The Girls are flying in directly from San Francisco. They’re scheduled to be interviewed in at least three TV shows. They’ll meet the press during a lunch session on Thursday and the NBA’s local partners, friends, and associates at a cocktail party that night. On Friday, the Girls will tour Corregidor and show up at halftime of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Finals game.
On Saturday, they’ll make two appearances at the Megamall. They’ll perform their livewire routine, conduct a dance clinic for fans, sign autographs, and pose for pictures. On Sunday, they’ll do the same thing. The Girls leave on Monday to go to Taipei where they’re booked to also display their wares.
Believe me, the Girls are stunners. All six of them. They’re led by Shelby Alexander who is on her fourth year as Dance Team Director. Before joining the Warriors, she was captain and assistant manager for the Houston Rockets Power Dancers. Shelby was with the Rockets when they won the NBA title in 1995. She opened her own dance company in 1997 and has taught hundreds of students for the Houston Independent School District, the fourth largest district in the US. Shelby’s resume chronicles 26 years of training and over 12 years of teaching various forms of dance.
The star of the squad is Audrey Michelle Asprec who is a full-blooded Filipina. She’s beauty and brains personified. Audrey is a graduate at the University of California-Davis and works full-time as an assistant teacher for gifted students in special education. At night, she lets her hair hang down and dances for the Warriors.
The other Girls are Katie Wells, Sanae Tomita, Nicole King, and Jen Testa.
Last year, the NBA sent the Los Angeles Lakers dance troupe to Taipei and the girls were a smash particularly as the team was bannered by a Taiwanese local Alice Chien.
NBA Asia Marketing Manager Carlo Singson said Alice was mobbed by the local fans and she didn’t mind the attention. "After each performance, the girls would be so tired but Alice never disappointed the fans," recalled Carlo. "She would sign autographs, talk to fans, and pose for pictures–even if she was exhausted after doing a routine. She was just so thrilled to be home. I expect the same treatment in Manila for Audrey."
Carlo said the NBA contacted Sanae, who used to work for the league office in Tokyo, to find out if the Warrior Girls were available for a tour. The Laker Girls had previously backed out because of the SARS scare.
"Sanae knows how important these off season tours are to promote the NBA," said Carlo. "One thing led to another and before we knew it, the Warrior Girls had agreed to do the show. We’re so excited to bring the Girls to Manila particularly as one of them is a Filipina."
It won’t be the first time an NBA dance team will perform here. But in 1997, the Laker Girls were only a sideshow to the main act–Shaquille O’Neal and his buddies who played and rapped at the Big Dome.
NBA dancers are paid on a game basis. The New York Knicks’ City Dancers, for instance, earn $150 a night and the New Jersey Nets’ Power ‘N’ Motion team pockets $120. The Laker Girls take in $85 a game. The Portland Trail Blazer Dancers are paid $6.50 an hour–which adds up to $40 a night counting practice and warmup time. Perks include free parking for the game and one guest ticket.
While the NBA dancers may not earn a bundle performing in a game, they make up for it by charging higher fees in outside engagements. The Indiana Pacemates, for instance, earn $45 a game but take in at least $60 an hour for offcourt appearances. The Philadelphia Sixers dance team earns $65 a game but charges $150 an hour for external shows. So dancing for an NBA team can be a profitable venture as well as a glamorous adventure.
So do you want to meet the Warrior Girls? Here’s how.
Just write in 100 words or less–English or Pilipino–why you want to meet the Warrior Girls. Send your pieces to "A Sporting Chance," The Philippine Star, 13 th and Railroad Streets, Port Area, Manila, right now. Don’t forget to write your name, address and telephone number. Slip your pieces inside an envelope and mark it "Meet the Warrior Girls." Male and female entries will be considered.
We’ll pick the five most sensible, creative, and original pieces. The five winners will be invited–with a guest each–to the NBA cocktail party on Thursday. They’ll meet the Warrior Girls up close, receive autographed pictures of the Girls, and pose for pictures with them. The treat is they’ll be the Girls’ special guests at the party.
So hurry up. The Warrior Girls are waiting. Tell them why you want to meet them.
The winners will be contacted by phone on Wednesday and named in this column on Thursday.