The Bullfight

1
The Bullfight

• A Tradition
• Embedded in Spanish Culture
• By Zak Danison

2
The Bullfight

• History of Bullfighting in Spain
• The spectacle of bullfighting has existed in one
  form or another since ancient days
• Wall painting unearthed at Knossos in Crete,
  dating from about 2000 BC
• Bullfights were popular spectacles in ancient
  Rome

3
The Bullfight

• History of Bullfighting in Spain (cont.)
• The Moors from North Africa changed bullfighting
  significantly
• Bullfighting was originally done on horseback and
  was reserved for aristocracy

4
The Bullfight

• The Toro Bravo
• Only conserved in Spain
• Many civilizations revered the bull
• The Bible reports on sacrifices of bulls in honor
  of divine justice
• Bulls played role in religious ceremonies of the
  Iberian tribes

5
The Bullfight

• Plaza de Toros (bull ring)
• Originated from Celtic-Iberian temples
• Bulls sacrificed to gods
• Greek and Roman influences convert it into a
  spectacle

6
The Bullfight

• Modern corrida began to take form
• Today the bullfight is much the same as it has
  been since about 1726
• Francisco Romero of Ronda, Spain
• estoque (the sword)
• muleta (the small cape used in last part of
  fight).

7
The Bullfight

• The Spectacle (corrida)
• 3 Matadors, 6 Bulls
• Banderilleros Picadors (assistants)
• Paso Doble (march rhythm) music
• Costume
• Silk Jacket
• Montera (hat)
• Traje de Luces (suit of lights)

8
The Bullfight

• The Spectacle (cont.)
• Toril (bull pen gate)
• Bull is greeted with a series of maneuvers or
  passes
• Veronicas (basic cape maneuver)
• named after the woman who held out a cloth to
  Christ on his way to the crucifixion

9
The Bullfight

• The Spectacle (cont.)
• Fighting bulls charge anything that moves
• Centuries of breeding
• Bulls selected for corrida live one year longer
• Novilleros (beginners)
• Fight bulls at least 3 years old
• Full Matadors
• Fight bulls at least 4 years old

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The Bullfight

• The Spectacle (cont.)
• Part 2 of corrida
• Picadors
• Wear flat brimmed hats (castorenos)
• Silver-embroidered jackets
• Steel leg-armour
• Banderilleros
• Work on foot
• Banderillas (brightly adorned, barbed sticks)

11
The Bullfight

• The Spectacle (cont.)
• Part 3 of corrida (faena)
• Trumpet sounds
• Aficionados (ardent fans)

12
The Bullfight

• Basic Muleta Passes
• Trincherazo - one knee on the ground and at the
  beginning of the faena
• Pase de la firma - moving the cloth in front of
  the bull's nose while the fighter remains
  motionless
• The Manoletina (invented by Manolete) where the
  muleta is held behind the body
• The Natural - taking the sword out of the muleta
  , thereby reducing the target size

13
Manolete (1917-1947)
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Manolete

• 1930 (13yrs old)
• Makes public debut
• June 1939
• "Novillero"(novice)
• July 1939
• "alternativa - Seville
• Ocober 1939
• Confirms alternativa (doctorate matador) - Madrid

15
Manolete

• 1945 - Fights
• Spain
• Seville
• Alicante
• Bilboa
• Barcelona
• Madrid
• Mexico
• Peru
• Venezuela
• Columbia

16
Manolete

• Intense rivalry with Mexican,Carlos Arruza Luis
  Miguel Dominguin
• Was challenged in public
• Won the fight but lost his life

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OTHER GREAT MATADORS

• Rodolfo Gaona
• Armillita (Fermín Espinosa)
• Arruza, of Mexico
• Belmonte, Manolete, and Antonio Ordoñez, of Spain
• Americans
• Sidney Franklin and John Fulton Short
• Women
• Patricia McCormick of the U.S.
• Conchita Cintrón of Spain

18
Big Business

• Over 1 Billion in ticket sales annually
• Million dollar salaries for top matadors
• Paid with injuries / lives
• Fight up to 100 corridas / year
• Carlos Arruza
• 33 fights in one month

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THE END (ouch!)