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Melanie Brown

PROFESSION: Singer, member of Spice Girls

PARTNER: Maksim Chmerkovskiy

BACKGROUND:
Melanie Brown is best known for being “Scary Spice,” one of the members of the girl band, Spice Girls. Their first single, “Wannabe” was released in 1996 and established the group as a phenomenon worldwide. The Spice Girls went on to release three studio albums and ten singles, selling over 55 million records worldwide. Brown’s first solo debut album, Hot, was released October of 2000 followed by LA State of Mind in June 2005.

From 2001 2004, Brown took a break from recording and starred as “Mimi” in the Broadway musical Rent. She also performed in Vagina Monologues in London.

In June 2007, after much speculation, plans were announced for a Spice Girls worldwide reunion tour kicking off on December 2, 2007.

Brown has two daughters and is married to longtime friend and movie producer, Stephen Belafonte.

Sabrina Bryan

PROFESSION: Actress and recording artist

PARTNER: Mark Ballas

BACKGROUND:
Equally successful on screen and stage, Sabrina Bryan continues to demonstrate her creative versatility. Performing since she was seven years old, Sabrina is currently a member of the multi platinum recording act, The Cheetah Girls, as well as the star of the hugely successful Disney Channel movie franchise of the same name. Sabrina also starred in and co produced a fitness dance DVD called BYOU which was created so young girls can have fun learning cool, hip hop style dancing and get fit at the same time. BYOU was founded in early 2006 and has sold more than double platinum. She is also co writing the book Princess of Gossip for Pocket/MTV Books.

She also lends her voice to the National Spokesperson for Healthy Kids Challenge which promotes healthy eating and lifestyle to school aged children all over the United States.

Sabrina can next be seen reprising her role of “Dorinda” in the upcoming The Cheetah Girls 3. In addition, The Cheetah Girls’ next studio album “TCG” will be released September 25, 2007.

Helio Castroneves

PROFESSION: IndyCar Series driver; two time Indianapolis 500 winner

PARTNER: Julianne Hough

BACKGROUND:
The two time Indianapolis 500 champion began the celebratory tradition of climbing the racetrack fence in 2001, racing for Team Penske. A native of Brazil, Castroneves is partner and owner of the NasrCastroneves racing team, which competes in the Brazilian Stock Car V8 Championship. He has amassed twelve wins and forty nine top five finishes during his IndyCar career.

Mark Cuban

PROFESSION: Dallas Mavericks Owner

PARTNER: Kym Johnson

BACKGROUND:
When Mark Cuban purchased the Dallas Mavericks on January 14, 2000, the face of the organization began to change immediately. Once again Mavericks games had a party atmosphere as Reunion Arena rocked with the return of the “Reunion Rowdies.” Mavericks games became more than just ordinary NBA games they were a total entertainment experience.

Cuban was not only successful at instilling a sense of pride and passion into Mavericks fans by presenting himself as the ultimate role model by cheering from the same seats he had in years past, but he also became the first owner in team sports to encourage fan interaction through e mail on his personal computer. He has personally responded to thousands of emails, and several suggestions from fans have led to innovative changes such as a new three sided shot clock, which allows line of site to the 24 second clock from anywhere in the arena.

Cuban’s whatever it takes attitude and commitment to winning has everyone’s attention. From his first introduction to the team to the end of his first season as owner, the players responded with a 31 19 record, including a 9 1 mark in April 2000. In addition to hiring special coaches for offense, defense and shooting, Cuban has promised to do everything in his power to improve the team. This goal was achieved as the club finished the 2000 01 season with a 53 29 record en route to their first playoff appearance in 11 years where they became just the sixth team in NBA history to be down 0 2 and come back to win a five game series vs. Utah in Round 1.

Before the start of the 2001 02 season, American Airlines Center, the Mavs new home, opened and Cuban co founded HDNet, an all high definition television network on DIRECTV channel 199 which launched in September 2001.

Prior to his purchase of the Mavericks, Cuban co founded Broadcast.com, the leading provider of multimedia and streaming on the Internet, in 1995, selling it to Yahoo! in July of 1999. Before Broadcast.com, Cuban co founded MicroSolutions, a leading National Systems Integrator, in 1983, and later sold it to CompuServe.

Today, in addition to his ownership of the Mavericks, Cuban is an active investor in leading and cutting edge technologies and continues to be a sought after speaker.

Jennie Garth

PROFESSION: Actress

PARTNER: Derek Hough

BACKGROUND:
Garth rose to stardom in the popular television series Beverly Hills: 90210. She since starred in the sitcom What I Like About You for four seasons. Over the course of her career, she has produced and starred in several made for TV movies. Her most recent project was a lead role in Lifetime’s Girl, Positive, which was the network’s highest rated movie this year.

Garth has three daughters with her husband, actor Peter Facinelli.

Josie Maran

PROFESSION: Model/actress

PARTNER: Alec Mazo

BACKGROUND:
Josie Maran has graced the pages of some of the biggest magazines, including multiple covers for Glamour and appearances in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue. She’s also been featured in national ad campaigns for Guess and Maybelline, and has appeared in such films as The Aviator and Van Helsing. Today, Josie is a busy entrepreneur, activist and new mom. She launches her eponymous eco chic cosmetic line Josie Maran Cosmetics this fall and is a supporter and member of the environmental organization Global Green. Josie also works with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, as well as Teens for Safe Cosmetics in their outreach and education campaigns.

Cameron Mathison

PROFESSION: Actor

PARTNER: Edyta Sliwinska

BACKGROUND:
Cameron Mathison joined the cast of All My Children in January 1998 as Ryan Lavery, the smart, slick talking, and sexy con man that has lifted a little cash and a few hearts since he arrived in Pine Valley. His role grew over time, becoming one of the show’s most popular characters. Mathison won the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Male Newcomer in 1999 and earned Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2002 and 2005. In 2000, Mathison was named by People magazine as one of America’s 100 Most Eligible Bachelors.

Cameron exited his All My Children role in July 2002, an exit that at the time was called temporary. He returned to the cast a year later after roles in CSI & The Drew Carey Show. He is also presently hosting the fourth season of SOAPnet’s reality series, I Wanna be a Soapstar.

Floyd Mayweather

PROFESSION: WBC Super Welterweight Boxing Champion

PARTNER: Karina Smirnoff

BACKGROUND:
Mayweather is the world champion in five different weight classes and the current RING and World Boxing Council Welterweight Champion of the World, with an astounding undefeated record of 38 0, with 24 knockouts. He is universally recognized as pound for pound the best fighter in the world.

His nickname, “Pretty Boy,” was given to him by his amateur teammates because his face never had cuts or bruises after fights a result of the brilliant defensive techniques that his father taught him. The name has stuck throughout his boxing career.

He won a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta in the Featherweight division. That was the last time Mayweather ever lost a fight.

Wayne Newton

PROFESSION: Las Vegas entertainer and singer; “Mr. Las Vegas”

PARTNER: Cheryl Burke

BACKGROUND:
The Legend, Mr. Las Vegas, is enjoying a career that few dare even dream about, having performed more live shows than any other single performer in Las Vegas history, with no signs of slowing down. He has been mentored by such talents as Jackie Gleason, Lucille Ball, Bobby Darin, Jack Benny and Frank Sinatra, which has inspired him to great success in motion pictures, television and recordings. As Chairman of the USO Celebrity Circle, Newton recently said, “I want to use my head for myself and my heart for mankind.”

Wayne has recorded and released 165 albums to date. There is a Wayne Newton star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and he was bestowed the first star on the Las Vegas Walk of Fame.

Marie Osmond

PROFESSION: Actress and singer

PARTNER: Jonathan Roberts

BACKGROUND:
Osmond won the hearts of fans as co host of the popular variety program, The Donny & Marie Show. She has since starred in several made for television movies, co hosted Ripley’s Believe It or Not, achieved success as a recording artist, performed on Broadway, made the New York Times bestselling authors list, and established herself as an entrepreneur with her highly successful Marie Osmond Collectible Doll line. She is also the co founder and co host of the Children’s Miracle Network.

Albert Reed

PROFESSION: Model

PARTNER: Anna Trebunskaya

BACKGROUND:
Model Albert Reed has been featured in national ad campaigns for Abercrombie & Fitch, Diesel Clothing, Arrow Clothing, Rayban and Reebok, to name a few. The free spirited 22 year old has walked the catwalk for Chanel, Levis and Michael Kors. Growing up in Miami, Reed surfed competitively into his late teens, winning several titles. He is also an actor, musician and artist.

Jane Seymour

PROFESSION: Actress

PARTNER: Tony Dovolani

BACKGROUND:
Jane Seymour is an actress, artist, author, activist and designer. The Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning British born actress is a star of motion pictures (Wedding Crashers, Live and Let Die, Somewhere in Time) and television, ranging from her six season Western drama, Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, to her reign as ‘Queen of the Mini Series,’ so dubbed by critics and the media. In addition Seymour is a bestselling author, widely successful artist, designer of her own line of homewares and accessories, and an activist on behalf of underprivileged and abused children around the world.