Waltzing onto our screens on Monday, Sept. 14, is the premiere of season 29 of the long-running dance competition show, Dancing with the Stars. 

Each of the 15 celebrities competing for the Mirror Ball trophy will be paired with one of fifteen professional dancers, including the first Black female pro, Britt Stewart.

Each week, the couples learn a routine to the judge’s choice of dance, such as samba or contemporary, and will be scored by the judges and viewer votes. 

New this season is host Tyra Banks, who replaces Erin Andrews and Tom Bergeron, who began hosting in 2005. Banks will be the first Black female host in the history of this 29-season show, according to Black Enterprise. 

This season’s cast of dancers includes a fascinating mix of celebrities, athletes, and reality TV personalities, including Carole Baskin from Netflix’s controversial Tiger King series. In an interview with Good Morning America, Baskin announced that she is “ready to set the record straight after feeling villainized by Tiger King.” 

Netflix also produced three more stars for the dance show: Justina Machado, actress from One Day at a Time; college cheer coach Monica Aldama from the docuseries Cheer; and Chrishell Stause, a high-end realtor featured on the series Selling Sunset.   

Continuing a DWTS tradition, there are also high-profile athletes. Former 49ers tight end Vernon Davis will be dancing on the ballroom floor instead of unleashing brutal hits on the football field. Johnny Weir, the two-time figure skating Olympian, will replace the skates with dancing shoes. Finally, 19-year NBA veteran Charles Oakley hopes to prove he can dance just as good as he can shoot baskets. 

Former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe will also be dancing this season, along with Nev Schulman, creator and host of the MTV series Catfish, and Jeannie Mai, co-host of The Real talk show. 

As always, DWTS casts actors in leading (dance) roles. This season, Anne Heche, actress, director, and screenwriter; Disney Channel actress Skai Jackson; and Desperate Housewives actor Jesse Metcalfe will attempt to dance as well as they act.  

American rapper Nelly (“Dilemma,” “Ride Wit Me”), and ’90s Backstreet Boys heartthrob, AJ McLean (“I Want it That Way”), round out the 2020 lineup.

Many of these celebs have backgrounds in dancing, so the Wildcat winner predictions are either Stause, who has a history in cheerleading from her high school days, or McLean, who was deemed a “triple threat” for his singing, dancing, and acting skills in his boy band days. 

This thrilling season is going to be one to remember due to a new host, a diverse cast of celebrities, and the always-exciting pros. The 29th fight for the Mirror Ball will make for a captivating competition.

Dancing With the Stars Season 29 premiers on Monday at 8 p.m. on ABC.