The Dallas Mavericks announced Tuesday a new player on the court for the 2019-2020 season. The World of Dance will bring teams and performers to 30 games at the American Airlines Center in an exclusive partnership.
"I am a huge fan of World of Dance. Their choreographies and productions are world renowned and far beyond anything ever presented at a professional sporting event," said team owner Mark Cuban in a news release. "I'm grateful to David Gonzalez (founder and president of World of Dance) for our partnership and can't wait for Mavs fans to become a part of the World of Dance experience."
The agreement also calls for dancers to be participate in local community initiatives starting with the Texas Women's Foundation 34th Annual Luncheon on Nov. 14.
Dancers will kick off the luncheon, an event that raises money for women, girls and families in Texas. Additional community outreach throughout the season will include dance workshops, World of Dance U-Jam fitness sessions and other events with WOD performers.
World of Dance airs on NBC and showcases dancers around the world in a competition for a grand prize of $1 million. Jennifer Lopez is the executive producer and joins Derek Hough and NE-YO as judges.
The Dallas Mavericks open the 2019-2020 season at home Wednesday, Oct. 23. Super Cr3w and Chapkis are scheduled to perform that night at the American Airlines Center. The schedule includes Texas Raas on Oct. 27, BDash and Konkrete on Nov. 1, Brotherhood on Nov. 6 and Nov. 8, Elektro Botz on Nov. 20 and Nov. 22 and The Kings and Soreal on Nov. 26 during the Dallas Mavericks City Edition Launch.
CEO Cynt Marshall told NBC 5 in an exclusive interview that fans should expect a season "that's even better than any they've had in the past. We are taking it up a notch. It is a new era. It's going to be a new era with the play on the court. And, it's also going to be a new era with the entertainment."
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
The Mavericks announced back in May that it would debut a new entertainment group with local groups getting the opportunity to perform.
The May 2019 release announced, "The Dallas Mavericks are evolving the entertainment at all Mavs home games and will host open tryouts for a new entertainment squad to tipoff the 2019-2020 season. The Dallas Mavericks Entertainment Squad (name TBD) will be the first of its kind in Dallas as the Mavericks continue to revolutionize the NBA in-game experience that is delivered at every home game throughout the season. The focus will be on local acts, showing-off the wide variety of high-caliber talent that exists in the DFW Metroplex.
The new Mavs entertainment team will consist of talent of all ages, and any and all specialties, including but not limited to tumbling, all forms of dance, illusions, stunts, comedy, ventriloquists, dancing animals, unique digital and technological experiences to bring high-energy entertainment to the full game-day experience.
These entertainers, including current and former Mavs Dancers, ManiAACs, Mascots and Drumline, will try-out in front of a celebrity panel on July 13th at American Airlines Center, and those who are selected will become the founding members of the new Dallas Mavericks Entertainment Squad. In addition to performing at 41 home games and Mavs related activities, the Mavs Entertainment Squad will serve as ambassadors to promote the Mavs brand throughout the DFW Metroplex at 3rd party events, charity functions, community service activities and more."
