Jumping the Gun to Build Human Towers

The traditional casteller-premiere - the date of spring when you start to see human towers being built in the squares of Catalonia – would normally be St. George's Day (el dia de Sant Jordi). This year, our team, Bordegassos de Vilanova, started early, on the Sunday, March 14, although the winter has refused to let go of its grip even here on the coast of the Mediterranean.

In retrospect, perhaps we should not have done so: We opened with a relatively stable 3de7, but had to start all over again (intent desmuntat) before we managed to build a 4de7 and a 4de6 amb l'agulla. In addition, we suffered a quite dramatic fall in the final round of pillars.

Both photos by Mayte Gomà

For me personally, however, it was a special day: I made my debut as agulla, which means you are literally in the middle of the crowd (pinya), supporting the knees of those who make up the tower's second level. It is apparently a very suitable position for those who - like me - are slim and above Catalan average height.

Our guests - els Minyons de Terrassa - are one of the four best teams of Catalonia and will in the summer regularly build human towers of nine levels. This early in the season, however, they limited themselves to seven and without the slightest problem assembled and disassembled 4de7, 5de7, 4de7 amb l'agulla and 3de7.

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Technorati tags: Castellers, Catalonia, Human Towers, Penedès, Vilanova