Figueres a Escena

How Catalan Castellers Bring Our Community Together

A casteller is part of a human tower: a member of a Catalan tradition in which people climb onto one another’s shoulders to create a living structure of remarkable height and balance. The spectacle is striking, but the meaning reaches further than the tower itself. Every person has a role, from the strong base to the children who form the upper levels and the team that supports the climbers below.

At Figueres a Escena, community events are a chance to share this tradition through performance, conversation, movement and participation. Teatre El Jardí and Sala La Cate provide welcoming spaces where audiences can encounter Catalan culture alongside theatre, music, dance, cinema, opera, circus and family programming.

The word castells means castles, yet there is no competition to conquer an audience through noise or bravado. The emphasis is trust, preparation and collective responsibility. A tower succeeds because people listen carefully, hold their position and protect one another. Those values make the tradition especially meaningful in a community arts setting.

For Australian audiences, the closest point of connection may be a local festival, school showcase or neighbourhood gathering where everyone contributes to making something happen. Think of the camaraderie of a footy club, the patient rehearsal of a school concert and the shared energy of a multicultural street festival, brought together in one carefully coordinated performance.

The Human Tower As A Shared Story

A castells presentation usually begins with the pinya, the dense foundation of participants at ground level. This base absorbs pressure, steadies the structure and gives confidence to those above. Rather than treating the people at the centre as background figures, we draw attention to their essential work.

The tower then rises in stages, with different ages and abilities contributing to its shape. Children may appear near the top because their lightness allows the construction to grow, while experienced adults provide stability and guidance. The result is a visible story about interdependence: the highest point is possible only because of the many people beneath it.

This is a useful idea for community events in Figueres. A concert, workshop or family show also depends on a network of unseen contributions: technicians, ushers, teachers, performers, volunteers, venue staff and audiences who arrive ready to participate.

Music, Movement And The Rhythm Of Trust

Traditional castells are accompanied by gralles, bright Catalan woodwind instruments, and drums. Their sound helps performers understand the progress of the tower, creating a musical pulse that is both celebratory and practical. In our programming, live music or recorded traditional sounds can help audiences recognise the rhythm of the build without turning the performance into a museum display.

Workshops can translate that rhythm into accessible movement. Participants may explore balance, weight, communication and timing without attempting a full human tower. A guided circle exercise, a call-and-response pattern or a simple group sculpture can reveal how small adjustments affect the whole formation.

This approach suits families, school groups and adult learners at ATEB, our theatre school. Young people can investigate character, teamwork and physical expression, while adults may discover that performance training is as much about attentive listening as it is about being visible.

From Catalonia To An Australian Audience

When presenting Catalan traditions for people in Australia, context matters. A short explanation of the history, vocabulary and safety culture helps audiences appreciate the practice on its own terms. It also creates a bridge to local experiences, such as community arts days in Melbourne’s laneways, multicultural celebrations in western Sydney or regional festivals where volunteers make ambitious programs possible.

The format can be adapted to Australian expectations without flattening its Catalan identity. A relaxed afternoon session during the school holidays, clear family-friendly language and a chance to meet performers after the event can make the tradition feel approachable. In Australia, people may describe a gathering as a “good arvo” or value the easy friendliness of meeting “mates”; that informal warmth can sit comfortably beside the discipline of the castellers.

There are practical differences as well. Australian venues often plan around heat, sudden rain, public liability requirements and audiences travelling long distances from outer suburbs or regional towns. A castellers-inspired event may therefore combine an indoor demonstration, a workshop and a filmed presentation, giving the community a rewarding experience even when an outdoor plan needs to change.

Building Participation Before The Performance

The strongest community events begin before the curtain rises. Local schools, families and arts groups can be invited to explore the ideas behind castells through drawing, costume, percussion, storytelling and theatre games. These activities allow people who may not want to climb or perform to become part of the creative process.

At Sala La Cate, a talk or discussion could introduce the history of Catalan human towers and invite comparisons with Australian forms of collective celebration. At Teatre El Jardí, a family performance could then give those ideas a visual and emotional focus. The venues become more than places where audiences sit; they become meeting points for exchange.

A connection to local identity can deepen the program. In the same way that our Figueres and Dalí programming explores the relationship between place and artistic imagination, castellers activities can show how a tradition carries the memory and values of its community.

Making Safety And Inclusion Visible

Safety is part of the artistry of castells. Participants train progressively, follow agreed signals and use protective equipment for children and climbers. The base is organised with care, and everyone needs to understand when to hold, move, pause or stop. Presenting those practices openly helps audiences see that trust is built through preparation, not assumed because people are enthusiastic.

For a community arts organisation, inclusion also means offering several ways to take part. Someone might join the percussion, help shape a visual installation, narrate the story, photograph the event, welcome visitors or contribute to a workshop. People with different physical abilities should be able to participate through adapted movement, seated formations, sound, design or creative leadership.

Clear access information supports this goal. Details about venue entry, seating, session length, sensory conditions and age suitability should be easy to find. Families appreciate knowing what to expect, while schools and community organisations need practical information before arranging a visit.

Keeping The Celebration Alive

A single performance can spark curiosity, but ongoing activity gives a tradition room to take root. ATEB classes might revisit the principles of castells through ensemble theatre, while a youth group creates a short piece about cooperation and a local music class experiments with the sound of gralles and drums.

Follow-up events can include a film screening, an artist talk, an open rehearsal or a small exhibition of photographs and drawings. These formats suit different audiences and help people return to the subject from a new angle. They also connect the castellers theme to the wider program of cinema, circus, dance and family arts at Figueres a Escena.

For Australian visitors and cultural partners, this continuity reflects the way festivals often work across the country. The Adelaide Fringe, community arts centres and regional touring networks thrive when a headline event leaves behind relationships, skills and memories. A Catalan cultural exchange can be equally valuable when it encourages future collaboration rather than ending with one applause.

Ways To Welcome Everyone Into The Experience

The spirit of the castellers is found in the whole gathering: the person who steadies the base, the child who takes a careful step, the musician who marks the rhythm and the audience that watches with respect. By celebrating Catalan human towers through thoughtful programming, Figueres a Escena creates an encounter between Catalonia and Australia that feels active, generous and grounded in community.

Bring your school, family, cultural group or creative team into the conversation. Explore an upcoming activity, enquire about a workshop or speak with the contact team about bringing the shared energy of castells to your next community event.