# Xiquets Copenhagen

Xiquets Copenhagen is an international colla castellera in Copenhagen, Denmark with an interest in building and promoting human towers (castells), a tradition originating in Catalonia and recognised as a UNESCO Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The team's identifying color is navy blue, and it consists of more than 70 members from more than 10 different nationalities.

## History

Xiquets Copenhagen was officially founded in 2014 by Søren Sandahl, a dane who had been a casteller member in the Arreplegats de la Zona Universitària team during a stay in Catalonia. When he returned to Denmark, he suggested the creation of a group at the Catalan Cultural Center of Copenhagen (CatalansDK). The group was established as a multicultural organization with the goal of promoting the tradition of human towers in Denmark by holding open rehearsals and organizing public performances. Currently, rehearsals take place in Nørrebro, at Nørrebro Park Skole's gym, every Sunday from 14:30 to 17:00.
The trainings and social activities of Xiquets Copenhagen were paused during the Covid pandemic. However, the team has since seen a huge growth in number of members and quality of the constructions, achieving several castells of 6 levels on a yearly basis.
In 2022, Xiquets Copenhagen and Capgrossos de Mataró, one of the biggest teams in Catalonia, built official ties between the teams, with the latter becoming Xiquets' godfathers. The relationship has since flourished, with Capgrossos helping Xiquets with technical tips, equipment and social events, with even shared performances and a lot of help in the construction of the respective castells.

## Performances

Since its formation, Xiquets Copenhagen have participated in several diades (human towers performances), highlighting the International Diades in Tarragona and in Copenhagen, and the Xiquets' 10th birthday anniversary. During these diades, Xiquets often perform together with other international colles and the mentioned Capgrossos de Mataró.

### Early years (2014 - 2017)

During the first years of Xiquets, the team performed in several events and diades, regularly building castells of five levels and their first pillars of 4. Their two main performances those years were the II International Day in Tarragona in 2016 and the II International Human Towers Festival in Paris, in 2017.
| Date | Event |
| 31 July 2014 | Helsingør Festival, with Xiquets de l’Alster and Castellers de Sants |
| 13 June 2015 | Gårdfest |
| 24 April 2016 | Sant Jordi at Borough Market, with Castellers of London |
| 1 October 2016 | II International Day (as part of the XVII Human Tower Festival of Tarragona) |
| 3 June 2017 | II International Human Tower Festival in Paris |
| 30 August 2017 | Inauguration of the Catalan Government Delegation in Denmark and in the Nordic countries |
| 25-28 April 2019 | 32nd Aplec Internacional of Adifolk in Copenhagen, with Xiquets de Tarragona (during the 48 Timer Festival of Nørrebro) |

### The first castells of 6 (2018 - present)
#### 2018

The team signed its best performance to that date during the II International Day (as a part of the XXVII Human Tower Festival of Tarragona). Xiquets built its first castle of 6 levels ever, a 3d6* that had previously been unsuccessful.
*Can be read as three of six (tres de sis in Catalan) i.e. 3 people per level, 6 levels high.

#### 2019

Less than a year later, Xiquets broke again their own record, this time in Copenhagen, during the III International Human Towers Festival. The team built their very first 4d6, their second 3d6 and a fan of 4 (vof4) on 9 June 2019 in the Rosenborg Castle Gardens. This was the first time Xiquets successfully built two castells of 6 during the same diada.
* Xiquet's first ever 3of6
* Xiquet's first ever 4of6
* Team picture in Copenhagen in June 2019

#### 2022

In October 2022, during the III International Day in Tarragona, Xiquets Copenhagen built their second ever 4d6. Apart from it, Xiquets unsuccessfully tried twice the 3d6 and once the 4d6. The performance ended with a pillar of 4. This was the first performance after the pandemic.
Castells: id3d6, id3d6, id4d6, 4d6, pd4

#### 2023

In June 2023, during the IV International Human Towers Festival, also celebrated in Copenhagen, Xiquets Copenhagen managed to build three castells of 6 on the same day for the first time ever. That was thanks to the construction of the team's first 4d6a. On top, Xiquets finished the performance with two simultaneous pd4. The teams from Paris, London, Edinburgh and Berlin also participated in the diada.
Castells: 3d6, 4d6, 4d6a, 2xpd4
* 3d6
* 4d6
* The team's first ever 4d6a. Picture of the pillar inside the 4d6
* Ronda de pilars conjunta
In October 2023, Capgrossos invited Xiquets to their Diada de Sant Simó, in Mataró. This was the first time the two colles performed together.
Castells: id3d6, id3d6, 4d6, 3d6, pd4

#### 2024

In June 2024, Xiquets celebrated their 10th anniversary with a diada in Nørrebro. The performance also counted with Castellers de Berlin. The diada became the best performance ever for Xiquets, after successfully building two pd4, a very solid 3d6, their second ever 4d6a, and their first ever 5d6.
Castells: pd4, 3d6, 4d6a, 5d6, pd4
* pd4
* 3d6
* 4d6a
* First ever 5d6 in Xiquets' history

## Castells achieved

| Castell | D | id | First achieved |
| 3d6 | 5 | 4 | Tarragona, October 2018 |
| 4d6 | 4 | 1 | Copenhagen, June 2019 |
| 4d6a | 3 | | Copenhagen, June 2023 |
| 5d6 | 2 | 1 | Copenhagen, June 2024 |
| 2d6 | | 1 | - |
* D indicates a completed attempt. Built and brought it down.
* C indicates a castell that was built, but collapsed before bringing it down.
* id indicates a dismantled attempt (not crowned but it did not collapse).