),husband (informal),patron of a mistress, geisha, bar or nightclub hostess - Definition of 旦那, 檀那, だんな, danna In her orange kimono with her scrubbed face and frequent giggles, Naosome looks far too young to have a danna, let alone be a geisha. They pledged to support the geisha’s career and help her retire, and the relationship lasted until one of them died (usually the patron). A Danna to a Geisha is her main patron. With a wealthy danna, a geisha could often afford to break with an okiya and live independently, if she wished. Usually a rich businessman, aristocrat or politician, he (or she!) If a girl begins her training to be a geisha before she is 21, she is called a maiko, meaning child dancer. pays for a part of a Geisha’s rent, bills, food, training costs and/or clothing and accessories. A geisha and her danna may or may not be in love, but intimacy is never viewed as a reward for the danna's financial support. Danna were male patrons who made a pact similar to marriage with a geisha. DEMOGRAPHICS) Danna entered the list in 1930-1939 and reached its peak position of #267 … The first geisha were actually male, appearing around the year 1730. Being a true Geisha is an honor to the girls, who when they become full-fledged Geisha’s are then called geiko. master (of a house, shop, etc. It showed the power and wealth of a man. In order for a Geisha to be successful and live a suitable lifestyle, so must her danna. When I mention how young she looks, she laughs. Sometimes a danna merely wanted to support the geisha. Where there was a geisha, there was a danna-sama who played a role of patron or sponsor. (2000 U.S. A danna was typically a wealthy man, sometimes married, who had the means to support the very large expenses related to a geisha's traditional training and other costs. It is, therefore, rather a matter of high social order to be a danna. The danna was generally a wealthy man who could afford to pay her expenses for school, lessons, private recitals and even clothing. It is a life long duty that a danna has to comply with. This can be relatable to society’s patriarchal structure which can be criticized in a Marxist critique. Geishas can have their own patrons who are called danna. The origins and rise of geisha in Pre-Modern Japan. Believe it or not, the original geisha hardly resembled modern geisha in any way. A danna is a Geishas patron or sponsor, or it could also be her husband or “master of house”. Danna is a very popular first name for females (#1108 out of 4276, Top 26%) and also a very popular surname for all people (#8519 out of 150436, Top 6%). Danna - A danna is the patron or sponsor of a Geisha. Lifetime Sponsor of Geisha Once, danna-sama was essential to the world of geisha. Geisha take their skills in the arts seriously, even today. 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