Now the cover of this ‘flamenco’ version of Mariana Pineda, carries the warning: ‘sobre un idea de Federico García Lorca‘; in other words, don’t expect to see Lorca’s play. The flamenco dancer Sara Baras has used the character of the legendary Mariana Pineda as a focus for her flamenco production, with music and orchestration by Manolo Sanlúcar. 

The story opens in a convent and therefore opens with Mariana Pineda dancing flamenco with nuns, completed covered with head veils, big white collars and full black habit down to their feet. Most extraordinary! It took me some time to adjust to watching nuns dance flamenco, the first time I watched it. Of course the costumes are necessary in order to identify the characters in the story. 

Sara Baras is a dynamic and expressive dancer and I have always enjoyed the interaction she has on stage with her fellow dancers. In Mariana Pineda I enjoyed a close-up view of this, which film easily affords. 

© 2010 Thérèse Wassily Saba