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THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Sunday, February 26, 1956
"EL TORERO"
The Matador of Bravery and Daring is a Spanish National Hero
I
By SHIRLEY KLEIN
THE young prince charming, tall,
slender and handsome, walked
quietly into Madrid's Palace Ho-
tel.
Immediately the lobby began to
buzz; old men with diamond stick
pins, young students and working
men, American tourists flocked to
his side. In Spain such popular-
ity can mean one of several things,
a famous football player, a writ-
er or painter perhaps, or a bull-
fighter.
Julio Aparicio, Spain's foremost
matador, had just finished an af-
ternoon at the bull-ring, a bene-
fit performance for the poor at
Christmas time. One of the year's
big social as well as "athletic"
events, even Generalissimo Fran-
cisco Franco and his wife were
there. According to custom, many
lovely "senoritas" adorned their
heads with the traditional lacy
"mantilla." Tickets sold at prem-
ium prices.
And now, the young prince had
used his sword well, and his faith-
ful subjects had come to pay hom-
age,
So self-assured and brave at
the points of a bull's horns, the
nervous young man eagerly slipped
upstairs to relax and change from
his "traje de lures," a tightfitting
"suit of lights" worn during the
"corrida," often valued at hund-
reds of dollars, into his street
clothes.
Later he explained, "I always
dress here instead of at my home
because I don't want to worry my
mother." This way no "good-
byes" are said, and the youthful
torero feels this relieves some of
the pressure upon his parents.
"Mother wants me to retire
soon," he said. Mrs. Aparicio, like
concerned mothers the world over,
would prefer any oter career for
her son to bullfighting.
N OW 24, Julio began "toreando"
at the tendr ,ge of ten: Prac-
ticing on country farms rather
than attending the formal "Es-
cuela Taurina," or Bullfighting
School, in Madrid, he has always
been strongly attracted to this
dangerous career.
The likeable matador comes by
his talent naturally. 'Papa' was
a "banderillero," one who places
the wooden sticks ending in a har-
poon shaped steel point in the
bull's withers, until he was badly
gored and had to retire.
Shirley Klein, '56 spent last
year in Madrid studying and
meeting people like Julio Ap-
arieio, to whom she was intro-
duced by a bullfighting "afi-
eiondo," devote of the sport.
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BLUSHING furiously and tearing
z up little bits of paper e
whole time, the serene, composed
killer of bulls, whose parents used
N to run a beauty shop, revealed him-
self as a reticent young man.
Asked how many ears, tails, and
h hoofs he had cut (these are award-
ed the matador in accordance with
the excellence of his performance),
;y'p, he modestly answered, "I've nev-
. .>,.?er counted them."
f wWe know, however, that in his
first fight in Madrid, before he
had even taken the "alternativa"
to become a full fledged matador,
he cut an ear, and within that
* 'week he had cut two from another
' animal. As to his favorite pass
with the cape or the muleta, he
explained, "As long as I fight well,
the pass doesn't matter."
During the winter, when the
bullfighting season is at a stand-
aM'still except for the annual char-
ity "corrida," Julio says, "I rest,
I sleep, I eat." Hut he also keepa
on shape by doing gymnastics and
4' "toreando" with calves on the
Lucrative monetarily are his
fights in Lima, Bogota, and other
r cities in South America, during
} Spain's cold weather. "I earn
more money there," he comment-
JULIO APARICIO at left triumphantly holds up two ears cut from the bull, after he has performed ed. In 1951 and 1953 he stopped
a particularly good "corrida." At right is shown a young newcomer, Carlos Gomez. The picture in New York City and called it
shows the elaborately embroidered cape and official costume of the matador. "muy bonita."
Born when his mother was six-
Like any other tempermental composer's or sculptor's, for ex- ways enter to ask the blessing of teen, Julio has one younger sister.
young artist, Julio has his good ample. Sometimes there is no God." As for marriage, Spain's most POP-
and bad days. In 1952 he had remedy . .. Asked if he was superstitious, ular matador claims that he "will
four or five of the closest shaves But "now after so much time the dark, lithe torero replied, wait." "I am not going to marry
of his career, two of which took I don't really worry," he com- "Regular." Other noted matadors until I retire," he smiled. And
place on the isle of Mallorca and mented seriously, "I worry per- such as "El Gallo" are known to how long will he continue his ca-
another in Mexico. The off-day haps, but it is not fear." There have refused to fight if they reer . . . "Well, that depends on
or mistake in bullfighting, how- is a chapel in every "Plaza de spotted an ill omen enroute to the desires and luck." "Perhaps I'd
ever, is harder to remedy than a Toros," and, Julio confided, "I al- Plaza, like to raise brave bulls after that."
Flamencan Dance In Am erica
AM
By RE. E GNAMi Vt IF U H T U
ByEN dance is like a 1TS INTEIPUETOU:
beautiful,affectionate woman
that one not only loves but is CiA
both dedicated and devoted to."
This is the opinion of Carlos
Cortes, second only to Jose Greco CORTES, who has studied, taught took a dancing lesson in his life,
in the field of Spanish dancing in and performed Flamenco dance sought Miss Denis, ethnic dance
America. from Ann Arbor to Hollywood, specialist who is credited with hav-
. "Flamenco dance," says Cortes' lists the Spanish gypsies as hav- ing created modern ballet.
"is a dance of the Spanish gyp- ing two styles of dancing: Miss Denis informed Cortes that
sies. The spirit of the dance is "One is a stilted, reserved form he not only had excellent ability
hard to boil down in a few words." that is used in public." The other as a dancer, but that he was also
Among the Spanish gypsies, it is style occurs when the gypsy danc- a note dancer.
not a novelty to, be a dancer or ers ". . . let themselves go"-this A note dancer is a person who
singer. "Dunce and music areAnoedcrisapsnwh
thought to be a cultural tradition only when they perform with their is capable of dancing not only
of these gypsies," many of whom own people, with the rhythm, but on the notes
spend a major portion of their Plymouth, Mich., born Cortes as well-considered a near im-
lives dancing, knows what he is talking about. possibility. Most dancers dance
Of those who make dancing and In dancing shoes even before high only with the rhythm, ignoring
singing their occupation, "..a school, he is now considered one the notes.
single gypsy family may compose of the foremost Spanish dancers. She told Cortes that there was
an entire Spanish Flamenco dance It was only three years ago that only one other note dancer in his-
company. In this case, some Cortes took up dancing in earn- tory. Further research proves that
dance, some sing, and some play est, and it was only after encour- dancer to be Vaslav Nijinsky, pop-
the guitar for accompaniment. agement from Ruth St. Denis that ularly considered the greatest
"Until the last 15 years," Cortes he began studying Flamencan dancer of all time,
points out, "the Spanish gypsies dance, now his specialty. With Ruth St. Denis' encourag-
cornered the Flamenco market. ing evaluation of his capabilities,
They wouldn't teach the dance to IN ORDER to test his ability as Cortes decided to abandon Haitian
anyone but a Spanish gypsy." a dancer, Cortes, who never dance and concentrate on Flam-
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enco, a dance form which he had
admired early in life.
CORTES, also a self -taught
choreographer, next sought
Julia Stewart, a Santa Monican,
authority on Spanish dance di-
rection and choreography.
Miss Stewart told him he was
one of the most natural dancers
she had ever seen. His choreo-
graphy, she said, was capable and
spontaneous with provocative var-
lations. She suggested that Cortes
visit Eduardo Cansino, a Holly-
wood dance specialist, for an ev-
aluation.
After Cortes had danced for
Cansino, the latter's first state-
ment was, "Young man, I have
nothing to teach you."
Now in Ann Arbor, Cortes is
planning a future South American
dance tour with a company of his
own.
A GUEST instructor of Flamenco
during the University's 1955
summer session, he also danced
for La Sociedad Hispanica, a Uni-
versity Spanish club. Last sum-
mer he performed at an Interna-
tional Center Tea, and did a guest
appearance on WUOM-TV.
Cortes has been invited to do an-
other WUOM-TV program, sched-
uled for March or April.
This show will combine the
Flamenco with Spanish symphonic
music, a type dancing seldom done
in Spain-never in America.
Cortes has completed his own
choreography for the program.
One of Cortes' sidelines is sculp-
turing. While a radioman in the
Army Air Corps, Cpl. Cortes picked
up oil painting. In 1947. he be-
came interested in sculpturing and
hasn't done much painting since,
preferring to concentrate on sculp-
tured portraits and figurines.
Sculpturing, however, is merely
an avocation. Flamenco, to Cor-
tes, is life itself.
s