Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Season 23 of ‘Dancing With the Stars’ premieres on ABC
It may seem as if celebrities have it all — posh pads, fancy cars and awards galore. From Oscars and Emmys to Grammys and MVP awards, celebs are notorious for racking up the hardware. However, there’s one trophy coveted by actors, musicians and athletes alike: the Mirrorball trophy.
That’s right! Another season of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” (“DWTS”) is underway and fans can catch all of the fun on the dance floor when a new episode airs Monday, Sept. 26.This marks the 23rd season of the program, which is based on the popular British television series “Strictly Come Dancing.”
Licensed in more than 42 territories, “DWTS” is one of the most popular television franchises ever created.The show follows celebrities from the worlds of entertainment, sports and beyond as they work with professional ballroom dancers to perfect complicated choreography in the hopes of impressing a panel of experts.
This season, the panel includes returning judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and fan favorite Bruno Tonioli. In August, it was announced that two-time champion Julianne Hough (“Safe Haven,” 2013) would be back as a fourth judge.Tom Bergeron (“America’s Funniest Home Videos”), who has hosted the show since it premiered in 2005, also returns alongside co-host Erin Andrews, who joined the fray in season 18.
The big news, as always, is this season’s celebrity cast, which was announced on ABC’s flagship morning show “Good Morning America” on Tuesday, Aug. 30. The list includes actors and musicians, of course, but also Olympians, football stars and even a politician.
Controversial figure Rick Perry (who was running for the Republican presidential nomination until January of this year) is paired with professional dancer Emma Slater, and is arguably the unlikeliest castmember of the season, but he’s joined by many other interesting characters.
Eleven-time Grammy winner Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds teams up with Allison Holker in the hopes of adding another trophy to his collection .A hip-hop legend in his own right, Babyface has also written hits for such megastars as Madonna and Eric Clapton. The pressure is on for three-time “Dancing With the Stars” pro champ Holker, who took last season off while pregnant.
Rapper Vanilla Ice (a.k.a. Robert Van Winkle) also represents the music industry alongside his professional partner Witney Carson, an Emmy nominee and former “So You Think You Can Dance” contestant (season 9). This isn’t the first time Vanilla Ice has done something like this — he was a participant in the ITV reality TV competition series “Dancing on Ice” in 2011, in which he and partner Katie Stainsby were eliminated sixth.
Actress and country music star Jana Kramer (“One Tree Hill”) has been honored with several awards in her relatively short career so far, and looks to take the Mirrorball home with professional partner Gleb Savchenko.
Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Ryan Lochte, who made waves at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, will find out if his tango is as good as his backstroke when he dances with “DWTS” darling Cheryl Burke. With more than a million Twitter and Instagram followers, many eyes will be on Lochte, especially since his run-in with the law in Brazil following an allegation of vandalism.
As a gymnast, Olympian Laurie Hernandez could have a distinct advantage over the other competitors. She recently won a silver medal in the individual balance beam and secured gold in the team all-around event at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. In “DWTS,” she teams up with Valentin Chmerkovskiy, a 14-time U.S. National Latin Dance Champion.
Other athletes featured this season include legendary NFL wide receiver Calvin Johnson, known to many as “Megatron.” He joins forces with former “So You Think You Can Dance” finalist Lindsay Arnold. Popular IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe joins the race as well, alongside Sharna Burgess.
Actress Marilu Henner is set to take the stage to show off her moves with professional partner Derek Hough, brother of judge Julianne. Best known for such iconic sitcoms as “Taxi” and “Evening Shade,” Henner has proven she’s virtually unstoppable as the author of nine books and as an activist, having spoken before Congress seven times. She brings that competitive spirit to “DWTS” with six-time champion Hough on her arm.
Former child star Maureen McCormack (“The Brady Bunch”) braves the dance floor this season, joining forces with Artem Chigvintsev, a winner of “Dancing With the Stars” predecessor “Strictly Come Dancing.” She competes against current young star Jake T. Austin (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) and his professional partner Jenna Johnson, another “So You Think You Can Dance” alum.
Model and talk show host Amber Rose takes on the world of ballroom dance with professional partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy, older brother of Valentin. It could be a match made in heaven as the outspoken media star’s partner is often referred to as the “bad boy of the ballroom.”
Reality TV star Terra Jolé is currently best known for her appearances in Lifetime’s “Little Women: LA” and “Terra’s Little Family,” but all of that could change when she and partner Sasha Farber take the dance floor by storm.
Tune in to see who has made it through the first couple of rounds in a new episode of “Dancing With the Stars,” airing Monday, Sept. 26, on ABC.