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How did Saturday-night New York Rens games combine basketball and dancing?
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The New York Rens transformed their Saturday-night games into social events by utilizing the Renaissance Casino and Ballroom in Harlem as their home court. Because the venue served as both a basketball arena and a dance hall, the team used portable baskets that were set up at either end of the dance floor for the games, with folding chairs provided for spectators.1
Once a game concluded, the portable baskets were removed, and an orchestra would fill the ballroom with music. This allowed fans, who often attended dressed in formal gowns and suits, to transition immediately from watching the basketball game to dancing for hours.1