Cue that theme music...

I promised to bring you the pairings as soon as I found out.  And so I shall!

Anna Trebunskaya will be paired with broadcaster and former world boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard.  She is an International Grand Ball Champion, a UK National Champion, a USA Rising Star Latin Champion, a Blackpool Rising Star Latin Finalist, and a USA Amateur Youth Standard Champion.  Some of my favorite professional performances have featured Anna with husband Jonathan Roberts.  This is Anna's seventh season.  She has previously been paired with Jerry Rice with whom she finished second in Season 2, Albert Reed (Season 5), Steve Guttenberg (Season 6), Chuck Liddell (Season 9), Evan Lysacek with whom she finished second in Season 10, and Kurt Warner (Season 11).

Chelsie Hightower will be paired with entertainer and actor Romeo Miller.  She is an Emmy nominee for her choreography with Derek Hough, a former US Representative to the World Championships, a US National Standard Finalist, an International Latin Finalist, a 10 Dance National Youth Champion, and a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance.  This is Chelsie's fifth season.  She has previously been paired with Ty Murray (Season 8), Louie Vito (Season 9), Jake Pavelka (Season 10), and Michael Bolton (Season 11). 

Cheryl Burke will be paired with WWE wrestling champion Chris Jericho.  She is a 2-time, back-to-back DWTS champion, a World Cup Professional Rising Star Latin Champion, a San Francisco Open Latin Champion, and an Ohio Star Ball Rising Star Champion.  This is Cheryl's eleventh season.  She has previously been paired with Drew Lachey with whom she won Season 2, Emmitt Smith with whom she won Season 3, Ian Ziering (Season 4), Wayne Newton (Season 5), Cristian de la Fuente (Season 6), Maurice Green (Season 7), Gilles Marini with whom she finished second in Season 8, Tom DeLay (Season 9), Chad Ochocinco (Season 10), and Rick Fox (Season 11).

Dmitry Chaplin will be paired with philanthropist and former super model Petra Nemcova.  He is a former winner of the English Open Championships, a semi-finalist in the International Open to the World championships, a semi-finalist in the World Grandprix Championships, a semi-finalist in the Dutch Open World Championships, an Ohio Star Ball Latin Finalist, and a US National Finalist, as well as an alumni of So You Think You Can Dance.  This is Dmitry's third season.  He has previously been paired with Holly Madison (Season 8) and Mya with whom he finished second in Season 9.

Karina Smirnoff will be paired with actor, writer, producer, director Ralph Macchio.  She is a 5-time US National Champion, a World Trophy Champion, and an Asian Open Champion.  This is Karina's ninth season.  She has previously been paired with Mario Lopez with whom she finished second in Season 3, Billy Ray Cyrus (Season 4), Floyd Mayweather (Season 5), Mario (Season 6), Rocco DiSpirito (Season 7), Steve Wozniak (Season 8), Aaron Carter (Season 9) and Mike Sorrention (Season 11).

Kym Johnson will be paired with NFL wide receiver Hines Ward.  She is a DWTS champion and a 3-time winner of DWTS Australia, an Australian Amateur Ballroom and Latin Champion, a Blackpool UK Ballroom Championship finalist, and a member of the Burn the Floor world touring company.  This is Kym's ninth season.  She has previously been paired with Jerry Springer (Season 3), Joey Fatone with whom she finished second in Season 4, Mark Cuban (Season 5), Penn Jillette (Season 6), Warren Sapp with whom she finished second in Season 7, David Alan Grier (Season 8), Donny Osmond with whom she won Season 9, and David Hasselhoff (Season 11).

Lacey Schwimmer will be paired with radio personality Mike Catherwood.  She is a World Swing Dance Champion, a 7-time US Open Swing Dance Champion, a US National Youth Latin Champion, an Emerald Ball Youth Latin Champion, and a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance.  This is Lacey's fifth season.  She has previously been paired with Lance Bass (Season 7), Steve-O (Season 8), Mark Dacascos (Season 9), and Kyle Massey, with whom she finished second in Season 11.


Louis van Amstel will be paired with television personality Kendra Wilkenson.  He is a US Professional Latin American Champion, a 7-time Dutch National Amateur Champion, a World Professional Showdance Champion, a Professional World Latin Finalist, a European Amateur Latin Champion, a World Amateur Latin Champion, and a Grand Slam Latin Champion.  He is also a respected choreographer, making numerous group dances on DWTS as well as appearing as a choreographer on SYTYCD.  This is Louis' eighth season.  He has previously been paired with Trista Sutter (Season 1), Lisa Rinna (Season 2), Monique Coleman (Season 3), Priscilla Presley (Season 6), Kelly Osborne (Season 9), Niecy Nash (Season 10), and Margaret Cho (Season 11).

Maksim Chmerkovskiy will be paired with Emmy winning actor Kirstie Alley.  He is a Yankee Classic Professional Latin Champion, a Manhattan Dancesport Professional Latin Champion, an Ohio Star Ball Latin Champion, as well as an internationally renowned teacher and board member of DanceTeam USA.  This is Maks' tenth season.  He has previously been paired with Tia Carrere (Season 2), Willa Ford (Season 3), Laila Ali (Season 4), Mel B with whom he finished second in Season 5, Misty May-Treanor (Season 7), Denise Richards (Season 8), Debi Mazar (Season 9), Erin Andrews (Season 10), and Brandy Norwood (Season 11).

Mark Ballas will be paired with actor Chelsea Kane.  He is a 2-time DWTS champion, a British Juvenile Ballroom and Latin Champion, a US and British and InternationalOpen to the World Junior Latin American Champion, and a Junior Olympics gold medalist.  This is Mark's eighth season.  He has previously been paired with Sabrina Bryan (Season 5), Kristi Yamaguchi with whom he won Season 6, Kim Kardashian (Season 7), Shawn Johnson with whom he won Season 8, Melissa Joan Hart (Season 9), Shannen Doherty (Season 10), and Bristol Palin (Season 11).

Tony Dovolani will be paired with television personality Wendy Williams.  He is a World Rhythm Champion, a PBS American Ballroom Challenge Rhythm Champion, an Emerald Ball Open Professional American Rhythm Champion, and an Ohio Star Ball American Rhythm Champion.  This is Tony's eleventh season.  He has previously been paired with Stacy Keibler (Season 2), Sara Evans (Season 3), Leeza Gibbons (Season 4), Jane Seymour (Season 5), Marissa Jaret Winokur (Season 6), Susan Lucci (Season 7), Melissa Rycroft (Season 8), Kathy Ireland (Season 9), Kate Gosselin (Season 10), and Audrina Partridge (Season 11). 

You may have noticed a name missing.  It's confirmed now...3-time champion Derek Hough will not return this season to defend the Fabulous Mirror Ball Trophy he won last season with Jennifer Grey.  Derek is pursuing other projects and may return in the fall for Season 13.

Sexy Edyta Sliwinska also will not be part of Season 12.  Dangit!


Don't forget...the premier is 21 March!