‘Dancing With the Stars’: And so we begin

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Greetings, ‘Dancing with the Stars’ fans!

Allow me to introduce myself as the new Tracker for ‘DWTS.’ I’m a writer based in Iowa, which is somewhere between New York and California. During the first dance at our wedding, my husband and I performed what was intended to be a waltz but more closely resembled a seizure. Luckily, everyone watching us was intoxicated by either drink or bonhomie, and our dignity was not completely shattered. The contestants on ‘DWTS’ cannot count on such good fortune.

I applaud you for your bravery, celebrities.

So who’ll be the winner this season? Kristi Yamaguchi would seem to be an early favorite, given that ballroom dancing and ice skating must use the same muscle groups. But I’m told that Cristián de la Fuente is a Latin American heartthrob, and I never underestimate heartthrobs. Then there’s Steve Guttenberg, who once starred in Miracle on Ice. And Marlee Matlin cannot hear the music, as the ‘DWTS’ promos keep reminding us, but I suspect she can feel the beat.

Tonight: the men. Tomorrow night: the women. Weigh in with your own predictions, and I’ll report back tomorrow morning.

-- Sarah Rogers

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