Shawn Johnson takes on a new challenge in Dancing with the Stars on ABC.
The most popular series on ABC returns at 7 p.m. Monday, and the Disney-owned network needs the ratings lift from “Dancing With the Stars.”
The producers have enlisted a wide range of celebrities from rapper Lil’ Kim to Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak to gymnast Shawn Johnson.
Executive producer Conrad Green provides a preview:
• Who are the front-runners? Olympic gold-medalist Johnson and “Access Hollywood” co-anchor Nancy O’Dell.
Johnson is a quick study who is picking up ballroom quickly, Green said. She is paired with former champ Mark Ballas, who can do a back flip. “They’ll be pushing the envelope physically,” Green said.
In an interview with International Gymnast Online last week, the normally upbeat Johnson described how hard it was to let go of her gymnastics training and embrace something new. She used words like “tricky,” “challenging” and “hard” and didn’t say “It’s such an honor” once.
Hopefully Johnson is able to embrace the movement she needs for dancing better than 2004 Olympic champ Carly Patterson embraced stage dancing for her star turn on Celebrity Duets.
This season of Dancing premieres Monday on ABC.
March 9, 2009 at 6:13 am |
[...] Blythe on Gymblog reports that Shawn Johnson is a front runner. [...]
March 9, 2009 at 11:59 am |
I think she’ll win. The athletes always excel; I think she is gonna pick it up and easily be the best without even realizing how good she is.