Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras.BALLET FLAMENCO SARA BARAS ROYCE HALL, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, Los ANGELES UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. , CA FEBRUARY 9-10, 2005 Vamping as if there were no tomorrow, a sizzling Sara Baras made her West Coast debut in an 80-minute program, Suenos. Offering glimpses of tradition mixed with the indelible stamp of an original thinker, the Cadiz-born virtuoso commanded the stage at every turn. Whether mesmerizing mes·mer·ize tr.v. mes·mer·ized, mes·mer·iz·ing, mes·mer·iz·es 1. To spellbind; enthrall: "He could mesmerize an audience by the sheer force of his presence" with razor-sharp pirouettes, beckoning with filigreed fil·i·gree n. 1. Delicate and intricate ornamental work made from gold, silver, or other fine twisted wire. 2. a. An intricate, delicate, or fanciful ornamentation. b. fingers, or executing footwork that ventured into the complex territory of a Bach fugue fugue (fy  g) [Ital.,=flight], in music, a form of composition in which the basic principle is imitative counterpoint of several voices. , Baras is charting new terrain. Combining modern dance with Gypsy passion and technique, Baras brought down the house--with nary a polka dot or rose in sight. Founded in 1998, Baras' company of eight dancers and six musicians also provided a modicum of heat, while guest artist Jose Serrano proved more than capable of holding his own with Baras. Kickstarting the evening was "Martinete," a traditional cane dance that was anything but. The company beat out rhythms with their canes, hoisting them overhead and twirling them in unison, their footwork crisp in Morse code mode. But while Baras' ensemble choreography showcases a fine symmetry, the five women and two men almost seem to bide time waiting for Baras. Her entrance was spectacular. Haughty and daring, Baras let loose with a barrage of foot-stamping that gave way to a spin here, a dip there, before Serrano joined her in "Jaleo." A slow, regal circling that morphed into a burst of hand-clapping, the pas de deux pas de deux (French; “step for two”) Dance for two performers. A characteristic part of classical ballet, it includes an adagio, or slow dance, by the ballerina and her partner; solo variations by the male dancer and then the ballerina; and a coda, or began face-to-face, before the couple separated for contrasting solo variations: Serrano created poetry with a mere sweep of the foot; Baras responded with rocket-like taps in ever-accelerating tempos. Donning trousers and bolero jacket, Baras made the "Farruca Farruca is a form of Flamenco music, probably originating in the Galicia region of north-western Spain. It is a light form typical of cante chico, and is traditionally danced only by men. It is seldom sung. ," generally a man's domain, her own, striking a pose before offering explosive, staccato noodlings. Later, in a flounced red dress, the dancer swirled the Fabric as if it were a flag unfurling, and, in a final feat of dazzling virtuosity, skittered across the stage with the velocity of a bullet train, abruptly stopping before blowing a kiss to the crowd. It's a brave new world Brave New World Aldous Huxley’s grim picture of the future, where scientific and social developments have turned life into a tragic travesty. [Br. Lit.: Magill I, 79] See : Dystopia Brave New World for flamenco, and one wonders where Baras will tread next as she continues to mature. FOR MORE INFORMATION: (Spanish speakers only): www.sarabaras.com |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion