Will "Dancing with the Stars" Sweep Viewers Off Their Feet?

Across the nation hearts are pounding and toes are tapping. From ballroom admirers to professional dancers, the anticipation for this season's ABC's "Dancing With The Stars" premier is high. Premier parties are being planned (everyday dancers will even hang up their shoes for this event), and web forums are buzzing with opinions and predictions for this wildly popular reality show.

The show pairs professional ballroom dancers with celebrities (of varying degrees of fame). Celebrities and professionals alike are put through grueling training even before the show begins. Each show they perform one or two dances and are then judged by a panel of professionals and the audience vote. Then, on the results show, through some complicated reality show mathematics, one couple is kicked off each week.

The show is entering its fourth season with unquestionable popularity. Despite the first season scandal which pit Kelly Monaco and John O'Hurley against each other in a rematch, complaints about too many commercials and too much talk, and many viewers questioning the vote (as seems to be a common problem in reality TV), the allure of the show hasn't dimmed. The personalities of the stars and professionals alike sparkle more and more with each incarnation of the show,

Perhaps it is the beauty of the dance, the athleticism and grace of the dancers, and the skills of the participants. More likely is the realness of the competitors, we see them laugh, cry, complain, occasionally tumble, and ultimately succeed or fail. Previously poised and comfortably confident actors and athletes crumble when they are fish out of water. And of course, there are always the few unspoken love affairs between partners.

Will this season disappoint the millions of viewers poised to cheer on the underdogs and bet on the winners? Many returning professionals are on the show, and this season features a diverse group of celebrities. Melanie Brown, best known as "Scary Spice" of the Spice Girls is paired with the way too hot for his own good Maksim Chmerkovskiy. Sabrina Bryan of the "Cheetah Girls" (the group and the movie) is paired with Mark Ballas. Helio Castroneves, two time Indianapolis 500 winner, is paired with Julianne Hough. Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is paired with the sweet tempered Australian, Kym Johnson. Jennie Garth, best know for her part on Beverly Hills: 90210, will be dancing with Derek Hough. Josie Maran, a model and actress is paired with the very cute Alec Mazo. Cameron Mathison, best known for his work on the daytime drama All My Children, will be dancing with Edyta Sliwinska. Floyd "Pretty Boy" Mayweather, WBC Super Welterweight Boxing Champion, is paired with the strong personality of Karina Smirnoff. Wayne Newton, Las Vegas entertainer, dances with Cheryl Burke. Marie Osmond, actress and singer, dances will darling Jonathan Roberts. Albert Reed, model, is paired with Anna Trebunskaya. Lastly, Jane Seymour, actress, will dance with Tony Dovolani.

The show will again feature hosts Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris. This season's judges are once again Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli. The dances include the Cha Cha, Foxtrot, Jive, Mambo, Paso Doble, Quickstep, Rumba, Samba, Tango, Viennese Waltz, and Waltz.

"Dancing With the Stars" attracts viewers of all ages. With such a range of celebrity competitors and personable professionals, it interests everyone from Indy Car enthusiasts, boy band fans, grandparents, professional dancers, future dancers, and anyone in between. Rarely do you find a show that you can watch with your eighty year old grandparents, golf and race watching parents, and mall rat sister. Of course, you will have to endure comments from your father like "where is the rest of that girl's dress?" and repeated sighs from dear sister of "oh my gosh, that man is so flipping hot." despite these downfalls, "Dancing With the Stars" brings families together. It also provides for some fun conversation with everyone from the bank teller to the UPS delivery man.

Changes for this season include official comparisons between the men and the women, a larger cast, and even more musical and dancing performances. The show premiers on Monday, September 24^th with the first in a three episode week. On Monday, the women will compete, the men compete on Tuesday, and the first results show will be on Wednesday. The Wednesday results show will feature singer Dolly Parton and tap dancer Savion Glover.

Whether you have never set foot on a dance floor or have been twirling around one for fifty years, the all star cast, detailed interviews, and spectacular performances will make this a season to watch.

Source: http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancingwiththestars/index