thought the same thing when I heard the rumours and saw Lacey's tweet

Brandy could be one to watch.

Here is another leaked cast line up from a more reliable source with some different names. Still if any of this is true. It may be a strange season

http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/08/26/dw...off-season-11/

Apparently Derek is dancing with



According to E Online

I heard this a while ago, but can't make up my mind if I like the idea or not! It would mean that Derek was dancing with yet another contender.

Unless someone not yet mentioned shows up on the list this seems like the only ringer of the season. Of course Derek would get her.

Mind you she's now.

Dont think I would consider her a serious contender, even if she's gonna dance with Derek. More likely a week 3 knockout allowing him to appear on Strictly in some capacity.



Raven

I guess it depends on what kind of shape she is in. I think she will do well in the standard dances and may struggle in Latin. Then there is the question of her popularity. As much as I like Derek I think it is time that he got an older partner who will challenge him even more on choreography to suit her.

If she is Derek's partner, she's older than any partner that Maks or Mark have ever gotten. Why does Derek deserve an "old" partner? Derek has had his share of challenges but because he does well with them it's never acknowledged by some. Funny how preseason nobody wanted Joanna Krupa or Lil Kim or Shannon Elizabeth for their favorite pro and how everyone thought they'd be early outs. After the fact though it's a different story. Oh well, they did well so it must not have been much of a challenge. Never mind that both Shannon and Joanna couldn't move worth a darn and were unpopular to boot (especially Joanna). Maks himself said Lil Kim was a huge challenge being so short. Not to mention her criminal record. Jennie was a nervous wreck and Nicole was a different sort of challenge altogether. Conrad Green acknowledged at the beginning of the season how much pressure it was going to be for Derek having a partner like Nicole. Derek has definitely had his challenges, but I guess you could say making it look easy when it's not is a sign of true success and talent.

Derek has said he is "Ready for Betty" meaning he is ready for the challenge of someone who might be less than fit. Most of Derek's partners have been young and fit, unlike some of the other pros. It doesn't mean the other challenges are not there but being young and fit is a good start in this competition. He is extremely talented both in teaching and choreography, so I would never question that. I don't know why you would say making it look easy means that I wouldn't think he wasn't talented. I think he will do a terrific job with whomever he is partnered with.

Edited to say that I would also like to see Maks and Mark have a partner with a different set of challenges also.

Looks like Corky Ballas is back and he is dancing with

I think Derek said he was "ready for Betty" because people asked him about her and because it rhymes and he thought it was funny. I also think he thought if she were really on the show it could be a fun, memorable partnership because she is so funny and such a character. I don't think he said it because he was thinking he needed the challenge of an older, less fit partner. Seriously, does anyone think that Betty White on the show would really be doing much dancing of any substance? Anyway, most of the regular pros haven't had older or less fit partners. Derek hasn't had the oldest partners, but he has never had any of the young ones either. Nicole was his youngest partner I think and she was 32. He's never had an athlete either, who are arguably the most fit and best suited for the show. At least that's what the pros say; they say athletes make the best partners. Most of the pros have had at least one athlete. Not Derek, but yes, most of his partners have been reasonably fit, though Shannon couldn't walk across the room without gasping for breath.

Isn't the big celeb announcement today?

Don't know, but at the Emmys last night Carrie Ann said the list of celebs was 'wild'.

(She also said there was a new set and an 'Acoustic' themed night).

Yes, in the evening time in the USA. So very, very late here.

This sounds interesting.

Cool tks, i will check in tomorrow

I will post the official list as soon as it is announced.

Their pro partners are being announced September 1 on Good Morning America.

Well here are the girls announced first. All were leaked on the spoiler list.

Audrina Partridge.
Brandy.
Jennifer Grey.
Margaret Cho.
Florence Henderson
Bristol Palin

And the boys just announced.

Michael Bolton.
Mike Sorrentino (the situation).
David Hasselhoff.
Kurt Warner.
Kyle Massey.
Rick Fox.

I am underwhelmed.

But the Hoff should be fun and it will be interesting to see how Jennifer Grey does.

Now to google to see who the heck some of them are.

In other news evidently it appears that Edyta has quit. I am wondering if they brought in Lacey as a last minute replacement because Lacey had originally twittered she was not on this season.

http://www.tmz.com/2010/08/30/edyta-...ers-alec-mazo/

Michael Bolton - wow. Interesting line-up. I bet the rumours are true and Derek gets Jennifer Grey and what's the betting they re-create Dirty Dancing at some point in the series.

Maybe I'm being cynical but it seems to me that Bristol Palin is doing this to get publicity for her mother before the next Presidential race starts!

Looking forward to seeing who gets paired with whom. September 1st, isn't it, that the pros are announced?

Thanks for this Lili.

Not sure if you can view this in the UK but there are bios on ABC site.

http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with...Gallery/543834