Paul Bottomer, Tango Argentino - The Technique
All available from Sounds Sensational, c/o Mr.M.W.Smith, 38 Katherine Drive, Toton, Nottingham NG9 6JB, Tel. (0602) 724729, Fax: (0283) 734393. Note: in Aug.1996 I received a correction regarding Phone/Fax according to which the new coordinates are: Tel 0115-9-724729; Fax 0115-9038888; email tango@innotts.co.uk
The package contains a set of teaching material for Argentine tango, consisting of a book, a video and a CD (or LP/CC). The producer recommends getting the whole package at a price of 62,-- Pounds Sterling, but the items are also sold separately. I have the feeling that the book will be most useful to advanced students, whereas the video seems directed towards beginners (or people teaching beginners?). Nevertheless, the book does complement the video, in that it contains a written description of the figures presented in the video (and many, many more). The video may also be helpful to people not accustomed to the notation used in the book. The CD of course is useful both to beginner and connoisseur. I will take a look at each item in turn.
The technique book is something unprecedented. It contains a short introduction to the world of Argentine tango, but the main body of the work is devoted to a detailed treatment of about 100 figures of Argentine tango. The book uses a notation familiar to teachers of ballroom daning, but perhaps difficult for a beginner to understand - although a brief explanation of the notation is given. Here the video may help. What I especially like about the book is the author's way of analyzing figures in great detail. Take as an example the first section, in which the "basic construction" is explained. Most teachers teach this as one figure consisting of eight steps. Bottomer analyzes it into three parts, a "start", a middle section ("salida") and a finish, and proceeds to show how the different parts can be varied, e.g. using a "double start" instead of a "reverse start", or an "open finish" instead of a "closing" one.
The video has a playing time of 40 minutes. It first gives a short overview of the development of Argentine tango, and then demonstrates the hold, the basic construction and 4 routines. Each of the routines is followed by a section called "teacher's comments" in which frequent errors are pointed out and corrected. The figures taught are: various starts (double, reverse, single), salida, closing finish, ochos (including doble ocho and doble cruzada), sentada, reverse turn check, parada, sweep, changing sides, and curving walks. As mentioned above, they are nicely combined into 4 routines. While great care has been taken to make this video a useful teaching tool (including meticulous repetition of the single passages and the already mentioned "teacher's notes" for anticipated errors), I nevertheless have to point out a few shortcomings: Firstly, the importance of leading and following isn't stressed enough. This is a difficult subject, which one may be tempted to spare beginners with, but it should be mentioned. The same holds for possibilities of variation in tempo. The exact count provided for each figure fails to make it clear that rhythmic variation plays an important role in Argentine tango. One detail, which I nevertheless feel is worth mentioning, is that in the "Doble Ocho", the lady takes her steps starting with heel. This is not only contrary to the practice of many Argentine dancers, but Bottomer himself describes the lady's steps in his book as "step fwd", commenting that "step" means ball flat. Actually, the video does not discuss footwork at all. Perhaps this is justified, but the danger exists that the beginner might fail to learn the step correctly. I have to confess that I also have some problems with the attitude suggested by the video and formulated even more strongly in the book that the technique demonstrated is the correct one. One of the points where I noted this discrepancy very clearly was in the hold demonstrated. There exist different opinions about the correct hold in the tango world, and various teachers propose various solutions. Bottomer's method appears quite idiosyncratic to me, especially the position of the left lower arm and wrist of the man. I do not object to differing opinions with regard to technique, but there is a danger of creating the impression that the method presented is the only correct one. A related, but minor comment could be made with regard to the names of the figures: different people use them differently. It would have been fair to add a comment mentioning this fact.
The CD, finally, is quite nice. It contains 12 tangos, among them such classical themes like "La Cumparsita" and "Yira yira", played by the orchestra "Tango Cafe". It goes without saying that the music is played in the "Argentinian" style and not in the "ballroom tango" style. It is often difficult to find "real" tango music outside of Argentina, and the beginner will find it especially useful to have the right music right from the beginning. Even people like me who own quite a number of Argentine tangos will find the CD a useful addition to their collection.
Before summarizing, I have to add a comment which people who know me will have been waiting for: I am convinced that it is almost impossible to learn dancing without a teacher, especially Argentine tango. It is impossible to learn from a book, and even a video is an imperfect surrogate. Nevertheless, I recommend the book wholeheartedly, especially to advanced students. It contains a wealth of material, and the figures are nicely structured. Of course you have to learn to read the notation, if you have not already learned this elsewhere. As for the video, it is nicely made, and the Bottomers have done their best to make it a didactically useful tool. You should be aware of two facts, however: Firstly, this is not the one and only correct version of Argentine tango, different teachers have different interpretations, secondly, as I have already said, even the best video cannot replace a teacher. Last, but not least, the CD is well worth listening (and, of course, dancing) to.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Max Smith for providing me with a review copy at a substantially
reduced price.