El Juli receiving his alternativa--2008

I have been looking for footage of El Juli's alternativa in Nimes, France for some time and finally found it. I have watched him closely since 1998 when he started, and knew he had passed his alternativa this year, but couldn't find footage. A Matador starts his career known as a Novillero or novice Matador, after 10 years of learning and "easy" bulls he takes his "alternativa" a ceremony in which a novice Matador graduates to Matador de Toros, when he fights corrida or bulls 4 years old or older. How's that for a heck of a "standard", 10 years of learning and hard knocks. A number of times he uses an Arrucina pass, with the muleta held in the right hand behind his legs to taunt the bull. The move is named after it's inventor Carlos Arruza At the end of a long after noon the talented young man was awarded 2 ears and a tail.



Below is an exhibit set up detailing El Juli's novillero career up to his alternativa. Imagine judged against other greats of the craft, and after 10 years given the opportunity to "put up or shut" up. I had 1984 and the Greatest Show on Earth locked in my head the day I joined the circus. In an industry with a standard and an "apprenticeship" of 10 years skill is obvious and not as a rule debatable, or patched with "cute and charming."