Why DWTS Season 18 Might Be The Best Yet
“Dancing with the Stars” announced its cast for Season 18 earlier this morning, and holy moly we’re excited. Not only did our suspicions about Olympians competing for the mirror ball trophy come true, but the list of athletes involved is even better than we had hoped.
Charlie White and Meryl Davis sport their gold medals at the Empire State Building last week. Photo via OK! Magazine.
First up is Meryl Davis and Charlie White, Sochi’s ice dancing gold medal winners (USA! USA! USA!), though they won’t be paired together—Meryl will dance with Maksim Chmerkovskiy (#TeamMaksyl …eh, we’ll work on that one) and Charlie will dance with Sharna Burgess. Next is Paralympian Amy Purdy, a snowboarding champ who is also a double amputee. She’ll be paired with the unstoppable Derek Hough (is there anything he isn’t doing these days?).
Sean Avery, before he retired from hockey. Photo by Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press
Dancing with Karina Smirnoff is Sean Avery, the NHL dreamboat who’s played for the New York Rangers, the Detroit Red Wings, the Los Angeles Kings and the Dallas Stars. Rounding out the sports category is Diana Nyad, a long distance swimmer who is the only person in history to go from Key West to Cuba—that’s 110 miles—without stopping and braving sharks, jellyfish and exhaustion. Let’s just say her partner, Henry Byalikov, better bring it.
Of course, what would the show be without a smattering of TV celebs? This season does not disappoint. Two words: Winnie Cooper. Another two words: D.J. Tanner. That’s right, Danica McKellar from “The Wonder Years” and Candace Cameron Bure from “Full House” will be going neck and neck in just two weeks. Winnie Danica will dance with Val Chmerkovskiy and D.J. Candace will work with Mark Ballas.
(R to L) Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage) and Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar) in “The Wonder Years”; D.J. Tanner (Candace Cameron Bure) in “Full House”
Cheryl Burke will be paired with Drew Carey, whom I can’t believe hasn’t been on the show yet. And Real Housewife of Atlanta NeNe Leakes (also known as Roz Washington on “Glee”) will be swept off her feet by Tony Dovolani.
(L to R) Lando (Billy Dee Williams) with Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), Chewy and Hans Solo (Harrison Ford)
Star Wars
nerds rejoice: Billy Dee Williams (you know him as Lando Calrissian) will also dance, paired with British musical theater vet Emma Slater.
Cody Simpson
is the youngest competitor. At 17, the Aussie pop singer will dance with Witney Carson, the Season 9 “So You Think You Can Dance” bombshell from Utah. And James Maslow, the 23-year-old sweetheart from Nickelodeon’s “Big Time Rush” will be competing with Peta Murgatroyd. From the looks of this picture of the duo out on the town earlier this February, it may be a match made in “DWTS” heaven:
Peta and James leaving a restaurant in West Hollywood in early February. Photo by SPW/Splash News
All in all, it’s going to be a great season. Who are you most excited to see? Any early predictions? Don’t forget to set your DVRs (or just tune in!) for the two-hour season premiere, March 17 at 8 pm ET on ABC.
