Get Ready To Dance: GVHS Garba Night!

By: Marissa Miczek

With festive beats and vibrant colors, it can only mean one thing—Garba season is here! The GVHS South Asian Student Association is proud to host its annual Garba Night on October 6th, 2024, an evening filled with rhythmic dancing, high energy, and cultural celebration. Read more about this unforgettable night as the SASA officers share what makes this such an important event!

Garba is a traditional Gujarati folk dance that is performed most commonly during Navratri but is also performed by many at weddings, parties, and even competitively. Navratri is a Hindu holiday that is celebrated over nine nights and ten days, and this year it begins on October 3rd and concludes on October 11th. Each night celebrates a different goddess, during a prayer ceremony called a puja, with the whole holiday celebrating the Goddes Durga's triumph over the demon Mahishasura. Along with these pujas being performed every night, they are also performed at garba which are hosted almost every night during Navratri and even occur before and after the holiday. In Sanskrit "Garba" directly translates to womb, showing the event's importance to celebrating the feminine divine.

This celebration is one of the most important to most Hindu families and we are so excited to allow for a celebration as a community. The SASA officers are inviting everyone, regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity to join us to celebrate the Hindu culture and our strong Garnet Valley community. We ask if you are not able to wear formal South Asian clothing, you instead wear semi-formal/formal attire. With every annual Garba, we also donate a large percentage of proceeds to South Asian causes, whether that means current events or natural disasters. We look forward to celebrating with everyone!

Here are some important dates and information about the event:

• GVHS Garba will be on Sunday, October 6th from 6:00PM to 9:00PM, at the GVHS Small Gym.  

• Tickets will be $15.00 and will include admission, snacks, and dinner (cash or check to SASA). 

• We are allowing walk-ins for $20.00, and will cap it at 50 people. 

• Ticket sales begin at the Credit Union from: Monday, September 23rd to Friday, September 27th. 

• Online ticketing will be available starting next week (more information to come on that)

• Please attend our next club meeting on Tuesday, September 24th for more information and to address any questions/concerns. 

Here are some videos on learning Garba dances beforehand and what you can expect to see at the event:

• Garba Video 1: Garba Steps for Beginners

• Garba Video 2: Basic Garba Steps (Simplified)

• Garba Video 3: Garba Dance Course

• Garba Video 4: Garba Tutorial Video

If you are new to dancing or don't know a lot about the culture, don't be discouraged! This celebration is a community event where you can meet others, experience something new, and of course have fun.

Be sure to follow SASA on instagram to get any and all the fabulous updates!

Don't forget to buy tickets (credit union sale/online ticketing) and let the festivities and fun begin!