Bullfighting and Flamenco in Seville
By Anna Lynn Sibal
Bullfighting and flamenco are emblems of Spanish culture. They symbolize the passionate flame that burns in the heart of Spain. Many tourists are drawn to the country just to witness the dancing of the flamenco and the matadors at work in bullfighting. If these two are your reasons to visit Spain, there is only one place to go to watch flamenco and to be a spectator at a bullfighting event, and that is none other than Seville.
Seville is the Birthplace of Flamenco
Beautiful, mysterious women clad in flamboyant ruffled dresses, their hair swept up and pinned with flowers to one side, their hands holding a vividly painted fan and sometimes castanets, swaying to the beat of the music whose notes are plucked from the strings of an acoustic guitar or with the clapping of the hands, moving as if tortured with passion burning from within, every gesture fiery, graceful and at times seductive. This is the image one commonly has of flamenco dancing.
Flamenco is a dance of mysterious origins, though many say that the art was born in the city of Seville. The dance blends flavors coming from different influences – Roman, Jewish, Moorish, Gypsy and even French. There are many ways that the flamenco is danced, and some shows have become choreographed to suit the expectations of tourists.
The true flamenco, however, is not found in the dance hall or in the theater. It is seen mostly during the feria season, in April of every year around Easter. It is performed on the streets sometimes, and mostly by people who are not really performers. Flamenco is a dance of passion, danced at times to songs of lament, and oftentimes danced impromptu.
Bullfighting is Another Passion of Sevillanos
Bullfighting, while a source of controversy all over the world, is nonetheless a spectacle that holds a special place in the traditions of Seville. In this sport, called corrida de toros in Spanish, the matadors display their courage and their mastery over the bulls they fight. The movements they use are highly ritualized and very graceful. The grace the matadors themselves show during the bullfight is a marvel in itself, for the danger of death is real in the bullring and one wrong move by the matador can result to his goring by the bull’s horns.
The spectacle of bullfighting can trace its origins from the worship and sacrifice of bulls. It was a form of worship exercised by the Romans, and the practice itself may have been an influence of the Greeks upon their conquerors. In the early days, bullfighting was considered to be the sport of the nobles, performed as part of the celebrations in religious festivities and in weddings among noble families.
Today, bullfighting is a sport enjoyed by most Sevillanos. The bullfights are held at the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza, a massive, yellow-colored edifice by the river. The season of bullfights is generally during the months of April to September, excluding July and August.
Bullfighting and flamenco are very much part of the culture that makes Seville stand out. They are arts born of the flame of passion. If you want to see how the flamenco is danced and how bullfighting is done, the only place that you should go to is Seville.
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