The toros is one of the most popular and ancient shows in Spain, and one of our country’s most famous traditions in the world. It started in the XVIIIth century, involving a man on foot who has to lidiar (battle) a fighting bull in a precinct called Plaza de toros. It is one of the events you cannot miss if you are undertaking a Spanish course in Spain.
The corrida is divided in three distinct stages or thirds. The first part, or lancing stage, involves the lidia of the bull with the objective to check the animal’s strength and behaviour. This is when the cape’s good luck is put to test, the most famous techniques are the verónica, the chicuelina or the porte gayola.
A torero performing a veronica
Next comes the part of the banderillas, one of the most spectacular moments in the corrida, when the banderilleros stick the banderillas (decorated and barbed wooden sticks) in the bulls’ back, to excite the animal before the last part of the corrida.
The last third (third of death) is when the bullfighter shows all his art and skill during the fight opposing him directly to the bull, the faena, before the death of the animal. It is the most transcendental part of the bullfight and it is when the bullfighter shows his best moves. After the faena, when the torero shows his mastering of the art, comes the death of the bull with the estoque or sword. When the lidia is finished, the public expresses its opinion about the bullfighter’s performance with whistles or silence if it was not good and applause or ovation if it was pleasing. The maximum satisfaction for a bullfighter is to go out through the big door, which means that his corrida was exceptionally good. To get there he needs to be awarded at least two ears from the total awards he receives for the two bulls assigned to him. The ears are awarded by the president of the plaza, who also has to judge all the messages expressed by the enthusiasts: the whistles, the silence, the applause from the public, and even the raised white handkerchiefs.
In Spain there are Plazas de toros in almost all cities, even-though the most important ones are in Las Ventas de Madrid and the Maestranza de Sevilla. Other first category Plazas are the ones from Bilbao, Córdoba, Málaga, San Sebastián, Valencia and Zaragoza. If you are in one of these cities to undertake a Spanish course do not hesitate to go and experience this great tradition in our country.
Image torero. Yonderboy. http://bit.ly/x1NXCV
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