There will be an exotic local element added to the mix when the Harlem Globetrotters entertain the Prince George crowd at UNBC's Charles Jago Northern Sports Centre on Feb. 11, 2014.
The Zahirah Middle Eastern Belly Dance troupe will take to the pre-game or half-time stage during the basketball showcase.
"I'm so over the moon, I can't even believe it," said Sandra Tanemura of Zahirah dance studio. "Belly dancers and basketball players, mmmmm sure! Why not?"
Tanemura received an e-mail about a month ago and she said she was sure it was a form letter explaining who they were and that they were coming to town.
"It said they were interested in us performing either during their pre-game show or their half-time show," said Tanemura. "So I e-mailed them back and then I phoned as well - I thought I'm not even waiting, I might as well call and tell them that yes, we're interested. It turns out the Harlem Globtrotters have worked with a troupe of belly dancers in the States before but not in Canada, so it's a first for Canada and a second time for the Harlem Globetrotters."
There is a bit of a catch to the opportunity. The belly dancing troupe has to sell 50 tickets to the show to get to perform during the pre-game show and 100 tickets to perform during the half-time show.
"So we're going to sell more than 100 tickets because we're going for the half time show," laughed Tanemura.
People who are buying their Globetrotters tickets through Ticketmaster can enter the promo code DANCE online and when there are 100 tickets sold, Zahirah will be notified that they will perform.
"A hundred tickets is not a scary number for me and people get their tickets at a discounted rate, which is nice, and then everybody who buys a ticket and uses the promo code DANCE will be put into a draw to win a Harlem Globetrotter autographed basketball," said Tanemura.
The Zahirah dance troupe is 15 members strong.
"We are doing a belly dance-ized version of Sweet Georgia Brown, which is the Harlem Globetrotters theme song," said Tanemura. "We've got their permission to use their song and we've got a local doumbek - an Arabic drum - player, Miguel Mori, who will be working with us as we perform. We've worked with him before and he's fabulous. The next piece will feature very traditional belly dancing right after that."
The Harlem Globetrotters will take their interaction with fans to another realm during the event as they offer up the 2014 Fan's Rule World Tour.
Fans can vote online at harlemglobetrotters.com/rule to pick new game-changing rules they want to see used in the performance that comes their way. There's many options to choose from like Hot Hand Jersey where whoever is wearing the jersey gets double the points on baskets or Make or Miss when each quarter starts with just two players from each team on the court and whoever scores can have another team member join the game and when they mess up, they have to leave the court, leaving their teammates in the lurch.
Tickets are on sale now, starting at $27 at all Ticketmaster outlets.
