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The Geek Girl's Guide to 'Dancing with the Stars' Season 28

The celebrities, the pros, and more about what goes with this anticipated season

By Katie JohnsPublished 5 years ago 9 min read
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Celebrity cast promotional photo. Image courtesy of Google and ABC

Strike up the band, stock up the spray tan, sew on the sequins, and get the phone lines ringin’!

Lights, camera, action in the Hollywood fashion! Bust a move, time to groove, and see dance routines with passion!

Drama and dancing for twelve weeks straight,

Starting September 16th, 8 PM; don’t be late!

So, who’s who in the ballroom this 28th season? The geek girl knows who, and is writing for that reason!

Who's Who and What's New

Fans' toes surely couldn't tap dance any harder for this new season after a springtime hiatus and a hysterically hair-raising "Mirrorball Miracle" concluding last season! So, some format-tweaking and focus-shifting have been reported to have happened in the time off. Perhaps the "how" of the show this season is more of the curiosity than the "who" (that's been my own case anyways), and satisfaction might only come once the show gets underway, but here's a few things already on the surface to start answering any questions and piquing interest:

What's new—The celeb-pro pairings aren't (very) public

Previous seasons have introduced the celebrities with their professional partners. This coming season has so far introduced the celebrities and the pros, but hasn't been up front with the pairings. So, 1) I've written separate lists in accommodation of this tweak, and 2) the couples will be collectively revealed on the premiere night.

Granted, the couples themselves have already met for practice, and thus either teased the general public, or have taken to social media about their partners outright. So, that information could actually be found with a little digging, but not every pro has been assigned, nor openly shared it if they have. In fact, another blog stated that one of DWTS' executive producers was the only one who knew about the pairings up till a few weeks ago.

What's New—Pro-dancer change-up

Segueing from an aforementioned fact, not every pro has been assigned a celebrity partner because DWTS is incorporating elements from its British origin, Strictly Come Dancing. Those elements include eliminating the troupe, or the backup dancers that have mostly performed as extras in some routines, or between commercials, or occasionally as substitutes when a "roster pro" couldn't perform (Alan, Jenna, and Brandon are a few products of the DWTS troupe). With the troupe eliminated though, two partnerless pros will still do many of the same things. Some of Dancing's pros may even get to choreograph the opening or "extra numbers" in the show this season.

What's New—Voting Adjustments

This is perhaps a most-wanted change after many an unfair elimination! The judges are rumored to have “additional capabilities” that will be announced at a later point!

A live voting aspect is also said to be in place this season, with results being announced the same night! So be at the ready with your preferred method of voting (or however they choose to run that part this year)!

While voting will be open to the US West Coast at the same time as the East Coast, the West Coast won’t be able to watch the performances in “real time” unless watching an East Coast feed—this means somehow streaming the show if at all possible, or watching the east coast ABC satellite channel, if you happen to be in that boat. Those are just some of my own “troubleshooting suggestions," but it makes me wonder if the show has any other remedy, or if this is some kind of trial run.

Who's Who—The Celebrities

Lauren Alaina

Lauren Alaina is a country music star whose career kicked off after earning runner-up on American Idol behind Scotty McCreary in 2011. Since then, she has released two albums (with one more in the works), toured with Jason Aldean, Alan Jackson, Cole Swindell, Sugarland, and Blake Sheldon, and won several awards and nominations for her work. Her latest song, “Ladies in the 90’s” released just last fall.

Karamo Brown

Karamo Brown is a reality tv star originally from MTV’s Real World: Philadelphia. Most notably, he is one of the experts on the Netflix Queer Eye reboot. He has also authored two books and hosts a podcast sharing his name.

James Van Der Beek

James Van Der Beek is an actor best-best known for the WB series Dawson’s Creek. He has also appeared in episodes across handfuls of shows like How I Met Your Mother, Ugly Betty, Law & Order, CSI, and Modern Family.

Ray Lewis

Ray Lewis is a recent inductee into the NFL Hall of Fame who played as a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, leading them through two Super Bowl wins. He has been named Super Bowl MVP, twice named Defensive Player of the Year, and 10 times Associated Press All-Pro.

Kate Flannery

Kate Flannery is an actress and comedienne best known for her character, Meredith Palmer, on The Office and its web-based spin-offs. She’s also appeared on Saturday Night Live, The Bernie Mac Show, The Jay Leno Show, Jimmy Kimmel, and Celebrity Family Feud.

Hannah Brown

Hannah Brown is fresh from the fifteenth season of The Bachelorette, being the second woman in Dancing’s history to come from the show (Trina Sutter from the first season of The Bachelorette appeared on the first season of DWTS). She was also in last year’s Miss USA pageant, representing her home state of Alabama.

Ally Brooke

Following Normani Kordei, Ally Brooke is another member of the girl group Fifth Harmony. She has pursued a solo career over the last few years, and started work on her own album earlier this year.

Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom is an NBA star who played with the L.A. Lakers during their 2009 and 2010 championships, and also on the Olympic men’s US basketball team, representing in Athens 2004 and in Turkey 2010. Also a household name from reality tv, Odom was married to Khloe Kardashian for six years and of course appeared on her family's reality shows. But most remarkably, he has bounced back from a coma and hospitalization for life-threatening health problems back in 2015.

Kel Mitchel

Nineties kids will recognize Kel Mitchel as one-half of the Nickelodeon comedy, Kenan and Kel, and in similar shows like All That, The Amanda Show and The Good Burger film. Never stopping film work, he’s played parts in many more reality shows, sitcoms, and direct-to video films. Currently, Kel is the host of a Saturday morning show, and executive producer of a revived All That series.

Sean Spicer

Sean Spicer is the former White House press secretary with a long career surrounding politics, including service as an officer in the US Navy Reserve and a joint chief of staff to the branch, an assistant US trade representative in George W. Bush's White House, chief strategist and director of communications at the Republican National Committee, and top advisor to presidential campaigns before his press secretary role.

Mary Wilson

Mary Wilson is one of the founding members of the Motown group The Supremes, as well as a solo artist and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer. She has written several biographical books chronicling her life as a superstar. With her star power, she has also been a social advocate and activists for many causes.

Christie Brinkley

Christie Brinkley is an actress and entrepreneur, but is best known as a legendary supermodel. She set precedents in the industry by appearing on the Sports Illustrated cover three consecutive years, serving with CoverGirl for twenty-five years, and appearing on over 500 magazine covers! In addition, she has appeared in several music videos of her former husband, Billy Joel, and even painted the album artwork for his 1991 River of Dreams. She’s appeared in commercials, infomercials, and in theatre for the lead role in Chicago.

Who's Who—The Pros

Peta Murgatroyd

Peta is close to being a 10 year show veteran and is a two-time DWTS champion, having won with football player Donald Driver and model Nyle DiMarco. She also returns to the dance floor for the first time in three years.

Cheryl Burke

Cheryl competed with last season’s front runner, actor Juan Pablo Di Pace. Having started on the show in its second season, she’s a long-standing pro who's won twice early on and several times made it to the final three.

Gleb Savchenko

Gleb returns for his eighth season of competition, still working for his first win. Last season, he was paired with comedienne Nikki Glaser, with whom he was the first to be eliminated.

Val Chmerkovskiy

Val returns for his 15th season in his nine years of competing! He’s won twice and, a handful of times, lasted to the final three. Last season, he was paired with actress Nancy McKeon.

Jenna Johnson

Returning for her fourth season, Jenna has danced with the show for three years as of this year. Her first win was the All-Athletes special season with ice skater Adam Rippon. She and Val also got married earlier this year!

Lindsay Arnold

Season 28 marks Lindsay’s ninth season and sixth year on the show, having one win so far with Jordan Fisher, but a few close calls in the final three.

Sasha Farber

This is Sasha’s seventh season and sixth year of competition, only once making it as far as the top three. He was paired with Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton last season.

Alan Bersten

Alan is one of the younger faces on the competition, having started out back on season 25 two years ago. He was paired with model and internet celebrity Alexis Ren last season.

Witney Carson

Witney returns for her 11th season in five years of the show, but she's only won once so far with actor Alfonso Ribeiro. Last season, she broke the top three with actor Milo Manheim.

Emma Slater

Emma comes back for her 11th competing season in six years, with only one win so far with NFL player Rashad Jennings. Emma competed with actor John Schneider last season.

Keo Motsepe

Keo comes back for his eighth season in five years, and has only come as close as the top three with actress Evanna Lynch last season.

Brandon Armstrong

Brandon is another young-blood pro, with last season having been his premiere with Fifth Harmony’s Tinashe.

Daniella Karagch and Pasha Pashkov

Karagch and Pashkov are both pro-dance and marriage partners, and the newest faces of the ballroom! They have danced together for over a decade, earning championship titles in international dance competitions. They have appeared on The World of Dance show, and Daniella has even toured with former DWTS favorite, Derek Hough. (Small world!)

Daniella with Keo are said to be the "partnerless pros"

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About the Creator

Katie Johns

Random blogger and published short story writer-

https://kjohns323.wixsite.com/kjswritersblock/portfolio

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