Here’s Natalie’s segment from this week’s show for those who missed it:

Throughout the season, Natalie will be sharing her DWTS experience through her Twitter (@nataliecoughlin) and Facebook pages so be sure to follow along and VOTE for Natalie all season long.

Natalie and Alec’s official voting number is 1-800-VOTE4-13 or 1-800-868-3413. You may also vote online at www.abc.com starting from the opening of each episode on the East Coast and until 12:00 Noon, ET the following day.

Coughlin, who has made a big splash in the Olympics, will attempt to excel in the ballroom during the upcoming season of ABC’s “DWTS.” She was among the 16 celebrities named to the “Dancing with the Stars” cast, as announced Monday morning. She’ll compete against former Republican Majority Leader Tom DeLay, pop singer Donny Osmond, and former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin.

Other hopefuls include singers Mya, Macy Gray and Aaron Carter; actors Melissa Joan Hart, Debi Mazar and Ashley Hamilton (son of George); models Joanna Krupa and Kathy Ireland; reality stars Kelly Osbourne and Mark Dacascos (”the Chairman” on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America”); mixed martial artist Chuck Liddell; and professional snowboarder Louie Vito.

The contestants were announced on Monday’s “Good Morning America” by “Dancing” host Tom Bergeron, who also unveiled a new competitive twist.

“In the middle of our season, over three weeks, we’re going to have double eliminations,” said Bergeron. “We’ll lose about half of our cast within that period. It will be a ballroom bloodbath.”

Coughlin  represented the United States at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. In 2008, she became the first American female athlete to win six medals in one Olympics.

After taking a break from swimming competition after the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Coughlin will be extending that break with time logged on the dance floor. She appears to be in good company on “Dancing” as three Olympians have won the reality show’s coveted title. Speed-skater Apolo Anton Ohno captured the prize in Season 4, while figure skate Kristi Yamaguchi prevailed in Season 6 and gymnast Shawn Johnson won the disco-ball trophy in Season 8.

The ninth season of the hit ABC show premieres Sept. 21 with a three night event.

Update: Natalie will be paired with Alec Mazo on this season of DWTS.

Sabrina Bryan, of the Cheetah Girls and Dancing with the Stars ” has teamed up with The Alliance for a Healthier Generation to launch empowerME, a campaign challenging kids to make their own workout videos.

How to enter:

For more information on The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, the empowerME campaign and Sabrina Bryan’s video contest please visit www.empowerME2B.org.

So get up, grab a camera and get moving!

The top five finalists will receive autographed copies of Sabrina’s newest “Byou” DVD — and the winner will also receive a personalized video message from Sabrina!

The female tag became a big thing and there was a lot of hype around the Beat Freaks but there was still the little matter of dancing it out against the other finalist, Quest Crew,  in the live March 5th finale.

A hip-hop dance dream team, the Beat Freaks have won loads of awards and have been featured on numerous television shows, as well as in music videos and tours with such talent as Pink, Avril Lavigne, Miley Cyrus and Madonna, as well as in movies like You Got Served and Step Up 2.

From the MTV site: ”

We are an all styles crew, so we teach each other” says Out There. Adds Lockn’Key, “This is a well-rounded group of women. We have B- girling, freestyle, hip-hop, popping, locking, house salsa, jazz, ballet, you name it.” Plus, says Rino, “We love to laugh and to have fun.”

With such wide ranging credits and styles, it’s not surprising to see a range of music fueling the crew. The girls go for everything from Hot Chip, M.I.A., Santogold and CSS to OutKast, T.I., Aaliyah and Missy Elliottt to Prince, Zapp and James Brown.

So which crew was voted “America’s Best”? A battle as old as time played out last week as the “guys vs. girls” challenge was enacted.  Guys have won the first two seasons, with women getting as far as second and third in mixed crews (So Real Cru, Kaba Modern, Fanny Pak), and all-girl crews not even close to the top three.

When it came time for the moment of truth, host Mario Lopez milked it for as much drama  as he could.  The all-girl-finalists, who had never even been in the bottom two, faced a crew that was facing elimination only a week before.  

In the end only one group could win, and show producer Randy Jackson awarded the Quest Crew the grand prize of $100,000. A lot of us were  surprised (and a little angry), but anyone who watched the show knew that it would be a tight race. 

What do you think? Did the best crew win?

The comedian Jeffrey Ross along with his professional partner, Edyta Sliwinska,  was the first star eliminated from the seventh season of ABC’s dancing competition.

August 25, 2008

DWTS’ seventh season airs on Sept. 22 and what’s on everyones mind is:  Who will shake a leg on the award-winning reality show in hopes of winning the coveted mirror ball trophy?

Announced today, here’s a rundown of the Dancing with the Stars contestants and their professional dance partners:

• Singer Toni Braxton, 40, and Alec Mazo
• Singer Lance Bass, 29, and Lacey Schwimmer
• Actor Ted McGinley, 50, and Inna Brayer
• Actress Cloris Leachman,82, and Corky Ballas
• Warren Sapp, 35, and Kym Johnson
• Celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito, 31, and Karina Smirnoff
• TV personality Kim Kardashian, 27, and Mark Ballas
• Track star Maurice Green, 34, and Cheryl Burke
• Beach volleyball star Misty May-Treanor, 31, and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
• Soap star Susan Lucci,61, and Tony Dovolani
• Comedian Jeffrey Ross, 42, and Edyta Sliwinska
• Actor Cody Linley, 18, and two-time DWTS champ Julianne Hough
• TV personality Brooke Burke, 36, and Derek Hough

Our fave? Beach volleyball player and recent Olympic gold medal winner Misty May-Treanor!  She’ll go straight from Beijing where she and Kerri Walsh won their second gold medal in beach volleyball to the DWTS comp where we hope she’ll follow in the footsteps of another Olympian – last year’s winner Kristi Yamaguchi.

If you’ve got ten minutes to spare, check out Miley and BFF Mandy Jirouex’s latest installment in the “biggest online dance battle in history”.

Miley, Mandy and the M&M Cru enlist the help of plenty of great B-girls and boys along with such diverse talent as Chris Kattan, Carson Daly, Ryan Seacrest, Napoleon Dynamite’s Petro, former N’Sync member Joey Fatone,  and magic man David Blaine (he makes Miley’s head do a 360).

The video ends with Step Up 2 director Jon Chu and star Adam Sevani (they lead the ACDC group) saying, “There’s only one way to settle this. In person!” Seems like the next video may feature both the M&M Cru and ACDC Crew facing off!! Can’t wait.

May 21, 2008

Figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi was named the new “Dancing” champ on the show’s season finale, becoming the first woman to win the ABC dance-off since its inaugural season. The Olympic gold medalist came into the final contest Tuesday with a perfect score and bested Jason Taylor and Cristian de la Fuente to claim the championship.

“This is definitely for all those women out there to continue to be strong,” she said after the show, hoisting the prize above her head.

The Olympic gold medalist was clearly the most talented dancer on this season’s competition, regularly landing atop the judges’ scoreboard.

Yamaguchi’s athletic background helped make her a winner, said judge Carrie Ann Inaba, because athletes know how to channel criticism into competition.

Pretty? Definitely! Tough? You bet! Yamaguchi’s got it all – including the mirrorball trophy.

You go, girl!

It’s back!!

ABC announced the celebrity lineup for next month’s sixth cycle of Dancing With the Stars. The contestants will include: actress-model Shannon Elizabeth (American Pie, Love Actually), who has been paired with partner Derek Hough; Steve Guttenberg, dancing with Anna Trebunskaya; Priscilla Presley, with Louis van Amstel; radio jock-comedian Adam Carolla, with Julianne Hough; actress Marlee Matlin (Children of a Lesser God), with newcomer Fabian Sanchez; recently retired tennis champ Monica Seles, with Jonathan Roberts; illusionist Penn Jillette, with Kym Johnson; R&B singer Mario, with Karina Smirnoff; this year’s NFL defensive player of the year, the Miami Dolphins’ Jason Taylor, with Edyta Sliwinska; Tony Award-winner Marissa Jaret Winokur (Hairspray), with Tony Dovolani; Olympic gold medalist figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, with Mark Ballas; and Chilean actor Cristián de la Fuente (CSI: Miami), with Cheryl Burke.

Dancing returns on March 17 at 8 p.m. for the first of a two-night premiere. Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris will host and Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, and Carrie Ann Inaba will judge.

Santa Monica, CA (November 19, 2007) – MTV today announced the greenlight for a new series, “Randy Jackson Presents America’s Best Dance Crew” (working title). This live weekly reality competition show was announced by Tony DiSanto, Executive Vice President, and is scheduled to begin airing January 2008.

“Randy Jackson Presents America’s Best Dance Crew” (working title) promises to be one of the most visual and current performance competition shows to ever hit television. The top hip-hop dance crews from around the country will audition for their “one shot” to come to Los Angeles to compete for dance supremacy, a cash prize and touring contract. Shot on location in Los Angeles, each dance crew will consist of five to seven members. Each week the crews will rehearse and demonstrate their most innovative choreography and skills as their intimate life stories and personal drama unfold within the show. Each live performance episode will tap into the crews’ emotions, spirit and inspiration. Viewers from around the country will vote for their favorites via text messaging, online and by phone. One crew will be eliminated each week — to ultimately reveal the nation’s best dance crew.

“Randy Jackson Presents America’s Best Dance Crew”  is the first dance competition show for dance crews rather than individual dancers.

Open casting calls are underway for USA Crews 18 years of age and older. Live auditions in targeted markets throughout the US begin on Tuesday, December 4 (Atlanta); and the auditions travel to cities including: Chicago (December 6); New York (December 8); and Los Angeles (December 11). Times and locations will be available at MTV.com or email thecrew@mtvnmix.com.

“Together with Randy Jackson, we are setting the stage for dance teams nationwide to finally show their stuff. Dynamic, energetic and physical, we are giving them the chance to push the envelope of choreography, challenge themselves and their competitors, and truly showcase to the world the power, skill and beauty of group dance,” said Tony DiSanto, Executive Vice President of Series Development & Programming for MTV. “It’s about teamwork, determination, and ultimately witnessing individuals from every possible background struggle and persevere for one single goal — to be the very best.”

“I have always wanted to do something with MTV,” said Randy Jackson. “MTV has the biggest voice especially as it relates to music, dance and entertainment. I’m happy to be joining with them on this show – it’s the hottest show, finding the best dance crews in America. The show is going to be blazing hot ’cause that’s the way the Dawg always does it – hot!!”

The USA Hip Hop Championship featured crews competing for prizes and medals and the right to represent the USA in the World Hip Hop Championships. The top six teams advanced to the Worlds, which involves dancers from more than 20 countries who compete for Gold, Silver and Bronze medals and bragging rights until the 2008 Championships.

Originally a uniquely American form of dance, hip hop has seen its influence extend clear around the world. Irish krumpers and Nepalese pop and lockers battle it out with crews from as far away as the Philippines, New Zealand and Brazil.

Though hip hop evolved as a guerilla form of self-expression, the USA & World Hip Hop Championships is rigorously judged. The Championship Rules Manual details all the rules and regulations but basically, crews of five to eight dancers compete in three age divisions presenting a choreographed two-minute routine. The competition is broken down into juniors (ages 7 to 12), varsity (ages 12 to 17) and adults. Since hip hop is a fusion of dance disciplines and cultural interpretations, judges look for a combination of old school and new school moves and choreography that conveys the character and energy of the street.

Crew B Boy Battles and Pop and Lock Battles took place on a smaller stage nearby. Girls competed but there weren’t nearly enough of them. Surely Sarah from “So You Think You Can Dance” isn’t the only B Girl around. Next time, let’s see some more girls hit the stage.

Hip Hop International
From the 2006 Worlds – Xplosive!

It’s no surprise that Laila float like a butterfly on the dance competition show. The undefeated boxing champ (and daughter of boxing great Muhammad Ali) used her athleticism and fitness to conquer dances including the mambo and rumba. Along with her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy she garnered high marks from the contest’s judges and won viewer approval.

Ali made it to the final three and was definitely our choice to win the whole thing. In the end, another athlete, Olympian Apolo Ohno, took home the big prize. Ali may not have won the comp, but she won America’s hearts. [+]

Laila Ali on Dancing with the Stars