Spanis born María del Mar Hernandez Carasco Sanchez initially studied ballet and flamenco at the Conservatorio Profesional de Danza de Murcia. At the age of 14, Victor Ullate invited her to study at his Víctor Ullate Dance Center in Madrid. Eventually she had joined John Neumeier’s School of the Hamburg Ballet where she learned from pedagogues like Kevin Haigen, Marianne Kruuse and Stacey Denham, and graduated at the age of 19.
Maria’s professional career commenced at the National Youth Ballet under the directorship of John Neumeier. There she worked with the likes of John Neumeier, Kevin Haigen, Monique Loudieres, Maša Kolar, Wubkje Kuindersma, Yohan Stegli, Natalia Horecna, Sasha Riva and other choreographers. At the age of 22 Maria joined the Ballett Basel directed by Richard Wherlock, and in 2017. became a member of the Croatian National Theatre Ivana pl. Zajca’s ballet company.
In Rijeka she performed in choreographies such as „Allegro,” „Merry Christmas of Naughty Children”, „Lace” and „Macbeth” by Maša Kolar; „Nutcracker” by Mauro di Candia (the main role of Marie); „Apollo“ by Martin Chaix; „4 Boleros” by Maša Kolar and Kristian Lever; „Rossini Cards” by Mauro Bigonzetti; „Hansel and Gretchel” by Gina Patterson (as Gretchel); „Swan Lake” by Staša Zurovac; „Burning Water” by Andonis Fonidakis, „Odyssey” by Walter Matteini.