Bullfighting as an Art form
What is the allure of bullfighting? The essence of the art of bullfighting is the tension evoked by witnessing a matador gamble with his life before a powerful and wild animal.. The resolution of that tension with the death or pardoning of the bull is the reward. The passion comes from a timeless appreciation of the intimate, dangerous, graceful dance of death which occurs between man and beast.

The dance of death between matador and bull is replete with symbolism. Death is ubiqutous on the sands of the bullring like death is pervasive in nature and always will be. Further, the ritualistic killing of the bull harks back to strong creationist mythology of sacrificial deaths to appease God. Lastly, the paso doble between bull and man is an allegory to the desperate love between two star-crossed lovers (ala Romeo and Juliette), whose devotion and trust creates a situation where each has in his hands the potential for his partners life or death.

The bipolar sensations that typically fill up the bullfighting atmosphere are arousal, anxiety, forewarning which intermingle with awe, overflowing joy and solemn passion. When both bull and matador are in sync, the dance of death can move even a Latino machismo man to tears.

Guillermo Alban, Ecuadorian Matador du jour
GoEcuador.com had the great honor of meeting with Guillermo Alban, who, without a doubt, is currently the most admired Ecuadorian figure in the bullfighting world. Alban, who was the winner of the trophy Jesus del Gran Poder 2000 , is here to participate in this years edition of the festival and will try to reclaim the trophy.

Guillermo was born September 15th, 1971, in Guayaquil, a city not known for its the bullfighting tradition. As a child born of the landed gentry, Guillermo had the pleasure of growing up on farms both on the coast and in the Andes. His first love was horses and not the bulls. Thanks to his parents who are great fans of the Fiesta Brava, Guillermo in his teens gravitated to the cult of the bull.