Dagmar Puncha , circus animal trainer in Germany in Germany . Dagmar grew up in East Berlin and joined the National Circus School and trained as a horse rider. Her act was toe dancing on horse-back in a tutu. In 1956, her Group Truppe Case was contracted to the same circus Banda worked in. In 1958, Bodidasa Suwaneris was born. Dagmar’s family was not too happy – the couple just had a child out of wedlock and what’s more, they disapproved of the dark skinned Banda. “It all changed when my father helped her flee East Germany and helped support her family stranded behind the wall,” Ganesha explained, adding that their wedding was delayed because Epi was still touring and was unable to take time off. They finally married in 1959. Family Puncha with elephant Leila at Circus Krone.
