Dancing with the Stars

Ever since the official cast of Dancing with the Stars season 7 was announced earlier this week, I've been ruminating on each couple's respective chances at claiming the mirror ball trophy. This is a pretty difficult task since I have yet to see any of their actual dancing. The only things I have to go on are photographs from their first rehearsals and any pre-existing knowledge I have of the contestants, so take all of my analyses with a grain of salt, please.

Yesterday, I brought you my take on Misty May-Treanor and Maksim Chmerkovskiy's chances of winning Dancing with the Stars. Today, I turn my sights over to the Leading Lady of Daytime Television, the one and only Susan Lucci, and her partner and dancing coach, Tony Dovolani. Here are my thoughts on them; leave a comment with yours!

Susan Lucci

Pros:
Susan Lucci is beloved for her role as Erica Kane on All My Children. I'm pretty positive that her All My Children fans will vote religiously to keep her alive, just as they did for Cameron Mathison in season 5. To be perfectly frank, Cameron was not at all a great dancer, and I believe that one of the main reasons why he made it to fifth place was because of his All My Children fanbase. Well, that and perhaps his sculpted physique.

Although Susan Lucci is not exactly a spring chicken, she looks to be in great shape for a sextagenarian. She's a very determined lady, and I think she'll put in 110 percent of effort to get far in the competition. She'll do what she needs to do to win that mirror ball trophy the first time around, instead of having to come back 10 more years for a shot at winning, like she had to do to finally get her Daytime Emmy.

Cons:
Susan Lucci's fame may eclipse that of Jane Seymour's from season 5 (who, incidentally, also had Tony Dovolani as a partner), but I have a hunch that they'll have the same approach to ballroom dancing. I think she'll be the epitome of grace and elegance, but will lack the verve and athleticism that some styles need. Because of this, the judges may not award her with high scores.


Tony Dovolani

Tony has not had great luck on Dancing with the Stars. The farthest he has gotten was third place in season 2 with Stacy Keibler. Last season, he and his partner Marissa Jaret Winokur got to fourth place, further than anyone expected them to, so we know he's a good teacher. He had great chemistry with Jane Seymour last fall, and he's a familiar face on Dancing with the Stars, so he won't hurt Susan's chances of winning. Plus, he has a penchant for rocking the pec-baring, deep V-neck look—always a good choice in my book.

Read more pre-season analyses:
Maurice Greene and Cheryl Burke
Ted McGinley and Inna Brayer
Kim Kardashian and Mark Ballas
Jeffrey Ross and Edyta Sliwinska
Cody Linley and Julianne Hough
Warren Sapp and Kym Johnson
Brooke Burke and Derek Hough
Toni Braxton and Alec Mazo
Cloris Leachman and Corky Ballas
Lance Bass and Lacey Schwimmer
Rocco DiSpirito and Karina Smirnoff
Misty May-Treanor and Maksim Chmerkovskiy






-Debbie Chang, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Images courtesy of ABC)