Trajes des Luces

Trajes des Luces: Suits of Lights
Level: 6th
Lesson submitted by Michelle Curio
Woodruff School
Seabrook, NJ 08302

TRAJES DES LUCES (SUITS OF LIGHTS)

The sport of bullfighting has been popular in Mexico since it Was brought to the New World by the Spanish in the 1 400'5. A bullfight is part sport, part art and part spectacle. The bullfight match, called a corrida, follows a specific order. The corrida begins with the paseillo (parade of the bullfighters). There are six bulls to be fought in separate matches Each corrida is divided into three parts or tercios. In the first tercio, the peones tempt the bull with their capes (Capatos) so the audience can appreciate the bull and the matador (expert bullfighter) can assess the bull's style. Then the picador appears to pierce the back of the bull with his steel lance to weaken the bull. In the second tercio, the banderilleros run at the bull and stick large darts into the back of the bull. This is intended to enliven the bull for the finale of the bullfight. The third tercio is when the bullfighter uses his muleta (small cape) to make passes at the bull. Finally, the matador kills the bull with a steel sword buried in the small of the bull's back. If the matador has performed especially well, the audience may call for him to be awarded trofeos (trophies) in the form of the ears or tail of the bull. The bull's body is dragged around the ring by mulillas on horseback, then the body will be butchered and sold

The participants in the bullfight, especially the matadors, wear colorful and elaborately decorated costumes called trajes des luces, or "suits of lights". The costume consists of tight, high-waisted, knee-length pants, a short bolero jacket, ruffled shirt and tie, stockings, and a flat black fur-covered hat. The sixth graders made matador "jumping lack" toys, for which they designed, colored and decorated their own versions of the trajes des luces.

SUGGESTED RESOURCES:
www.cris.com/~wfbeard/cc_photo.html
www.andalucia.com/bullfight/home.htm

Objectives: Students will:

become familiar with the sport of bullfighting and the costumes worn by the matadors, picadors, and bandielloros
make a jumping jack toy out of oaktag
decorate the toy with an original design for a traces des luces (suit of lights)
color the design with markers
decorate the design with metallic markers, glitter paints and sequins
assemble the toy so it has a jumping action

Vocabulary: matador, picador, bandielloro, capato, mulato, traces des luces.

Instructional Resources/Motivation: Art time line, world map, slides and reference pictures, bullfighters, finished sample projects, discussion/critique, demonstration.

Procedure:

Trace the pattern pieces onto the oaktag
Darw in the basic shapes of the traces des luces: jacket, pants, shpoes, hat, vest, short, tie. Draw in hair, facial features, fingers etc.
Add details in pencil to the clothing
Color the figure with marker, using a bright, high contrast color scheme
Decorate the figure with metallic markers, glitter paints and sequins.
Punch holes in the joints of the figure and attach with brass fasteners. Assemble the figure with string to provide a jumping action. Add red or purple fabric on one hand as a capato or mulato.

Evaluation: Did students:

become familiar with the sport of bullfighting, including costumes?
trace the pattern pieces to create the toy and draw in the basic outlines of the costume and face?
add details and patterns to the costume in pencil?
color the toy neatly with a bright, high contrast color scheme?
decorate the costume with a variety of materials?

Return to the Lesson Plan Index