Escaramuza: Riding from the Heart

Filmmaker Bill Yahraus's Escaramuza focuses on a subculture of the rodeo circuit in which horsemanship—or rather, horsewomanship—is more like dressage than bronc-busting or bull-roping. Inspired by the "Adelitas"—women who rode as decoys during the Mexican Revolution—groups of lady riders known as “escaramuzas charros” compete with style and intricate choreography in a grand rodeo in Guadalajara. The cinema vérité approach follows members of the Las Azaleas team, a Mexican-American group based in California, who feel that they have to bring something extra in order to measure up to their sisters south of the border—plus a surplus of cash, in case any are kidnapped and held for ransom (an accepted risk in taking the journey). Men, aside from a coach, are mostly on the sidelines here, although a few Azaleas girls have to sit out the competition due to unplanned pregnancies. A solid addition for Hispanic and women's-studies collections, this will also appeal to equestrian fans and general doc lovers. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (C. Cassady)