BY DALE PIERCE

 

When the secular world thinks of jugglers the general impression is that of a street comic riding a unicycle or circus clowns tossing balls in some big top travelling show. Those more familiar with the art know there is more to it than these stereo­types. But even among the most knowledgeable aficionados, one group stands out. This is Cordoba Taurina, an act which combines juggling, clowning and comedy with the ever-present spectre of death.

 

The troupe's leader is Juan Muros, a former bullfighter who fought seriously for several years on foot. He eventually found more profit in organizing a comedy team than he did as an actual matador. Cordoba Taurina is now a collective title for a group of clowns, midgets and amateur toreros who have become one of the hottest items around, earning more than many top matadors. 

 

In spite of the comic overtones of the group, which translates as Cordoba-Styled Bullfighting (tongue in cheek, as Cordoba has been considered the traditional birthplace of most of Spain's greatest bullfighters), Muros and the others involved are quick to point out the dangers involved. Though the animals they face are smaller than those in major bullfights, they can still do damage. While they do their act for laughs, the peril is never far away. A few years ago, one comic bullfighter was killed in the ring.

 

So how does juggling fit in with the act? To fully understand, you must see it, and the act might be difficult for the average juggler to find. They have been more active in Spain than anywhere else, but have occasionally taken their show on the road. In America you might search for Cordoba Taurina in northern California, where "bloodless bullfights" have become popular.

 

Muros explained that the juggling bit began by accident when one of the clowns,

looking for a new way to get laughs, did a quick hand-shifting move with the banderillas, flags which were placed in the bull's back during the course of the action. Since the banderillas don't contain prongs as in the official bullfights, they fall out or spring about crazily when placed, providing laughs rather than screams from the crowd. The audience found the banderilla hand shuffie hilarious, and ever since then there has been an effort to include it in the act.

 

The clowns juggle the banderillas as the situation presents itself, at times standing and at other times sitting in front of the bull. The performance varies with each animal as sometimes the expected maneuvers become too risky to attempt. When a bull is reluctant to charge cleanly, or has a habit of lurching to one side (they favor one horn just as a boxer usually favors one hand), the juggling can become extremely dangerous. Before the bullfighter can do his juggling routine, the animal has to be fairly tired, offering some assurance it will not crash headfirst into the performer. It is always a judgment call, and sometimes poorly made.

 

Muros explained there are always helpers waiting to make a rescue, and lead the bull away if a comic gets tossed, thrown or gored. The only problem is, by the time the rescue is made, much of the damage is done.

 

As a man who has been involved with serious bullfighting as well as its comic side, it is the job of Juan Muros to give advice and act as director for those in the ring. Having seen his fill of injuries, triumphs and tragedies, he knows full-well that the penalties for errors are high.

 

"They practice very much," Muros explained. "Even though this is comedy, it is a serious thing. When you juggle out there, you are juggling with death. Some people would consider them crazy, but that is what the people pay to see us do."

 

Most jugglers, professional and amateur, would be inclined to agree. But most would not trade places with Cordoba  Taurina. For while the worst that can happen to most jugglers is to drop a few things in front of a crowd, the stakes for Cordoba Taurina are much higher.