Posted by RabbitEars
Season 8 of ABC’s hit competition series Dancing With the Stars will feature several returning pro dancers pairing with the newly announced cast of stars. Additionally, three real-life couples will be competing against one another. Here are this season’s pairings:
Belinda Carlisle — The singer dances with Jonathan Roberts, who returns for his sixth season
David Alan Grier — Comedian and actor Grier dances with Kym Johnson, in her sixth season
Jewel — Paired with 2006 U.S. National finalist Dmitry Chaplin, making his DWTS debut
Ty Murray — The rodeo champ (and Jewel’s husband) hits the dance floor with 10 Dance Youth National champion Chelsie Hightower, debuting on the series
Shawn Johnson — The youngest ever competitor on DWTS, 17-year-old gymnast Johnson won a gold medal in Beijing and will test her athletic prowess in a new field as she dances with former DWTS champ Mark Ballas, now in his fourth season
Lil’ Kim — Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Lil’ Kim teams with reigning DWTS champ Derek Hough, returning for his fourth season
Gilles Marini — Launching into stardom with his role as Samantha’s hunky beachfront neighbor in the Sex and the City movie, Marini puts his hot bod in motion by dancing with Cheryl Burke, returning for her seventh season
Steve-O — The former Jackass star tries not to make an ass of himself here, as he cuts a rug with 2007 World Swing Dance champ Lacey Schwimmer, coming back for her second season
Nancy O’Dell — Access Hollywood co-anchor O’Dell teams with seven-season veteran Tony Dovolani
Denise Richards — Maksim Chmerkovskiy, back for his sixth season, is actress Richards’ partner this session
Lawrence Taylor — NFL Hall of Famer Taylor had some great moves on the football field, but does he still have the reflexes needed to dance with Edyta Sliwinska, the only pro to compete in all eight seasons of DWTS?
Chuck Wicks — The songwriter and vocalist goes from singing to dancing as he teams with girlfriend and two-time DWTS champ Julianne Hough, back for her fifth go-round
Steve Wozniak — “The Woz,” co-founder of Apple Computer, tries to prove that even computer geeks can shake it by pairing up with Karina Smirnoff, who is newly engaged to fellow dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy and back for her sixth time
