Castellers de Berga

Detail of the Castellers de Berga shirt and symbol

The Castellers de Berga (Catalan pronunciation: [kəstəˈʎez ðə ˈβeɾɣə]) are a colla castellera, or human tower team, based in Berga with members from throughout El Berguedà and beyond. They were founded in 2012. Their shirt is navy blue. To date, the Castellers de Berga have achieved high-range seven-level constructions and on October 1, 2016, they achieved their first eight-level castell.^[1]

The Castellers de Berga practicing at their headquarters, the Cinema Catalunya

History

Although El Berguedà is not a region where castells are traditionally built, in 2011 a group of people from Berga (many of whom had experience participating in university teams) decided to create a new colla based in the town. Their first performance was on May 1, 2012, and their so-called "baptism"—their first official performance with colored shirts—was on July 7 of the same year.^[2] After building only six-level constructions their first year, the colla moved on to seven-level castells in 2013. In 2016, they began to practice eight-level castells.

In 2015, the colla appeared extensively in the news documentary program Welt Spiegel on German public television. The program associated the tradition of castells with the Catalan independence movement.^[3]

The Castellers de Berga have been based in a series of different buildings, including a school and a garage in Berga and a theatre in Cal Rosal, a former industrial colony a few miles south of Berga. However, in 2015 they moved to the Cinema Catalunya, a historic movie theatre on the main street in Berga's old town.^[4]

In 2016, the Castellers de Berga achieved their first eight-level castell at the bi-annual castell competition in Tarragona, where they were the newest colla to participate.

Calendar

The Colla organizes a series of castell performances, or diades, in Berga each year. Their principal performance is the Diada dels Quatre Fuets, held in Berga's main square (the Plaça Sant Pere) the weekend before the Patum festival. They also build castells on May 1 for the May Day fair held every year in Berga, and they organize a diada in the beginning of July to mark the anniversary of the colla's baptism. Finally, in October they perform in Berga as part of the town's annual Festa del Bolet, or mushroom festival.

In order to raise money for their activities and to encourage group cohesion, the Castellers de Berga also organize a series of cultural activities each year, including a craft fair,^[5] an urban obstacle course^[6] or concerts.^[7]

References

↑ "El primer castell de 8 pisos". Castellers de Berga (in Catalan). 2 October 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
↑ Orriols, Núria (July 8, 2012). "Berga ja té colla castellera" (in Catalan). Regió 7. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
↑ Torreño, Josep. "Castells i independència en un televisió alemanya". Món casteller (in Catalan).
↑ "Una temporada de cine". Castellers de Berga (in Catalan). 1 February 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
↑ "La Paradeta". Castellers de Berga (in Catalan). Castellers de Berga. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
↑ "La Contracorrent". La Contracorrent (in Catalan). Castellers de Berga. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
↑ "Castellers de Berga". Castellers de Berga (in Catalan). Retrieved 5 June 2016.

External links

http://castellersdeberga.blogspot.com.es/ The Colla's official webpage(Catalan)
https://www.youtube.com/user/CastellersdeBerga The Colla's YouTube channel with videos of performances.
http://www.naciodigital.cat/bergueda/noticies/etiqueta/Castellers+de+Berga News on the Castellers de Berga.

Groups of castellers (currently active)

Groups of the extra range

Castellers de Barcelona Capgrossos de Mataró Castellers de Sants Castellers de Vilafranca Colla Jove Xiquets de Tarragona Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls Minyons de Terrassa Xiquets de Tarragona

Groups of nine levels

Bordegassos de Vilanova Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia Castellers de Sabadell Castellers de Terrassa Xiquets de Reus

Groups of eight levels

High range	Castellers de Lleida Castellers de Sant Cugat Marrecs de Salt Moixiganguers d'Igualada Nens del Vendrell Sagals d'Osona Xicots de Vilafranca Xics de Granollers

Basic range	Al·lots de Llevant Castellers de Cornellà Castellers de la Sagrada Família Castellers de Mallorca Castellers del Poble Sec Colla Castellera de Sant Pere i Sant Pau Colla de Castellers d'Esplugues Colla Jove de Castellers de Sitges Margeners de Guissona Minyons de l'Arboç Tirallongues de Manresa Xiquets de Hangzhou Xiquets del Serrallo

Groups of seven levels

High range	Carallots de Sant Vicenç dels Horts Castellers d'Altafulla Castellers de Badalona Castellers de Berga Castellers de Castelldefels Castellers de Cerdanyola Castellers d'Esparreguera Castellers de Gavà Castellers del Riberal Castellers de Sant Feliu Colla Castellera de Figueres Colla Castellera Jove de Barcelona Colla Jove de l'Hospitalet Colla Jove Xiquets de Vilafranca Nois de la Torre Nyerros de la Plana Salats de Súria Vailets de l'Empordà

Basic range	Brivalls de Cornudella Castellers de Caldes de Montbui Castellers de l'Alt Maresme Castellers de Lo Prado Castellers de Mollet Castellers de les Roquetes Castellers de Rubí Castellers de Santa Coloma Castellers de Solsona Matossers de Molins de Rei Torraires de Montblanc Xerrics d'Olot

Groups of six levels

High range	Angelets del Vallespir Esperxats de l'Estany Castellers de Santpedor Castellers de Viladecans Pallagos del Conflent Ses Talaies de Formentera Xiquets de Cambrils

Basic range	Castellers d'Andorra Els Encantats de Begues Minyons de Santa Cristina Vailets de Gelida

Note: Groups that have crowned (italics) or completed at least a tower of the range. Towers with 3 and 4 people per level belong to the basic range.

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