Dancing With the Stars: The Preseason Picks

It's Kristi Yamaguchi's to lose this season in Dancing With the Stars. She Has Star Power, is athletic, basically already does ballroom dancing on ice, and will be teamed with a good coach.

By Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco: The Blog

Let me tell you right now...I am a big fan of Dancing With The Stars and you will be seeing my running commentary once the season gets under way on ABC on March 17. So deal with it. I know, I know....I usually am writing about esoteric things like changing the world, changing the election process, changing the face of radio and televison as we know it, books from obscure authors, music from obscure and not so obscure artists, art exhibits, and the like. You have to allow me one guilty pleasure.

I guess I like the show because I love the competition and the combination of star power, athleticism, the beauty of ball room dancing, and music. It is very addictive. A good friend of mine turned me on to the show three seasons ago and I've been hooked ever since. I even stood in line to watch the show live in Hollywood...not once, but twice to see one show. I am digressing here, but if you ever decide to go see the show in person...it is an experience you will not forget. But one word of caution...if you get tickets on line don't assume you are getting in.

Here's a tip...arrive early and get in line early the first time you go. Do not, and I repeat do not, do what I did and arrive late, have a leisurely lunch at the nearby Cheesecake Factory and expect to get in. My party tried that strategy and we ended up three people short of getting in the door. For our efforts, we got a VIP pass which allowed us guaranteed access the next time we went. Also, do not wear high heals. You will be standing in line and walking quite a distance from the parking lot to the line to the theatre. Or at least take two pairs of shoes. But once you get in, be prepared for a great show. You see so much more than you can on television.

That being said, here are my preseason picks for the upcoming season. It's like preseason polls in anything...It's useless but fun. So in order of finish, this is how I expect the season to go:

1) Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas: Ice Skating is basically ballroom dancing on ice and Yamaguchi is America's sweetheart so she will have the popularity or "it" factor and get votes. She is also used to performing before judges. Her partner Mark Ballas took Sabrina Reyes beyond her capabilities and actually had her dancing the best last season but they didn't get help from the fans. Ballas will have something to prove. This combination should win.

2) Marissa Jaret Winokur and Tony Dovolani: Winokur is a Broadway performer and should know how to dance. She is teamed with Dovolani who got the best out of Jane Seymour last season.

3) Jason Taylor and Edyta Sliwinska: I never count the NFL guys out. Good case in point was Emmett Smith and Jerry Rice. They bring a level of committment unmatched by the rest. Sliwinska has something to prove. She has been involved with all six seasons but has never coached a winner.

4) Cristian De La Fuente and Cheryl Burke: The handsome De La Fuente will get the ladie's votes and he is another South American where dancing is their birthright. Cheryl Burke also has two wins under her belt, is one of the best coaches, and should help De La Fuente compete.

5) Shannon Elizabeth and Derek Hough. Admittedly, an unknown in the dance area, but she will get the popular vote. Derek Hough proved himself a formidable coach last season, taking Jennie Garth as far as she could go.

6) Mario and Karina Smirnoff. R&B male singers usually know how to move and he will get a lot of votes from the ladies but Smirnoff, the runner up last season, is going to have her hands full pushing Mario to the next level.

7) Marlee Matlin and Fabian Sanchez: Two unknowns. Matlin looks like a Jane Seymour type and this is Sanchez's first go around even though he comes armed with great credentials.

8) Priscilla Presley and Louis Van Amstel: See notes on Number 7 and repeat.

9) Monica Seles and Jonathon Roberts. Seles will need to use her athleticism and Jonathon Roberts will need to stop making bad choices like he did with Marie Osmond last season for them to have a chance.

10) Adam Carolla and Juliane Hough. Carolla will have you in stitches and he is very amusing. The rest of America outside of California doesn't really know him so he's probably not going to get a lot of votes. The defending two time champion Hough will have her hands full with this guy. Don't expect her to be a three time champion.

11) Steve Guttenberg and Anna Trebunskaya: Bad actor, Bad Movie choices, Bad Dancer probably teamed with not the greatest coach either. Recipe for disaster.

12) Penn Gillette and Kym Johnson: Gillette will be amusing but will need to pull off the biggest magic trick of his career to even survive the first cut. And Teller will not be around to bail him out either.