Dancing With The Stars: Athletes Compete for the Mirrorball!

Turn in those uniforms and break out the sequins! 

Dancing With The the Stars Season 26 has ten star athletes headlining a phenomenal four week event in the ultimate dance contest for the coveted Mirrorball Trophy.

Can figure skating's bad girl, Tonya Harding, out shine six time NBA champion, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the dance floor?

Will NFL cornerback Josh Norman have the fancy footwork needed to out score Norte Dame's basketball star, Arike Ogunbowale?

And with 15 X Games medals, will snowboarder Jamie Anderson score enough points to slide past Chris Mazdzer who won and Olympic medal for Men's Single Luge. 

Major League baseball star, Johnny Damon will have to out rhumba Olympic winning softball player Jennie Finch Daigle.

And when Olympic medal winning figure skaters Mirai Nagasu and Adam Rippon go head to head on the dance floor instead of the ice, who will slip first?

These athletes take off their uniforms and put on the glitter and glam to compete for whole different kind of ball!

Check out the athletes, their partners, and the songs they'll be dancing to when they hit the floor during the premiere of Dancing With the Stars: Athletes on Monday, April 30th and check back for our review after the show here at TV Fanatic!

 

1. Adam Rippon and Jenna Johnson

Adam Rippon was the talk of the 2018 Winter Olympics. With his skating prowess (he's won 9 medals on the international skating circuit, including a bronze for the Olympic team event, and the 2016 U.S. Men's Chamipionship title) adorable smile, and cheeky wit, he's won the hearts of fans all of the world.

Can he and dance partner Jenna Johnson ride the wave of Rippon-love to a Mirrorball trophy?

The first dance on their list will be cha cha to “Sissy That Walk” by RuPaul.

2. Arike Ogunbowale and Gleb Savchenko

Notre Dame junior, Arike Ogunbowale, is riding a high as she was just named Most Valuable Player when her team won the 2018 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament.

Now she'll be leaving the basketball court and headed to the dance floor with partner Gleb Savchenko to take on the competition for the Mirrorball.

Arike and Gleb will start off the competition by performing a salsa to “Them Girls” by Whitney Myer.

3. Jennie Finch Daigle and Keo Motsepe

Jennie Finch Daigle signed up for t-ball at age five and never stopped playing. Her competitive nature and athletic ability led her all the way to Olympic gold.

Now can this softball star put that competitive edge to use on the dance floor? Tune in to find out as she and Keo dance a foxtrot to “All-American Girl” by Carrie Underwood.

4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lindsay Arnold

You probably know him as the NBA's all-time leading scorer and six time NBA champion. Or maybe as the league's only six time MVP, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has done much more.

He's a regular contributing columnist for newspapers and magazines around the world, the chairman of his Skyhook Foundation, whose mission is to "Give Kids a Shot That Can't be Blocked" by bringing educational STEM opportunities to underserved communities, a best selling author, and the recipient of The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.

Not willing to sit idle for a moment, Kareem will pair up with professional dance partner, Lindsay Arnold and go after that Mirrorball. No one should be surprised if he wins that too.

This duo's first dance will be the cha cha to “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” by Stevie Wonder.

5. Tonya Harding and Sasha Farber

Tonya Harding put on her first pair of skates at age 3 and won her first competition by age 5. Tonya was the first American woman to land the extremely difficult Triple Axel.

Her sometimes controversial life story was recently the top of the Academy Award winning film, I, Tonya.

Tonya and Sasha will be starting off the competition with a foxtrot to “When You Believe” by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

Will Tonya's grit and determination put her and dance partner Sasha Farber on top of the leader board? We can't wait to find out.

6. Josh Norman and Sharna Burgess

After seven seasons in the NFL, Josh Norman remains one of the most elite cornerbacks in the league. He's graced the covers of ESPN the Magazine, Sports Illustrated Kids and Haute Living, and is a weekly analyst for FOX NFL Kickoff.

Will all of that success lead to a winning season on the dance floor for Josh and partner Sharna Burgess? We'll have to tune in to find out as Josh and Sharna dance a cha cha to “Finesse” by Bruno Mars.

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This post appear first on Dancing With The Stars: Athletes Compete for the Mirrorball! by Christine Orlando