However, a troupe of matadors in Mexico are making people look at bullfighting in a very different way.
This group of dwarf bullfighters is delivering its own version of the Spanish tradition - and it's no small feat.
Small and mighty: Dwarf bull fighters Osvaldo Hernandez and Jorge Vega (right) thank the audience
Matadwarfs: Osvaldo Hernandez takes on a calf during a bull fight in Cancun
The Enanitos Toreros are a group of six comedians from Yucatan who travel across Mexico entertaining audiences and carrying on a tradition born in Spain along with regular bullfighting.
The dwarfs - or 'little people' as some prefer to be called - have been entertainers for centuries, having been excluded by discrimination or their height handicap from many everyday professions.
Throwing down the gauntlet: Osvaldo Hernandez (left) and Jorge Vega wear pantomime-style dummy horses while challenging a calf
Just for fun: The Enanitos Toreros are a group of six comedians from Yucatan who travel across Mexico entertaining audiences
Unlike traditional bullfights, the animals are not harmed, and calves are used instead of full-size bulls.
Mexico's dwarf bullfighters not only carry on the Spanish tradition, but they also showcase their skill and comic artistry.
While the young bullocks they use are half the weight of regular fighting bulls, they are bred to be particularly aggressive and, for those small in stature, can be just as frightening and dangerous as the real thing
Little performer: Dwarf bullfighter Jorge Vega waits in the ring, as the audience watches
All in a day's work: Jorge Vega sits on a calf at the end of the show
However, unlike traditional bullfights, the animals are unharmed.
There are almost 20 dwarf bullfighting troupes in Mexico and many of them tour the United States to perform for migrant workers.
Matadors in Mexico can earn about $100 for each show.
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