Sara Baras in 'Alma' at Sadler's Wells.
‘...SOY TESTIGO DE LA SOMBRA DE LA VIDA’ (I have witnessed the shadows of life) Sara Baras explores a new approach without losing an ounce of the traditional energy that comes from the ‘duende’ (soul) that lives deep inside the Flamenco spirit.
Sara Baras
The show opens and the scene is set with a poem which may have been written by Sara Baras herself. To dance is to live and as the quote from it, above, she has witnessed the shadows of life. Sara Baras is not only the lead dancer of her troupe, but the choreographer at the very heart of it. The sound quality and quality of the supporting cantaores, guitarists and percussionists was excellent, as they each competed and held rhythmic dialogues with the astonishing footwork of Sara Baras herself.
Sara Baras and Diego Villegas
Keko Baldomero, the lead guitarist and musical director, has developed a distinct style of his own and was a pleasure to listen to, with mellow tones that echoed across the auditorium. An unusually creative moment was when the saxophone player Diego Villegas, held an emotional and melancholic dance/sax duo with Sara Baras.
Alma's music introduces a blend of different musical forms, some bolero and even tango, as they sang ‘Nostalgias’ (a tango by Enrique Cadiamo and Juan Carlos Cobián), with the cantaor effortlessly transforming it into a Flamenco song.
Sara Baras with the musicians in the rear
The Peroni , Garriets’ scenography adds a powerful sense of drama to the whole mise-en scène. A vast beaded curtain creates shapes and shadows with the dancers and lighting, and later another curtain seems to come alive and catch fire at dramatic moments. This effect is mesmerizing. The musicians, at times, are also behind the beaded curtain, as is Sara Baras, dancing as if she was on another plane, or in a dream.
Alma , the dance troupe, Chula García, Charo Pedraja, Cristina Aldón, Noella Vilches and Marte De Troya
The dance troupe, of 5 women and one man, create a multitude of shapes, swirling with lighting effects that play with colour or, at times, creating a tableaux effect, as starkly dressed in dark clothes, the dancers lean tall mic stands towards a focus of light. Some of these angular formations, to me, echo dancers like Martha Graham, projecting more post-modernist ideas, because this comes across not only as dance, but also theatre. You never know what’s coming next. Sara Baras keeps us guessing with her fresh and imaginative outlook.
Alma
There is a powerful feminist element in this work ‘Alma’. These are strong, confident women and, boy, you would not argue with any, least of all, Sara Baras herself, who comes across as if she had superpowers. The definitive quality of her percussive footwork is as forceful as a weapon. You would not meddle with her, she challenges, defies and teases, as if the audience is the bull and she the bullfighter and, she will win!
Sara Baras is first and above all, a Flamenco dancer. She feels and understands the power of the traditional techniques, the soleá, siguiriya, the caña, rumba and bulería. The soul of Federico García Lorca lives as she fuses them into her choreography in a seamless manner, as in the removal of ‘breaks’ between the dances. One thing melted into another and there was a charming interlude with a mock changing room and another when the band played some Flamenco fusion.
Every member of this troupe is vital to the final effect and this overall unity of the ensemble is very effective. It was not one soloist after another, this was one continuous work where things merged from one into another, taking us on a visual and musical journey.
Clearly all the members love what they do and the impromptu ending where everyone in the ensemble was having a go at improvising, made us all feel like joining in as everyone was having such a good time.
Sara Baras is a living legend for a reason, with her well-deserved 2020 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement to Dance, not to mention the accolades that have been showered upon her in her native Spain. She has been sorely missed as the Pandemic affected her as it did everyone else, and she had not graced the stage since 2019, when she was at Sadler’s Wells with ‘Sombras’.
ALMA with Sara Baras is at the Sadler's Well Theatre till July 7th.
The Flamenco Festival will continue until July 15th 2023
Directing, Script, dance and choreography Sara Baras / Musical Director Keko Baldomero / cantaores Rubio de Pruna and Matías López " El Mati" / Dancers: Chula García, Charo Pedraja. Daniel Saltares, Cristina Aldón, Noella Vilches and Marta De Troya.
