Added: 11/16/2005 |
Everyone can learn bullfighting behaviour technique in special schoolsBullfighting or tauromachy (Spanish toreo, corrida de toros or tauromaquia; Portuguese tourada, corrida de touros or tauromaquia) is a sport that involves, most of the time, professional performers (generally called in Spanish toreros or matadores) who execute various formal moves with the goal of appearing graceful and confident, while masterful over the bull itself; these maneuvers are performed at close range, concluding (in Spanish-style bullfighting) with the death of the bull by a well-placed sword thrust as the finale.
It is a ritual spectacle that is usually designated in Spain as an art, for others as a sport, although there is no scoring or competition between human participants. Although there is a significant degree of skill, excellent knowledge of bullfighting behaviour technique and danger involved, the bulls are often physically compromised before or during the match.
The practice generates heated controversy in many areas of the world, including Spain where Bullfighting was born and mail rules of bullfighting behaviour technique were developed.
There is a short description of how bullfight proceeds on. The bullfight takes place in three parts (tercios). The first tercio belongs to the picadors who impale lances into the bull's neck, sometimes several times in the same wound. If the lance is thrust with sufficient force, the ten-centimetre wide ring on the shaft penetrates the wound and, through a lever effect, can break the bull's rib.
The banderillos enter the ring for the second tercio. They drive darts into the bull's flesh. The wounds they cause are not as deep (around 7 cm). The subsequent heavy loss of blood further weakens the bull.
The final part is the tercio de muerte. The matador armed with an estocada, an 85-centimetre long sword, rarely kills the bull at his first attempt, often plunging the sword three or four times into the bull before it finally succumbs.
An executioner, the puntillero, can be called into the ring to finish off the dying bull by severing its spinal cord.
Such scenario can seem cruel, but the descrition is right. Defenitely, this sport is not for all. However there are some sayings about it: "The matador and the bull equally risk death". Hemingway called it a grand passion, "the only art in which the artist is in danger of death."
One can be taught bullfighting behaviour technique as well as bullfighting movement technique in many special schools of bullfighting. There the very notorious and largely misunderstood science of bullfighting is what these men practice, and they do it very well. They enjoy helping others learn about it. The men in the background are matador de toros. The man in the foreground is an amateur.
In such schools pupils are trained in the classic manner; one on one with experienced instructors running the horns. There is extensive video analysis, classes on the culture, history of the fiesta and zoology of the fighting bull. Every course culminates in a tienta - a class with livestock and the student's first face to face encounter with the wild.
One of the most relevant changes of late is that has occurred in the making of bullfighters has been the increasingly humane role that the taurine schools are playing in the formation of the toreros. Today the aspiring toreros try their luck in a more rational manner. The luckiest aspirants belong to bullfighting families or have connections with promoters or have patrons -padrinos, who spend their money to provide them with opportunities to fight and learn the bullfighting behaviour technique of the trade.
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