Traditions » TDK banga

Traditions

October. Confirmation for new members or freshmen is integral part of every-year traditions. New dancers are confirm as real “Banga” dancers. They have to pass tasks, what are made by old dancers. The tasks are related with and around dances. While filling these tasks we can verify new dancers resolution and energy and also they can better pick up with old dancers. After successful passing tasks, freshmen swear to do oath, as the member of “Banga” and solemnly bring the name of “Banga”. In the end of this event all are sitting around one table with some treats.
16th November – name day of “Banga” The day we celebrate when in calendar is found name Banga. In the beginning we did not suspect that, but now we have both – birthday and name day, what happens rarely. The explanation of Banga is: “romantic thoughts line in Bangas brains, similar as butterflies who are flying in light of light-bulb”. We are not so sure about romantics (although sometimes it blooms also in our collective), but our thoughts, plans and dreams are similar to many butterflies – big and small, colourful and shining, who are caught after big job or as we could say about dreams – they come true.
December – Banga`s Christmas are celebrated in the last meeting time before Christmas holidays, what usually are in one day with Liepaja University Christmas concert or with last training in that year. We all come together to beautiful Christmas tree, the height could be from one meter to even four meter in different years, every dancer is made little surprise gift. We put all gifts under the Christmas tree and vote for who could be Santa-Claus, decide the one and we can start to share the gifts. As usual, gift has to be earned. Then we use all our talents – declare a poem, dance, even sing, we can involve also other dancers. While celebrating Bangas` Christmas, appears the atmosphere and holiday mood for waiting the real Christmas miracle.
Nice tradition, but always in secret, in our collective is Man Day in 23^rd February and Woman Day in 8^th March. The first Banga girls in February surprise and give pleasure for boys, and after that in March girls get back loving and nice wishes from Banga boys. “What you sow Men’s day, the Women’s Day shall you reap!”
Bangas` Birthday.18^th March, 2009 – the day, when Liepaja University students gifted to the city Liepaja the birthday gift – new and full of energy folk dance collective (Liepaja birthday is in the same date). This is the special day when every dancer is looking back on how collective has grown and changed in these years, remembers different moments etc. This is the day when you can identify Banga dancers from proud stance and smile in their faces. This day we celebrate together in sauna event. And as every Birthday pertains, there is rich banquet, we all together watch pictures and go in hot sauna.
Be together with our dancers not just in concerts and practices is an unbreakable part of folk dance group “Banga”. Families plays a huge role in each “Bangers” life, that`s why we are happy and satisfied of each dancer who steps in the life of married people, in that way to spread the “Banga” family. Love, surprises and nearby existence is what characterizes, as Banga dancers, how we spend our everyday, from which someone from our group decides to make as their SPECIAL DAY. How do we spend these days? Well, this will be better if it will kept as a secret and surprise so that the feeling soes not wanish.
Work, practices, a sense of community, proudness of done things – these are the words that can describe our not so recent started tradition – dance camps! Reversible bond between dancers and guest lecturers, grabbing the best, newest, unimaginable greatness out from that and the human to human experience sharing, recommendations and some real opinions – that is something we value the most from this camp. No injuries or what so ever – just pure reversible bond! And what makes the camps special are the evenings after hard practices and where the practicing clothes are exchanged to something comfier, we meet each on of us from different prism of perspective and we discover also some new character in ourselves! And yes, that`s how our dance camps are!
Especially we are proud with graduates from our dancers` middle. Nothing is forgotten about those special dancers` moments, when they get new education attesting document. Greetings are kept in secret till last moment to give real joy moment, what sometimes lead till joy tears.
Birthday congratulation is lovely tradition, when every dancer is congratulated in his/her special day with nice and tasty gift, a lot of kisses and hugs. However the most special birthday is for leader Kristine, when there is specially thought about gift and special greetings for not only congratulate in birthday but also thank for that she is for us.
After a well-done job feeling it needs to be celebrated, and that`s where “Banga” shows it`s best side, ending the dance season it is a necessity so that we can`t wait for the following season. It`s great that Liepaja is surrounded by beautiful nature in many ways. A Banger can never complain that the season ending should be spent between four walls. If we look to the right we will see the wide Baltic sea, and we look to the left there is lake Liepaja with it`s all glory with swans and sight towers. And if it`s well comined with a drop of nearby woods and the beauty of country freedom than that`s just amazing! I`ve to tell that a Banger is not a townsman and they are proud of that, and that`s why it`s more exciting that our dance group can exchange the city environment to country side and enjoy all it`s great benefits.