on mood, partner and context. However, some time ago Avril heard something, thought of me and sent it. Another Perfect Catastrophe by Firewater is a musically manic, atmospheric, exciting song that draws you into an intoxicating feeling of giddy complicity. That's very similar to what you feel when all the pieces fall together in tango. I’m looking forward to the feedback. I’m sure that tango purists will detest the choice so it should be rather good fun.

The whole thing was a great experience. I’ve achieved another tiny chunk of the publicity I need. I've learned more about other people's photography and writing techniques. I saw how Eamonn thought about shape within the blue frame of his studio background. How he looked at the pattern of the dance, waited for the right moment and took far fewer shots than I expected. I learned about Craig's interview technique, the way he takes notes and converts them into a piece. And discovered how extraordinarily difficult it is to look as if you’re dancing a couples' dance without a partner.

While the column and photo are great the real result came when Eamonn agreed that I could shadow him. I'll learn so much and couldn’t be looking forward to it more.

Posted by carole at February 20, 2007 03:40 AM