Cue that theme music!

Posted: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 by Travis Cody in
8

It's the Season 14 cast!


I like this cast a lot at first glance.  I also like that they announced the partnerships today with the celebrities, rather than make us wait a week.

Here is our group for Season 14.

Donald Driver was the last pick in the 1999 NFL draft at #213 in the 7th round, and became a Super Bowl champion as well as the all time leading receiver in Green Bay Packer history.  He was named the NFL Man of the Year in 2002.  He dances with Peta Murgatroyd.  This is Peta's 2nd season.  She has previously been paired with Ron Artest (Season 13).



Gavin DeGraw is a platinum selling recording artist, musician, songwriter and producer.  He dances with defending champ Karina Smirnoff.  This is Karina's 11th season.  She has previously been paired with Mario Lopez with whom she finished second in Season 3, Billy Ray Cyrus (Season 4), Floyd Mayweather (Season 5), Mario (Season 6), Rocco DiSpirito (Season 7), Steve Wozniak (Season 8), Aaron Carter (Season 9), Mike Sorrention (Season 11), Ralph Macchio (Season 12), and JR Martinez, with whom she won Season 13.


Gladys Knight is the "Empress of Soul", an 8 time Grammy winner and a musical legend.  She is also an actor, humanitarian, author, and a member of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.  She dances with Tristan MacManus.  This is Tristan's 2nd season.  He has previously been paired with Nancy Grace (Season 13).


Jack Wagner is an actor both on the screen and on Broadway, a recording artist, and musician.  He dances with Anna Trebunskaya.  This is Anna's 9th season.  She has previously been paired with Jerry Rice with whom she finished second in Season 2, Albert Reed (Season 5), Steve Guttenberg (Season 6), Chuck Liddell (Season 9), Evan Lysacek with whom she finished second in Season 10, Kurt Warner (Season 11), Sugar Ray Leonard (Season 12), and Carson Kressley (Season 13).


Jaleel White is an actor, producer, and screenwriter.  He dances with 2-time champion Kym Johnson.  This is Kym's 11th season.  She has previously been paired with Jerry Springer (Season 3), Joey Fatone with whom she finished second in Season 4, Mark Cuban (Season 5), Penn Jillette (Season 6), Warren Sapp with whom she finished second in Season 7, David Alan Grier (Season 8), Donny Osmond with whom she won Season 9, David Hasselhoff (Season 11), Hines Ward with whom she won Season 12, and David Arquette (Season 13).


Katherine Jenkins is a classically trained and world renowned Mezzo Soprano.  She dances with 2-time champion Mark Ballas.  This is Mark's 10th season.  He has previously been paired with Sabrina Bryan (Season 5), Kristi Yamaguchi with whom he won Season 6, Kim Kardashian (Season 7), Shawn Johnson with whom he won Season 8, Melissa Joan Hart (Season 9), Shannen Doherty (Season 10), Bristol Palin (Season 11), Chelsea Kane (Season 12), and Kristin Cavallari (Season 13).


Maria Menounos is an actor, journalist, best selling author, and TV host.  She dances with 3-time champion Derek Hough.  This is Derek's 8th season.  He has previously been paired with Jennie Garth (Season 5), Shannon Elizabeth (Season 6), Brooke Burke with whom he won Season 7, Lil Kim (Season 8), Joanna Krupa (Season 9), Nicole Scherzinger with whom he won Season 10, Jennifer Gray with whom he won Season 11, and Ricki Lake (Season 13).


Martina Navratilova is the best all around tennis player in the history of the game with 59 Grand Slam titles, a record 9 Wimbledon singles championships, Grand Slam titles in 4 different decades, and 344 total tournament victories.  She has a career Grand Slam in singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles.  She dances with Tony Dovolani.  This is Tony's 13th season.  He has previously been paired with Stacy Keibler (Season 2), Sara Evans (Season 3), Leeza Gibbons (Season 4), Jane Seymour (Season 5), Marissa Jaret Winokur (Season 6), Susan Lucci (Season 7), Melissa Rycroft (Season 8), Kathy Ireland (Season 9), Kate Gosselin (Season 10), Audrina Partridge (Season 11), Wendy Williams (Season 12), and Chynna Phillips (Season 13).


Melissa Gilbert is an actor, writer, producer, philanthropist, and former 2-time president of the Screen Actor's Guild.  She has worked steadily in television, having starred in over 45 movies and mini-series in her career.  She dances with Maksim Chmerkovskiy.  This is Maks' 12th season.  He has previously been paired with Tia Carrere (Season 2), Willa Ford (Season 3), Laila Ali (Season 4), Mel B with whom he finished second in Season 5, Misty May-Treanor (Season 7), Denise Richards (Season 8), Debi Mazar (Season 9), Erin Andrews (Season 10), Brandy Norwood (Season 11), Kirstie Alley with whom he finished second in Season 12, and Hope Solo (Season 13).


Roshon Fegan is par of the Disney family as an actor as well as a, rapper, songwriter, and producer.  He has also been trained in ballet.  He dances with Chelsie Hightower.  This is Chelsie's 6th season.  She has previously been paired with Ty Murray (Season 8), Louie Vito (Season 9), Jake Pavelka (Season 10), Michael Bolton (Season 11), and Romeo Miller (Season 12).


Sherri Shepherd is an actor, comedienne, and Emmy winning TV host.  She dances with Val Chmerkovskiy.  This is Val's 2nd season.  He has previously been paired with Elisabetta Canalis (Season 13).




William Levy is a model and actor.  He dances with 2-time champion Cheryl Burke.  This is Cheryl's 13th season.  She has previously been paired with Drew Lachey with whom she won Season 2, Emmitt Smith with whom she won Season 3, Ian Ziering (Season 4), Wayne Newton (Season 5), Cristian de la Fuente (Season 6), Maurice Green (Season 7), Gilles Marini with whom she finished second in Season 8, Tom DeLay (Season 9), Chad Ochocinco (Season 10), Rick Fox (Season 11), Chris Jericho (Season 12) and Rob Kardashian with whom she finished second in Season 13.

There they are.  I'll miss Lacey Schwimmer this season, but I'm happy to have Chelsie back.

Season 14 premiers on 19 March with with a super-duper-step-over-lip-lock-two-hour extravaganza!

I am so ready for dancing!

8 comments:

  1. Jean(ie) says:

    I might have to watch just to see Jack Wagner dance. He's a hoot on Bold & Beautiful!

  1. Ivanhoe says:

    Midnight train to Georgia. Choo Chooooo! :) Can not wait!

  1. Anonymous says:

    Dancing and cake, methinks! GGG

  1. Akelamalu says:

    I'll be interested to see how our very own Katherine Jenkins does, and Martina!

  1. I'm ready. Let the dancing begin. I can't say that the Melissa/Max seems to be a good pairing. I don't know if Melissa can take Max's attitude that always manages to show up and create unnecessary drama at some point during the season.

  1. Cherie says:

    Looks like a good group and none that look like they were chosen for public humiliation (e.g. The Situation). Rock on! :)

  1. It does look like an interesting season. Lot of variety among the contestants.

  1. No Valerie...but this could be a fun cast.