Dancing with the Stars

"Dancing with the Stars" is back with an all-new cast and fresh show format. The competition begins with the two-hour season premiere. "Dancing with the Stars" will shake things up this season by transitioning to a one night, two-hour format. The premiere episode will kick off with a spectacular opening number featuring the entire cast. Each couple will then perform a Cha Cha, Foxtrot or Contemporary routine, vying for America's vote for the first time. Beginning with the second episode on Monday, September 23, one couple will be eliminated at the end of the show by combining the judges' scores from the first two weeks with the public votes from the previous week.

"Dancing with the Stars" celebrates the legendary music career of Cher. The news was confirmed live on this evening's broadcast. The iconic Oscar(R), Grammy(R) and Emmy(R) Award winning singer and actress will open the show with a dazzling and spectacular performance of her hit song "Believe" before joining judges' Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba to give critiques and scores on each celebrity routine. The seven remaining couples will compete in two rounds of dance. In the first round, each couple will take on a dance style they have not previously performed including the Tango, Argentine Tango, Contemporary, Viennese Waltz, Jazz, Disco, and Foxtrot. The couple to receive the highest total score from the judges in this round will receive immunity and not be subject to elimination. In the second round, the six remaining couples will compete in a thrilling head-to-head "dance off" competition. The winning couples of the "dance off" round will be awarded additional Judges' points that will be added to their overall score for the night. At the end of the show, Cher will perform her new single, "I Hope You Find It" from her current album, "Closer To The Truth", which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Pop Charts, before one couple is eliminated.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy returns to the ballroom and for the first time participates as guest judge alongside Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli on "Dancing with the Stars" first ever plugged/unplugged night. Not a stranger to expressing his strong opinion, Maksim is sure to unleash his unique brand of critique during the intense semi-final competition. The night will begin with a spectacular opening number by Emmy(R) Nominated choreographer Mandy Moore, featuring the pro dancers. The couples then must rise to a new challenge and perform to two different versions of the same song. In the first round of competition, the couples will perform either a Jazz, Paso Doble, Cha Cha or Tango routine to an original or "plugged" version of their selected song. In round two of competition, the couples will perform either a Viennese Waltz, Argentine Tango or Rumba routine to an acoustic or "unplugged" version of that same song. Special musical guests will accompany the unplugged performances including singer Kerli, who will perform a version of Fall Out Boy's "My Song Knows," and YouTube sensation Noah Guthrie who will perform his popular cover of "Sexy & I Know It." At the end of the night, one couple will face elimination.

After 10 weeks of entertaining, stylized dancing from Corbin Bleu & Karina Smirnoff, Jack Osbourne & Cheryl Burke, Bill Engvall & Emma Slater and Amber Riley & Derek Hough, only one couple will be crowned "Dancing with the Stars" Champions. These four remaining couples will have one last opportunity to impress the judges and the viewers.

After 10 weeks of entertaining, stylized dancing from Corbin Bleu & Karina Smirnoff, Jack Osbourne & Cheryl Burke, Bill Engvall & Emma Slater and Amber Riley & Derek Hough, only one couple will be crowned "Dancing with the Stars" Champions. These four remaining couples will have one last opportunity to impress the judges and the viewers.