Warriors senior dance team says time bittersweet as end nears for basketball at Oracle

Thursday, May 16, 2019
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Time is growing short at Oracle Arena for The Golden State Warriors and their fans, especially fans who volunteer their time to support the team.

The Warriors are moving across the Bay to play at San Francisco's Chase Center this fall. The move will mean major change for the dance group whose members are 55 and up.

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Rule number one-- if you want to join the Hardwood Classics dance team you have to have been born when Lyndon Johnson was president or before.

Rule number two--- you have to be dedicated. This is how the team practices before a performance. Francine Turner drives two hours up from Los Banos to dance.
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"When you get older there's not a lot of opportunities and this is fulfilling a dream."



Renie Ornelas drives even farther-- three hours from Sonora because she loves it so much.

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"We're so pumped up that it takes an hour and half to unwind. It's worth it!"
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These dancers have to re-audition every year. Last fall, 300 people showed up, and 20 were chosen. Most enjoy being linked to an historically great basketball franchise-- all of them love to dance.

They will all miss the noise, the joy and the intimate space of "Roaracle."

According to Turner, "It's gonna be sad. Roaracle has a history but we're looking forward to Chase and it's going to be exciting."

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"It's bittersweet and sad and we just gotta make different memories somewhere else," says Renie Ornelas.

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