Former 'Warrior Girl' shares talent with new generation of young dancers

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KTVU) - Saturday's match-up of the Golden State Warriors and the Brooklyn Nets will have a special cheering section from Marin County.

And those fans will be especially interested in the half-time show.

Love2Dance, a dance studio in Novato, will put eighty dancers on the floor for a four minute performance.

"Is this anyone's first game ever?" studio owner Tara-Caprice Broadwater asked her students as they rehearsed Friday afternoon.

Several hands were raised.

"Oh that's so exciting," Broadwater exclaimed, "and there are very few dancing schools in the Bay Area that get this opportunity and we're so fortunate!"

Broadwater was a Warrior Girl from 2001 to 2004, performing on the elite dance squad while she completed college and started her dance school.

Teaching eventually took over, but every NBA season, center court still beckons.

"This is going to be so much fun for you on the court," she told her excited students, "and I think this is a great way for you to build confidence."

Broadwater has brought a troupe from Love2Dance to perform at a Warriors game every season since she left the dance team in 2004.

Dancers who participated last year say they were thrilled to receive high-fives from star players. 

And they were stunned by how big the floor was to maneuver in, compared to dancing in their studio. 

"It was hard remembering which way to go," recalled 11 year old Emma Manville, "and lots of people get mixed up because there's so much ways that you can move."

Friend Sofia Evon, 10, remembered the huge crowd.

"But all you have to do is try not to notice," she told KTVU, "and pretend you're at home, or here, just dancing."

Broadwater is now a married mother of two, who has guided thousands of aspiring dancers since leaving the Warriors squad.

"I wanted to do the best I could for the studio, so I had to let the team go, and that was difficult," she admitted.

As a successful business owner, she is certain she never would have opened her own school, if not for the confidence she gained dancing and making public appearances for the Warriors.   

"I missed it for a lot of years, and I wanted to go back," Broadwater smiled, "but this is a great way to stay involved in the organization, and teaching really is my passion." 

Over the years, she has even helped some her own students audition successfully to become Warrior Girls, which brings her full circle.   

"I absolutely love dancing and performing for an audience, so I'm looking forward to being out there again," she declared.  

The Love2Dance contingent has been learning and rehearsing their choreography since December.

Broadwater is an exacting teacher, emphasizing goal-setting and hard work.   

"Every practice, I got better," 8 year old Leila Moaveni told KTVU, "and I'm not nervous, because first I hear the music, then I pretend there's no one there, and I just start dancing."

Broadwater seems to have prepared even her youngest dancers for a big stage.

"Be confident, smile, and be energetic," advised 8 year old Khyle Choeun.

Much like Steph Curry, she agreed.

The game is set for Saturday at 7:30 pm.