The worst they could do is say no.
That's the attitude that took Sandra Tanemura of Zahirah Middle Eastern Belly Dance School to the enviable place she is in right now.
Not only will Tanemura and the Zahirah dance troupe perform with Canadian guitar icon Jesse Cook at Vanier Hall Oct. 28, Tanemura also performs solo with Pavlo, Greek god of the guitar, at the Prince George Playhouse Oct. 25.
"Ask and you shall receive," laughed Tanemura, who simply asked each artist asking for a chance to perform with them.
"I just sent the e-mails on a whim and hoped that they might reply. I just thought - why not? I've always been a person who thinks outside the box, and I love both performers and I thought 'Gosh, wouldn't it be cool if they said yes?' and now I get to meet them, and not just watch them but be part of the action."
During Pavlo's concert, Tanemura, known as Halawa in the belly dance world, performs solo during a particular song.
"It's just going to be me and him, and I've listened to the song a lot during the last little while and wow, it's a fantastic song," said Tanemura.
The improvisational aspect of the dancemusic duet harks back to the traditional Middle Eastern and Greek culture when there were no recording, but only live performances with unchoreographed dancing.
"They would just dance," said Tanemura. "They would just feel the music, feel the rhythm and watch the instruments and then dance accordingly. Now we don't have that so most people don't ever get to experience this so for me as a dancer and performer this is the ultimate. This is like taking it back to the roots that it came from. To be able to watch Pavlo play his guitar and actually free dance - it's almost like a call and answer. I will be answering to what he's playing with rhythm, dance moves and shimmies and all sorts of fun things."
During the Jesse Cook concert the 15-member Zahirah dance troupe will provide a dynamic, colourful exhibition for concert-goers.
"This one is different because it's going to be choreographed," said Tanemura. "The minute I knew what song it was going to be I worked on the choreography. The ladies have been getting together with me every single day since we got the word. We want to get it as perfect as possible, however there is a little bit of a trick to it because I have been going back to Youtube to see how he is playing the song live and it's different every time."
Given the musical improv, there will be an opportunity for some free-form dance, which will challenge the 15 dancers to respond in tandem.
The troupe is practicing the choreography and preparing for the spontaneous parts as best they can, Tanemura said.
"Not only are they going to have a great experience they will remember for the rest of their lives but they are going to learn from it, too - to dance live on stage with an icon in the world-music industry."
Tickets are Jesse Cook are available at Studio 2880 or by calling 250-563-2880.
Tickets for Pavlo are available at all Ticketmaster outlets.
