Sara Baras wraps up «La Pepa» in Madrid.

DeFlamenco.com

The dancer from Cádiz will present «La Pepa» at the Teatro Compaq Gran Vía in Madrid from October 15th to November 23rd, 2014.

Teatro Compaq Gran Vía de Madrid. October 15th to November 23rd, 2014. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8:30pm, two shows on Saturdays, at 6:00 and 9:00pm, and one on Sundays at 7:00pm. Tickets

We're here with Sara Baras a few days before the presentation in Madrid of «La Pepa» for a one-month run that will be the closing of the show that premiered March 19, 2012 at the Teatro Falla in Cádiz, and which has been touring two years, mostly in Spain.  «Medusa», her last show from the past summer will be put on the back burner, and a new one, «Voces», is being prepared to debut in Paris at Christmas.

Proud of ‘La Pepa’

Sara Baras is very proud of «La Pepa», «For me, making a show based on such important historical events was a gift, in my own country, about a constitution that was so ground-breaking…the seat of freedom…La Pepa has a lot of personal touches, the energy of the south, the way of dancing, I really didn't have to do anything special to express the feeling of the land, it shows in my way of dancing».  It's a work that closes out a very nice stage of Sara's life: «although the show is coming to an end, La Pepa has given me a lot artistically, I'm never going to let it go, everything that has surrounded La Pepa has been very positive».

After two years of performances, La Pepa has obviously changed and evolved… «There are always changes compared to the debut, the show has been presented at many different venues, and we're always trying to perfect it and remove anything that might seem repetitive or obvious, at times I've had to sit out front to take a proper reading.  Despite everything being controlled, there's room for improvisation, new details, steps that make you stop and take stock.  Although La Pepa debuted very well-rehearsed, we were working on it for four months».

Work and artistic maturity

We mustn't forget this work was the dancer's return to the stage after stopping for a maternity leave, something which must have influenced Sara's dancing. «I feel different in how I enjoy myself, and the music, the silence, the theater, the magic, you do everything with joy, it's a privilege to devote oneself to this.  I'm also aware that I have a new maturity, although I've always placed greater importance on what I felt than what I studied, you always have to have technique, but sometimes you have to forget about it to be able to express yourself from inside.  If the person changes, so does the dancing, you have always to be brave, but maturity comes in its own good time.  I may not risk as much as I used to,  I don't want to push my luck, I work hard every day, I try to eat well, sleep well, I always have my eyes wide open so when the duende comes, I'm ready for it».

Actress or dancer

Until now, Sara has directed all her own shows, and in some of them, such as Medusa, her facet as actress is very important, and in a certain sense conditions the dancer.  «I understand those people who want to see me dance, because that's who I am, but having the opportunity to do other things, having a broader register…  Ever since Mariana Pineda and Juana, it wasn't just dancing, it was trying to follow a script and interpret the part.  Acting out such an intense script makes me have to hold back as an interpreter, whatever you aren't able to say dancing has to be worked out with crying, or meaningful looks».

The new show, «Voces»

«Voices» is the new show she's preparing to be presented this Christmas in Paris, it's basically flamenco, where Sara Baras again takes on the risk of dancing on her own.  Although she says there will also be couple partnered dancing, solos, corps de ballet, «voices» that have influenced her career, although she won't leak any more clues about the content.  «In Voces, there will be a more reduced cast, but José Serrano will be there…we'll debut in Paris, travel to the U.S., then the Bellas Arts in Mexico, and a tour of Europe…finally ending up in Spain».

 

Sara Baras Company

 

She's very proud about keeping up a private company «which depends on the audience, that's all there is to it…fortunately, it's always worked for me, but the fear of it not working is always there».  The Sara Baras company has always been a sort of breeding-ground for young dancers.  «I'm proud of all the people who started out in my company, being able to give them the chance to dance at such important theaters and do serious tours.  Defending our dance and the young people coming up…I was lucky enough to have great teachers, and now I try to transmit all I can in a passionate way, because that's what I love most».

 

---