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Backstage Report: Derek Hough Has Another Scare

Dancing With The Stars by Kelsey McNeal/ABC

You've got to give it up for Shannon Elizabeth. She got a middling score of "23" for her samba on Monday night, but the actress should have received extra points from all three judges for exhibiting tremendous grace under pressure.For the second time in three weeks, Elizabeth had to watch as her pro partner, Derek Hough was carted off to the emergency room — this time just hours before she had to perform what head judge Len Goodman calls "the most difficult" of all the Latin dances. Two weeks ago, Hough wrenched his neck during rehearsals for a results-show pro number with his sister Julianne and Mark Ballas. Hough was confined to a neck brace all week and was touch-and-go for last Monday's Viennese Waltz. Pro Jonathan Roberts was called in to guide Elizabeth through the rehearsals.Then on Monday morning, Hough was taken down by a case of possible food poisoning — or something even more serious. "The doctors think it might be a stomach ulcer," says Hough, who had thrown up... read more

Backstage Report: Seles and Jillette Say Goodbye

Monica Seles and Jonathan Roberts by Kelsey McNeal/ABC

He predicted it even before the dancing started. Magician Penn Jillette said that if you looked at the big picture, booking him for the show — and then booting him out first — wouldn't be a bad move for the producers of Dancing with the Stars. "I like a little bit of game theory," Jillette said in his first interview about the show. "The producers could have me on and say: 'We're booking Sasquatch and isn't that funny? And then when he loses, it'll be funny, too.'" But once he signed on the dotted line, Jillette committed himself fully. He got a trainer in Las Vegas that he calls "the Nazi. He's a very, very bad man." He dropped an astonishing 48 pounds before the show went on the air. He got special orthopedic shoes for feet that have been battered by his more than three decades in show business, starting with circus training. "The producers made me promise that I would try as hard as I could," he says.And he did. "He did his best," said his wife, Emily, after Tuesday... read more

Meet Dancing Stars Monica Seles and Cristian de la Fuente

Monica Seles and Cristian de la Fuente by Bob D'Amico/ABC

As Dancing with the Stars' newbies get ready to dazzle on the dance floor — the hit reality competition returns Monday, March 17 — we've got a week-long guide to who's hoofing for Season 7. Check back each day for our profiles of more pairings. — Deborah Starr SeibelMonica SelesAge 34Best Known For Her nine Grand Slam tennis titles between 1990 and 1996 Lives In Sarasota, Florida Partner Jonathan Roberts Advantages During her career, Seles' extraordinary speed, footwork and stamina helped her become the No. 1 player in the world. Disadvantages "Monica is one of our more nervous contestants this year," says DWTS executive producer Conrad Green. "This is a huge departure for her." And she's got a bad left foot that effectively sidelined her tennis career. "I've had numerous injuries to that foot," she says. "That was one of my biggest worries."Cristián de la FuenteAge 34Best Known For Being a telenovela heartthrob who has also appeared on Ugly Betty and CSI: Miami ... read more

Maksim Judges the New Season's Dancing Stars

Maksim Chmerkovskiy by John Sciulli/WireImage.com, Cristian de la Fuente by Bob D'Amico/ABC, Cheryl Burke by Craig Sjodin/ABC

He may be sitting on the sidelines this time around, but Maksim Chmerkovskiy hasn't removed himself entirely from the sixth season of Dancing with the Stars. Shortly after the new celebrity-pro pairings were revealed, the handsome hoofer shared with us his more-than-qualified take on some of the contenders. — Deborah Starr SeibelCristián de la Fuente and Cheryl BurkeWill things look pretty for the Ugly Betty star? "He’s a good-looking dude, and Latin, and has that swagger," says Maksim. "And [two-time champion] Cheryl knows how to do her thing, getting people to the finals." Jason Taylor and Edyta SliwinskaTackling the ballroom floor is nothing new for a Dancing star (see: Rice, Jerry and Smith, Emmett). "I really like Jason," says Maksim. "He and Edyta are going to do great together and make a beautiful couple."Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark BallasThe Olympic gold-medalist very well could have the mettle to go far in the competition. "This pairing is one of the bette... read more

On Tour with Dancing with the Stars: Marie Osmond and Jonathan Roberts

Marie Osmond and Jonathan Roberts, Dancing with the Stars

Dancing with the Stars isn't missing a step. With the ABC hit's fifth season barely a memory, many of your favorite celebs and pro partners — from the most recent cycle as well as previous ones — are taking their fancy footwork on the road. SoftScrub Presents Dancing with the Stars kicked off Dec. 18 at the Key Arena in Seattle, Washington, and winds down Feb. 10, 2008, in Philadelphia. TVGuide.com will have updates and features every sizzling step of the way, starting with partners Marie Osmond and Jonathan Roberts. Marie Osmond, who's toured her whole life, knows the secret to staying happy and healthy on the road. She grabs what her mother used to call "the busy box" and what Marie calls her "entertainment center." In the box? Her computer, iPod, and books, along with knitting, crocheting, or needlepoint. "Whatever project I'm working on," she explains.Not that she'll have much free time. When she was asked to join the Dancing tour, Osmond's fir read more

Osmond and Seymour Credit Dancing Through the Pain

Marie Osmond and Jonathan Roberts, Dancing with the Stars

You couldn't make this stuff up. Week after week, bombshells explode on the Dancing with the Stars ballroom floor: Jane Seymour's mother dies. Marie Osmond collapses. Jennifer Lopez's grandmother passes. Gloria Estefan's mother becomes critically ill. Seymour ends up in the emergency room with suspected food poisoning. And now, Osmond's father dies.  Last week, executive producer Conrad Green thought the worst was over when Jane recovered from her trip to the hospital. "It's been a turbulent season, but I think we're at the end of it now." Not quite. The headlines just keep coming."I got a call very early this morn read more

Dancing with the Stars' 37-City Tour

Dancing With The Stars by Craig Sjodin/ABC

See your favorites, if not up close, certainly in person: Dancing with the Stars celebs and their professional partners will twirl their way through 37 North American cities on a winter tour starting Nov. 18. Wayne Newton, Marie Osmond, Sabrina Bryan, Karina Smirnoff, Drew Lachey, Joey Lawrence, Monique Coleman, Cheryl Burke, Edyta Sliwinska, Kym Johnson, Mark Ballas, Jonathan Roberts, Derek Hough, Alec Mazo, Brian Fortuna and others will kick off the traveling event, SoftScrub® Presents Dancing with the Stars, at Key Arena in Seattle, Washington. The third Dancing with the Stars tour features a rotating cast of popular competitors, in new combinations: Dancers from previous seasons will trip the light fantastic with those from the current season. New pairs include Wayne Newton with Cheryl Burke, Marie Osmond with Jonathan Roberts, and Sabrina Bryan with Mark Ballas; Season 3's Joey Lawrence with Edyta Sliwinska and Monique Coleman; professional dancers Derek Hough, Alec Mazo ... read more

Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: What Really Happened to Marie

Jonathan Roberts and Marie Osmond, Dancing with the Stars

It was frightening to be in the Dancing with the Stars audience last night. We've seen celebrities push their way through pain and fatigue. We've seen Jennie Garth crash and burn when she landed in a heap at the end of her second-week routine. But we've never seen a star pass out and lie motionless on the ballroom floor. Here's what you didn't see following Marie Osmond's collapse: After host Tom Bergeron cut to commercial, Osmond's brother Jimmy and her children rushed to her side. Her manager ran onto the floor, as did the paramedics. She was lying on her side, knees bent, not moving. Her partner, Jonathan Roberts, was holding her head in his hands. "Marie has so much fun all the time that read more

Backstage at Dancing with the Stars: Aches, Pains and Pride

Apolo Anton Ohno with Julianne Hough, Dancing with the Stars

There's something delicious about a show where nerves are on end and no one is a sure thing. "I have no idea who's going to win this," says dance pro Jonathan Roberts, who stopped by to chat just moments before this Monday night's competition began. He was seated in the audience with his former celebrity partner, Heather Mills. All 11 competing couples will return tomorrow night to dance in the grand finale. But for now, they were just there to watch the toughest, most important dances of the season alongside a number of famous former contestants: Harry Hamlin, Jerry Springer, and Mario Lopez, seated with his girlfriend and f read more

Dancing with the Stars I think...

Dancing with the StarsI think I was the only person in the office who didn't watch this over the summer, and I regretted it for months, so I had high expectations here tonight. The only problem is, it seems like the show's producers have decided that everyone else watching was a fan of the first season, so we got very little explanation of how the celebrities and partners were matched up, how long they had to learn their dances, what dances to expect in the coming weeks, etc. How about a little bit of love for the new people here? Master P says he got all the people in the 'hood to watch! OK, I'll cut to the dancing right away, like the show did: George Hamilton and Edyta Sliwinska: I thought George would be pretty good, since he's older and maybe da read more

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