13 New Stars to Shimmy, Shake on 'DWTS'

Aug. 25, 2008 — -- A new set of celebrities is getting ready to shimmy and shake on "Dancing With the Stars." The reality dance competition is about to return for its seventh season and for the first time, 13 celebrities vie for the coveted mirror ball trophy. Get to know them now, before the Sept. 22 premiere:

Lance Bass

If anyone can blow the competition out of the water this season, it's Lance Bass. Bass learned to sing and step with the best of them as a member of the ultrapopular 1990s boy band *NSNYC, who has sold more than 50 million records to date. His interests extend beyond the stage: Bass was certified by both NASA and the Russian Space Program for a mission aboard a Soyuz capsule. He also recently released a memoir, "Out of Sync," about his struggle to come out of the closet. He'll be paired with "DWTS" newcomer Lacey Schwimmer, the 2007 World Swing Dance Champ.

Kim Kardashian

Despite a foot injury that landed her in the hospital, reality TV star Kim Kardashian's confident she can give her fellow celebrities a run for their money on "DWTS." The "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star will be paired with "DWTS" defending champ, Mark Ballas, who's back for his third season.

Rocco DiSpirito

Rocco DiSpirito knows his way around a kitchen. The James Beard award-winning chef has been cooking since the age of 11 and opened the three-star Union Pacific in New York City in 1997. Now DiSpirito is trying his hand (and feet) on the dance floor, paired with Karina Smirnoff, who returns for her fifth "DWTS" season. DiSpirito's second reality series, "Rocco Gets Real," premieres on A&E in October.

Toni Braxton

She's won six Grammy awards and sold more than 40 million records. Her U.S. No. 1 hit, "Un-Break My Heart," is the second-biggest single by a female artist in history. She's co-starred in two Broadway shows, "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aida." But does Toni Braxton have what it takes to dominate the dance floor? The R&B singer will give it her all with Season One champion Alec Mazo, who returns for his fourth season.

Maurice Green

He got gold in the Olympics. Can he do the same on "DWTS"? Maurice Green, winner of two gold medals in the 100m sprint and the 4x100m relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and winner of silver and bronze medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, will team with two-time champion Cheryl Burke.

Brooke Burke

She has her own top-selling swimsuit calendars and is regularly ranked in men's magazines as one of the sexiest women in the world. But it'll take more than good looks for Brooke Burke to win "DWTS." Burke transitioned from modeling to TV by hosting E!'s travel series "Wild On!" The mother of four has since branched out into business, launching her own baby store, BabooshBaby.com. She'll team up with Derek Hough, who returns for his third season.

Cody Linley

At 18-years-old, Cody Linley will be the youngest contestant ever to compete on "DWTS." He's best known for playing Jake Ryan on the superpopular Miley Cyrus-fronted series, "Hannah Montana." Linley's also appeared in "My Dog Skip" and "Cheaper by the Dozen." He'll dance with two-time "DWTS" champ Julianne Hough, who returns for her fourth season

Cloris Leachman

Cloris Leachman is a TV veteran, but that won't make her stint on "DWTS" any easier. The nine-time Emmy award winning actress starred as Phyllis in the TV series "Phyllis" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." She played Ruth Popper in "The Last Picture Show," for which she won an Oscar and a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award. At 82, she'll be the show's oldest contestant ever. She's currently touring the U.S. with her one-woman show, "CLORIS!" Leachman will partner with World Latin Champion and Mark's father, Corky Ballas, who makes his series debut.

Ted McGinley

Ted McGinley's appeared in a host of TV hits, from "Happy Days" to "Married ... With Children" to "Love Boat" to "The West Wing." His film credits include "Pearl Harbor," "Wayne's World 2" and "Revenge of the Nerds." Now he's adding "DWTS" to his resume. Newcomer Inna Brayer will be paired with McGinley.

Susan Lucci

She's a familiar face to millions of daytime TV viewers. Now Susan Lucci's got a gig on primetime. The "All My Children" star has performed on Broadway and in cabarets across the country while developing her own cosmetic and fashion lines. Erica Kane fans need not worry -- Lucci will continue to work on "All My Children" while dancing on "DWTS." She'll be paired with Tony Dovolani, who returns for his sixth season.

Misty May-Treanor

Misty May-Treanor is heading straight to "DWTS" from the beach volleyball courts of Beijing, where she and her partner, Kerri Walsh, just won their second consecutive gold medal. (The victory also marked their 108th straight match win.) May-Treanor was named Most Valuable Player in 2005 and 2006, Best Offensive Player in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and Best Defensive Player in 2006. She now joins a new teammate, Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who returns for his fifth season.

Jeffrey Ross

As "The Roastmaster General," Jeffrey Ross has a knack for cracking up his audiences and embarrassing his subjects, among them William Shatner, Hugh Hefner, Donald Trump and Pamela Anderson. He'll try not to be a punch line while on the dance floor with Edyta Sliwinska, the only pro to compete in all seven seasons of "DWTS."

Warren Sapp

Warren Sapp comes to the "DWTS" stage fresh off the football field. The recently retired defensive tackle and Superbowl Champion played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders during his 13-year career. This fall, he'll co-host Showtime's "Inside the NFL." He'll dance with Kym Johnson, who returns for her fifth season.