If you haven’t had a chance to bing or google it already then please allow me the honor of presenting to you the official lineup for Dancing With The Stars - Season 11.

Brandy / singer, actress – Former R&B teen sensation with a string of hits (“Best Friend”, “Baby”, “Sitting Up In My Room”). Also, Brandy starred in the long running sitcom, Moesha (1996-2001), and had a featured role in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998). Currently, Brandy is still making sweet music and recently starred in a reality show with her brother, “RayJ”.
Star Skills: Years of learning dance choregraphy for concerts and music videos. Music performers such as Mario, Mya and Nicole Scherzinger delivered quality performances thanks to their singing and dancing experiences.
Maksim Chmerkovskiy / Pro Partner – The resident “bad boy of the ballroom” with devlish charms and daring choreography. His temper can sometimes get the better of him but it’s only because he expects the best from his partner.

Margaret Cho / comedienne, actress, author, activist – Ms. Cho has done quite a lot in her career. Her sitcom, All American Girl (1994-1995), was the first sitcom with a predominantly Asian American cast. She went on to perform hilarious stand-up performances including I’m The One That I Want (2000), Assassin (2005) and Beautiful (2009). When she’s not fighting for a righteous cause Ms. Cho can be seen on the Lifetime show, Drop Dead Diva, and can also be heard on her recently released music album, “Cho Dependent”.
Star Skills: Rarely will you find an LGBT icon that can’t shake a tailfeather. Ms. Cho has probably learned some killer footwork from many a club boy and drag queen. Plus, she took some courses in bellydancing.
Louis van Amstel / Pro Partner – This dapper dan knows how to make a woman sparkle on the dancefloor. One of Louis’ strengths is his ability to collaborate with his partner. He’ll use the dancer’s concept in the routine while gently pushing the star to go the distance in the choreography.

Florence Henderson / actress, singer, spokesperson – Ms. Henderson has graced the stage, screen and tube for many years. Most of us either know her as “Carol Brady” from The Brady Bunch (1969-1974) or as the glowing face of those Wesson cooking oil commercials.
Star Skills: Well, she did musical theater and did some hot hoofing on that 1970s Brady Bunch variety show. One thing that Dancing With The Stars has taught me is that no star should be instantly dismissed based on age so my hopes are high for the celebrated tv mom.
Corky Ballas / Pro Partner – A pro among pros Mr. Ballas is the extinguished gentleman this season and will most likely present Ms. Henderson as the grand dame of Season 11.

Michael Bolton / singer – The legendary power vocalist has making women swoon with his wild wails since the 1990s. Though he’s working a shorter hair-do these Mr. Bolton hasn’t lost his ability to charm with his manly face and soulful voice. Hits include “How Am I Supposed To Life Without You”, “Time, Love & Tenderness”, “Love Is A Wonderful Thing” and his amazing rendition of “When A Man Loves A Woman”.
Star Skills: I’m not sure. Career-wise, Mr. Bolton is more of a crooner than a dancer so it will be interesting to see if he can cut a rug as well he can belt out a high note.
Chelsie Hightower / Pro Partner – Former So You Thing You Can Dance finalist turned Dancing With The Stars dynamo. Ms. Hightower is all energy and pizzazz. When Chelsie hits the floor it’s like watching the 4th of July personified. If Mr. Bolton can’t keep up then he better wear knee-pads because Chelsie has no problem dragging Michael through the routine if she has to. Just ask Jake Pavelka (wink, wink).

Rick Fox / pro basketball player, actor – I don’t know about Rick Fox’s basketball skills but they must’ve been remarkable if he went pro. I know him best from his benevolent role in Meet The Browns (2008) but he’s also appeared in tv shows including Ugly Betty, Oz, and One Tree Hill.
Star Skills: Basketball-ers are known for their quick feet and balance. However, his stature might threaten the sharpness of his posture and footwork.
Cheryl Burke / Pro Partner – Ms. Burke has a knack for turning athletes into dancers. With two mirrorball trophies in her possession Ms. Burke is a force to be reckoned with especially when it comes to the Latin dances.

Jennifer Grey / actress – It makes perfect sense that the star of one the greatest dance films ever made tries her luck with Dancing With The Stars. Dirty Dancing (1987) helped to put ballroom dancing in the mainstream consciousness and what a blast it is to have Ms. Grey back on camera and wearing dancing shoes. She’s also known for her roles in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) and Redbelt (2008).
Star Skills: She went hip-to-hip with dancer extraordinaire, Patrick Swayze, in Dirty Dancing so I can only hope she can pick up the footwork like a duck takes to water.
Derek Hough / Pro Partner – Mr. Hough has won the competition twice. His second trophy was picked up just last season so some of that winning streak might carry through to Season 11. If there’s one thing I could say about Derek it is that his choreography is remarkable. His routines are usually the most creative and memorable of the season. I mean, he created a 1950s era Paso Doble routine and it looked pretty dang good. The young man is rumored to have a Cleveland sized ego and with his abilities I wouldn’t blame him.

David Hasselhoff / actor, singer, pop icon – Baywatch. Knight Rider. America’s Got Talent. If you don’t know who “The Hoff” is then you were either born yesterday or don’t watch television much. The man was a 1980s heartthrob and then ascended to major celebrity status thanks to Baywatch, the Guinness Book record holder for the most watched television series in the world. He’s also a major musical sensation in Europe and had an amusing cameo spot in The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (2004)
Star Skills: Okay, so, this is totally from left field but I remember watching David Hasselhoff and Marie Osmond perform a romantic song and waltz for a Disneyland anniversary special back in 1984 or 1985. The man has performed on concert tours for years so I’m thinking he might have some dance chops up his sleeves.
Kym Johnson / Pro Partner – This bubbly blonde is a delight off the dancefloor. But when it’s time to dance Ms. Johnson is a diva. What’s wonderful about Kym is that though she is a fierce performer she is not above putting a little humor in the routines. I’ll always be grateful that she performed a Star Wars-themed Paso Doble with Joey Fatone for Season 4. The woman danced as “Slave Princess Leia”. She is forever awesome in my book for that selfless act. Season 8 she led legendary entertainer, Donny Osmond, to the winner’s circle so that experience could come in handy while she trains with Mr. Hasselhoff.

Kyle Massey / actor, rapper – It wouldn’t be the first time one of The Disney Channel’s most talented wound up in the ballroom. Mr. Massey delighted audiences as Raven’s brother on the hit tv show, That’s So Raven (2003-2007), and earned his own spin-off, Cory In The House (2007-present).
Star Skills: Mr. Massey works for Disney and Disney knows how to dance. I’m sure Mr. Massey has picked up all sorts of nifty dance skills over the years and will probably pick up the choreography pretty quickly.
Lacey Schwimmer / Pro Partner – Ms. Schwimmer has always been like the resident rock & wild child of Dancing With The Stars. She adds some edge to the traditional dances and brings out the inhibitions in her pro-partners.

Audrina Patridge / reality star, actress – Okay, admittedly, I don’t really know anything about Audrina Patridge. The basic facts are that she starred on The Hills (2006-2010), and in films such as Into The Blue 2 (2005) and Sorority Row (2009).
Star Skills: I have no idea. I’m assuming that her work on an MTV reality show meant some time spent in a few dance clubs. Otherwise, she’s a mystery to me.
Tony Dovolani / Pro Partner – Everybody loves Tony. His dazzling smile can put even an earthquake at ease. Last season many viewers sent their support to Mr. Dovolani as he tried to teach an emotionally wrecked Kate Gosselin how to dance. Here’s hoping this latest reality star partner doesn’t send Mr. Dovolani over the edge and out of the studio….again.

Bristol Palin / Alaska governor’s daughter, spokesperson – It’s tempting to throw some jokes at Bristol Palin but everyone else has beaten me to that so I’m just going to keep it straight. Bristol’s mom is Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, major player in the Republican Party and the face of the Tea Party Movement. Bristol had a much publicized relationship with local boy, Levi Johnston, and this led to a teen pregnancy for the young lady. Though her relationship with Levi continues to flicker on and off Bristol is steadfast in her campaign to dissuade teenage girls from having sex too soon and ending up with babies before they’re ready. 
Star Skills: Yet another wild card. Perhaps she had to learn how to cut a rug for all those fancy parties for her mother? We shall see.
Mark Ballas / Pro Partner – Mr. Ballas had to bow out of Season 10 early due to an injury so this season I’m certain the two-time Dancing With The Stars champion is rearing to go and make up for the time he lost during Season 10. Like his father, Corky Ballas, Mark is a polished performer who knows how to put on a dazzling show without overshadowing his novice partner. He’s a fine coach that offers support when needed but kicks butt into gear when necessary.

Mike Sorrentino aka The Situation / reality star, bodybuilding – Mr. Sorrentino hails from a different kind of MTV reality show. The Jersey Shore star is best known for his ripped physique. He’s also best known by his nickname, “The Situation”. 
Star Skills: If Jersey Shore is any indication Mr. Sorrentino has been to many a dance club. I mean, what’s the point of getting all muscle-y if you’re not going to wear a spandex shirt and shake your money maker for admiration and free drinks?
Karina Smirnoff / Pro Partner – Ms Smirnoff returns to the competition this season and much to her surprise (or chagrin) she is partnered with another gym bunny. What I can expect from Karina are some sultry and exquisite routines. Her Latin dances are spicy and her Ballroom dances are silky. Don’t let her sex kitten looks fool you, though. Karina has whipped plenty of buff boys into ballroom shape so if Mr. Sorrentino thinks he’s gonna be able to joke around he’s got another thing coming.

Kurt Warner / pro football player - Mr. Warner was a member of the St. Louis Rams, NY Giants and Arizona Cardinals. He's won several MVP awards and helped the Arizona Cardinals win the 2008 Super Bowl.
Star Skills: If Mr. Warner is like past football contestants then he should be quick on his feet and able to pull off those crazy lifts without breaking much of a sweat.
Anna Trebunskaya / Pro Partner - Anna is the resident spitfire of the show. With her fiery red mane and matching competitive spirit Ms. Trebunskaya is mostly work with a little bit of time to spare for play. The woman might be petite but she is a major force on the dancefloor and could probably reduce the most hardened football jock to tears.

The good news for this season is that there are no obvious ringers. Even the ones with viable dance backgrounds (Brandy, Kyle Massey, Jennifer Grey) have either been out of the dance studio for a significant amount of time or focused on a style of dance that won’t necessarily give them much of an edge in the ballroom. The rest seem to be on a somewhat level expertise field. It would seem the producers heard the rumblings from viewers about the inclusion of stars with way too much formal dance training in their background.

As for the one I will be watching for with the most anticipation that will definitely be Margaret Cho. I’m a major fan of her work and I’m hoping Louis van Amstel will work the same magic with her as he’s done with Lisa Rinna, Monique Coleman, Kelly Osbourne and Niecy Nash. This is also a significant event in that Ms. Cho is returning to ABC years after the network aired and then hijacked her sitcom back in the 1990s. I’m sure the irony isn’t lost on her either. Actually, if was Ms. Cho I would feel pretty triumphant. According to her I’m The One That I Want show ABC chewed up Cho and spit her out. Now she’s come back as a major success on her own terms and with a major fan following. It would be a hoot and a half if she got the trophy.

I wouldn’t even dare predict who will be the first to get eliminated. I thought Pamela Anderson and Shannen Doherty would be among the worst dancers during Season 10 and they turned out to be some of the sturdiest. I’ll just have to wait and see along with everyone else.

The premier of Dancing With The Stars – Season 11 begins on 9/20/10 (Monday).