Battle of Carnival Bands 2010

The Battle Parade starts at 6pm at Østerågade and proceeds to the city park, Kildeparken, where each group performs an individual show on stage. Please find the map of the parade route here. Admission to Kildeparken is 30 DKK.

You can expect a spectacular event that is probably even more impressive and exciting due to the fact that the carnival groups are judged both during the parade and the stage shows as the groups compete all day for the title "Best Carnival Group of the Year". The top 5 groups proceed to the grand final show of the Battle, which takes place in Kildeparken on Saturday right after the Grand Parade. The first place in the contest is awarded 10,000 DKK and a wooden carnival mask.
Moreover, the carnival groups compete for being your favourite group as well! Choose your very own favourite carnival group(s) and vote for your top one(s) via SMS! The winner of the title "Favourite Carnival Group of the Public" is awarded 5,000 DKK.


Additionally, the Battle of Carnival Bands comprises another highlight, a highlight that makes Aalborg Carnival possible at all: The mayor of Aalborg presents the King of Carnival with the city key – the key to this insane moment in time where everything is turned upside down – allowing him to take over the management of the city.
 

The activities are part of the EU “Freedom” project which is supported through the EU Culture Fund 2007. The Freedom project is a co-operation between carnivals in London, Paris and Aalborg. The purpose of the Freedom project is among others to develop and promote carnival art created by artists with African origin.

Carnival Mask
The 1st place in the battle contest is awarded 10,000 DKK and a wooden carnival mask made by the Danish artist Kirsten Gitz-Johansen.

Carnival Mask 2009

A Bunda (Sweden)
Abunda is a culture association from Gothenburg in Sweden. Abunda comprises of more than 100 members representing all ages and nationalities - performing everything from humoristic acrobatics, singing and dancing to juggling with fire.
The word "Abunda" is Portuguese and meands directly translated "bottom". Abunda got this name the first time they joined a carnival. 
www.abunda.nu
 

Chayé Yo (France)
Music and dance group fram the frence West Iindies. Today the group is settled in Paris. 
 

Dunkelfolket (Denmark)
The Danish group, 'Dunkelfolket from Fosdalen' have a special connection to the Carnival in Aalborg. On several occasions Dunkelfolket have joined up, when Carnival in Aalborg has visited other carnivals around the world. Dunkelfolket also take an active part in almost all of Carnival in Aalborg´s activities.
Dunkelfolket is a group of mask dancers who shock and amuse the spectators. Every single mask is carved out of one piece of wood and has its own distinct expression and personality.
www.dunkelfolket.dk

Grupo AWAYU (Bolivia/Germany)
Grupo AWAYU is a Bolivian dancing group located in Hamburg, Germany. At Aalborg Carnival the group presents the dance "Tinku" - a lively dance inspired by a form of ritualized combat from the rural potosi department of Bolivia. Colourful costumes, energetic moves and bonechilling moves are remarkable signs for this folk dance. 
www.awayumania.de.vu
 

Inti (Sweden)
Club Deportivo Cultural INTI was founded in 1985 and today there are about 150 members from all over the world. The name INTI means sun and refers to the sun as the most important God of the Inka people.
INTIs performance is rooted in the old Indian tribe dances. The Indians preserved their rituals and habits through the dance and by now the dance is an integrated part of the traditional carnival.
Every year INTI performes at the carnival in Hammerkullen, Göteborg.
www.fly.to/inti
 

Club Carneval (Denmark)
This is the second year for Club Carnival participating in Aalborg Carnival. The group's dream is to make carnival even more spectacular and to tempt more poeple to play with huge costumes and wagons.
Club Carnival does not participate in the show in Kildeparken.

Mahogany (Caribbean/London)
Carnival group from London, consisting of Caribbean inspired multi-artists that design and produce large scale costumes and carnival floats. At Aalborg Carnival, Mahogany presents outstanding and expressive costumes and floats.
Recently, co-founder of Mahogany, Clary Salandy was mentor at the carnival initiative "Klub Karneval" in Aalborg.
www.mahoganycarnival.com

Poco Loco (Denmark)
Poco Loco is a samba group from Aalborg with very beautiful costumes and lively rhytmes. The group derives from the Carnival in Aalborg and has developed into a professionally working samba school. Poco Loco has also participated in other carnivals and encuentros all over Europe. They won the first price in the Battle of Carnival Bands in 1998 and 2000. Poco Loco always plays a prominent part in the Carnival in Aalborg. In 2002 they won the 4th price, in 2003 the 3th price and in 2004, 2005 and 2006 they came in 2nd.
wwww.pocoloco.dk

Segura! (Holland)
Samba group from Holland. The costumes are made by leather and are very dramatic and expressfull.


www.segura.nl

Stelzen-Art (Germany)
Stelzen-Art is a stilts group from Germany that perform their show in fantastic costumes and on stilts. The group presents figures from fauna, flora and fantasy worlds - and of course figures related to this years' theme "Magic in the Air" such as "cosmic birds", "sun" and "star princesses".
www.stelzen-art.eu

Stelenlopers (Belgium)
The group comes from the Belgian village of Langevelde, where the inhabitants in the low-lying, frequently flooded area have used stilts as a means of transport. It has become a tradition in the area to walk on stilts both for fun as well as in competitions.
At the end of World War 2,  the idea came up to walk on stilts in various heights dressed in the national cofarvours. The group still performs in this way in Europe and in the USA and Japan.
www.steltenlopersmerchtem.be

The Grobnik Bell-Ringers (Croatia)
This croatian groups builds on the many traditions which the bells belong to. Today the bell ringers perform many diferent places to keep the tradition alive.

www.grobnicki-dondolasi.com

Vimoroz (Denmark)
The group started in 1996 and originally wished to introduce more life to the parade in Carnival in Aalborg and so far, is said to have been a success!
Vimoroz is partly inspired by Cuba and Denmark, but is rooted in the musical culture of Ghana. Many of the members of the group have been in Ghana, and Vimoroz receive instructions from musicians from Ghana. As such, the group has made close contacts with African musicians and dancers over the years. Also the greater part of instruments and costumes are produced in Ghana.
www.vimoroz.dk