Mavericks Dancers To Cover Up More Next Season
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Change is coming to the Dallas Mavericks, including the dancers' uniforms which will show less skin.
The team told CBS 11 this change is part of the Mavs' effort to revamp its image after a recent sexual harassment scandal.
The Mavericks are still working on what the new uniform will look like, meaning imagines of the new design aren't available yet, but the team said it won't be drastically different to the current uniform.
The Mavs said they're also hoping to include dancers with different body types in the future.
Former Mavs Dancer Leslie Hatchard said she believes the uniform change is a step in the right direction.
"I don't know about specifically changing the uniforms, but I like the idea of stepping back and sort of re-evaluating their image," she said.
Hatchard danced for the Mavericks for several seasons starting in 1992 before becoming an assistant dance director. Even back then, she says there was a culture of allowing sexual harassment.
"A hug that went too far, wandering hands," said Hatchard. "We knew, 'Okay, don't hug that person, or stay away from that person,' because we knew that that could possibly happen. It was well known, and it made us very uncomfortable."
Current CEO Cynthia Marshall, hired to clean up the organization, says the team wants the focus to be on the dancers as artists and to highlight their skills, "not be eye candy or sexualized." Changes will also be made to the dance routines, and a calendar featuring the dancers is gone, too.
"Sometimes it may get out of hand with the provocative dancing and stuff like that," said Mavs fan Terry Rodgers. "I've taken small kids to the games and I go...hmmm."
One former dancer who didn't want to be interviewed on camera told CBS 11 the culture of harassment needs to change, not the uniforms.
