TV host Maria Menounos and her designated partner, Derek Hough, are putting in long hours to get ready. Menounos is happy to dance the night away - literally.
"She did like 1:30 in the morning, we didn't finish rehearsal until about 10:30 at night," Hough said. "That was nearly a 24-hour day."
Menounos says she's excited for the glitz and glamour, with one small exception.
"I am looking forward to the fringe and the glitter and all of that stuff, not the spray tan stuff as much," she said.
The Boston native turned entertainment co-host hopes she won't disappoint any "Dancing" fans.
"I'm really scared," she said. "I don't want to let (Derek) down, I don't want to let the show down, I don't want to let the Bostonians down, I don't want to let the Greeks down, I don't want to let the WWE down, and all my different factions of my life who are cheering me on and rooting for me."
Menounos says she'll do almost anything to win.
"We're just going to have to scam, lie and cheat," she said with a laugh.
The rest of the cast includes "The View" co-host Sherri Shepherd with pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy; singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw with pro dancer Karina Smirnoff; "Melrose Place" actor Jack Wagner with pro dancer Anna Trebunskaya; actress Melissa Gilbert with pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy; actor and model William Levy with pro dancer Cheryl Burke; tennis legend Martina Navratilova with pro dancer Tony Dovolani; Disney Channel star Roshon Fegan with pro dancer Chelsie Hightower, TV star Jaleel White with Kym Johnson; and opera star Katherine Jenkins with pro dancer Mark Ballas.
"Dancing With The Stars" kicks off with a two-hour season premiere on Monday, March 19, at 8 p.m. on ABC7.
Check out photos of this season's dancing pairs rehearsing for Monday's premiere.
