Good Morning America announced on Monday August 17th that pro snowboarder Louie Vito will be competing on this season’s Dancing With The Stars. The show is the top rated ABC television show and is seen by some 22 million viewers per episode. (The only other show that commands those kinds of viewers is American Idol.)

The first show of the new season will be broadcast LIVE on ABC, Monday, September 21st with a two hour special. The following night, Tuesday, September 22nd, Dancing With The Stars will be on for two more hours. Then on Wednesday, September 23rd, the show will begin its elimination process with an additional one hour broadcast. This is a major change from previous seasons and there will more changes this year as well.

Here is what executive producer Conrad Green had to say about the upcoming competition.

“This is going to be our biggest-ever cast.” He goes on to say, “We are going to start big, and then about halfway through, we are going to do three double eliminations back-to-back. The middle of the season is going to be brutal when half of our cast goes in three weeks.”

Green goes on to explain that the reason for so many competitors this season is he feels it is important to change up the show from season to season. As a result, there will be more athletes, with some new sports represented, some very big personalities, and some slightly eccentric personalities.

“I love the fact that people want to be on the show. I think our celebrity show is the one that most people want to be on because they realize it isn’t degrading or demeaning in any way. You learn a new skill, and it is a wholesome family show.”

Watching Louie on this show will be especially interesting since Louie has never even seen the show and another fairly important point – he CAN’T dance!!

For those of you who have lived in a cave the last few years, here is what you have been missing.

Dancing with the Stars is a unique series that pairs up celebrities with professional ballroom dance partners in an intense competition — live — in front of a studio audience and the nation. Each season has a select number of celebrity/professional dance pairs. The pairs are then judged by a panel of expert judges as well as by the viewers at home. One or more teams will be eliminated each week.

The couples must maintain their focus, grace and composure while learning precise movements and maneuvering in extravagant costumes. Will they remain compatible during the course of the competition?

Dancing with the Stars has broad appeal, offering viewers dazzling costumes, dancing, celebrity gossip, behind-the-scenes training and contemporary music performed by a live 15-piece band. The format has already been an international hit in several countries.

Please vote and vote often because Louie will need all the help he can get – This should be fun!