Xiquets Copenhagen
Xiquets Copenhagen is an international colla castellera in Copenhagen, Denmark with an interest in building and promoting human towers, 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. 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, and even shared performances with mutual help in the construction of the respective castells.
Main performances
Since its formation, Xiquets Copenhagen have participated in several diades. 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 |
| 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 |
The first castells of 6 (2018 - present)
October 2018, Tarragona:The team signed its best performance to that date during the II International Day. Xiquets built its first castle of 6 levels ever, a 3d6* that had previously been unsuccessful.
*Can be read as three of six i.e. 3 people per level, 6 levels high.June 2019, Copenhagen:
First 4d6, second 3d6 and a fan of 4 during the III International Human Towers Festival in the Rosenborg Castle Gardens. First time the colla built two castells of 6 in the same diada.October 2022, Tarragona:
Second 4d6 of the colla during the XXVIII Human Tower Competition of Tarragona. First performance after the pandemic.
Castells: id3d6, id3d6, id4d6, 4d6, pd4June 2023, Copenhagen:
First 4d6a and first time the colla achieved three castells of 6 on the same day, during the IV International Human Towers Festival, held in Copenhagen.
Castells: 3d6, 4d6, 4d6a, 2xpd4October 2023, Mataró:
First joint performance with the godfather colla, Capgrossos de Mataró at the Diada de Sant Simó.
Castells: id3d6, id3d6, 4d6, 3d6, pd4.June 2024, Copenhagen:
Best performance in the colla's history to date in celebration of the colla's 10th anniversary. First 5d6 and second 4d6a, along with the 3d6.
Castells: pd4, 3d6, 4d6a, id5d6, 5d6, pd4October 2024, Tarragona:
In October that same year, Xiquets repeated the same performance in Tarragona, during the International Diada within the XXIX Concurs de castells
Castells: 3d6, 5d6, id2d6, 4d6aMay 2025, Berlin:
The V International Human Towers Festival, held in Berlin in May 2025, gathered up to 10 colles and more than 400 castellers. Xiquets' performance with a 5d6 in the first round, an id4d7 in the second round and the colla's first ever 2d6. In the repetition round, Xiquets attempted again the 4d7, which fell with acotxadora in position and enxaneta at the level of thirds. All was preceded with an entry pd4.
Castells: pd4, 5d6, id4d7, 2d6, i4d7October 2025, Mataró:
Second joint performance with Capgrossos de Mataró. The colla completed their first ever 3d6a, followed by a 4d6a and 3d6. Xiquets also tried twice the 4d6 with only women in the truck, which were dismantled before completing them.
Castells: 3d6a, id4d6, 4d6a, id4d6, 3d6, pd4.