Maksim Chmerkovskiy

The contestants for this season of Dancing with the Stars will be announced tonight. But we can say this already: the cast will be much uglier than last year.

That's because Maksim Chmerkovskiy won't be included in it.

"He just needs a break," said an ABC spokesperson of Maksim to take a season off from the series. "He is part of the Dancing family, and he will be back."

A fan favorite (i.e. a complete and utter hottie!), Chmerkovskiy may appear on several of Dancing with the Stars' results shows when the pros are featured in group-choreographed dances.

In the meantime, he's putting the finishing touches on a fitness DVD with fellow pro Cheryl Burke. He's also appearing on the February 26 episode of All My Children, teaching various characters how to pole dance.

The next installment of Dancing with the Stars just got a lot better looking.

"I am not quitting the show," Maksim Chmerkovskiy said Wednesday, backing off previous comments he had made that suggested he was through with the reality competition.

The dancer's claims about departing the show were made "at a time when I was very stressed out. Sure, there's lucrative offers. There are things that I really want to do with my life other than this show, that's a given. After coming down from two seasons back to back, ten weeks each season, it takes its toll."

It certainly takes its toll in the love department, if you ask Sabrina Bryan, Mark Ballas, Mario Lopez or Karina Smirnoff!

Chmerkovskiy says he regrets speaking so casually about his future on Dancing with the Stars.

"This show is amazing and it's rewarding. After last season I thought there's no way I could top off the experience with [Laila Ali] and then I get [Melanie Brown] as a partner this season. I want people - especially my fans - to know that I appreciate their support. I am not turning my back on the show. I don't want people to feel betrayed. I love this show."

Sorry, Dancing with the Stars fans: you've seen the last of Maksim Chmerkovskiy on your show.

The hunky professional told TV Guide that "the 25 million viewers are going to remember me whether I'm there or not," referring to his decision to skip out on season six, which kicks off in March 2008.

But why would Maksim Chmerkovskiy leave the show that made his (long, complicated) name known across the country?

"This is a very lucrative world," he said of Hollywood. "And I spent some time here just looking around and going, 'Wow, this is an amazing house.' But I'm a very analytical person. And right away, I looked past the curtains and I saw the drugs and the difficult lifestyles and the failed marriages. And I saw absolutely no family values â€" and that is the most important thing."

Ouch. Might he have been referring to Helio Castroneves supposedly ditching his fiance for Julianne Hough?

It's hard to know for sure, but Maks was at least clear that he loves his last two partners on the show: Laila Ali and Melanie Brown.

"It's really important to me to maintain the relationship after the show," he said. "With Laila, I love her. But it didn't work because she's a very private, very reserved person. But this season, with Mel, this is a person I'll be able to call any time and say, 'Hey, I'm in town. Let's have dinner.'"

Maksim Chmerkovskiy likes and respects Marie Osmond as a person. But as a dancer?

Let's just say he was less than enamored with her "living doll" performance on last night's Dancing with the Stars season finale.

"I guess she came out trying to do something... Whatever it is, I guess it's between her and Jonathan. But nobody else knows what it is," Chmerkovskiy told OK! Weekly after the broadcast.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy is really, really handsome.

The handsome partner of Melanie Brown also didn't take back his comments from last week, when he said many other competitors, already eliminated, were more talented than Marie.

"I just said what everybody else was thinking," Chmerkovskiy sai. "To add to that, Marie is one of those people you can't find any flaws with. I have nothing but the utmost respect for her. God knows this woman went through a lot this season. But, having said that, this is a dance show."

Will Maks' remarks backfire? Find out tonight on the two-hour results show!

Give Maksim Chmerkovskiy props for more than simply being hot and talented; the man is honest, as well.

When asked whether voters made the right decision sending Jennie Garth home on Dancing with the Stars last week, here's what the professional dancer had to say:

"I think Jennie was better than Marie Osmond. Frankly, I think there are a lot of other people better than Marie."

It's a view shared by many, as Marie has gotten by on public sympathy more than talent. That being said, who does Maks think ought to win the competition?

His partner, Melanie Brown. After all, "she's hands down the best dancer left... [the] most capable, most natural," he said.

In the end, though, true ability can get trumped.

"History shows [Dancing's celeb champ is] either a cute man or somebody with a huge fan base and I think Marie has both [Helio Castroneves] and Mel's fan base combined times five."

We'll find out tonight, as the Dancing with the Stars season finale airs on ABC.

In reality, there are really only two contestants remaining on Dancing with the Stars.

Following last week's perfect score, Melanie Brown came close to duplicating that feat again last night. She and Maksim Chmerkovskiy received a 29 for their mambo.

The evening belonged to Helio Castroneves and Julianne Hough, though, as they earned a 30 out of 30 for a Quickstep that even ended with a playful kiss. Could be a tough couple to beat.

Jennie Garth, meanwhile, should be safe for another week, as fans will most likely vote out either Marie Osmond or Cameron Mathison. Who do you think has had enough?

It might help to read a detailed recap of Dancing with the Stars. Follow our link and do so now.

Another week of Dancing with the Stars, another perfect score for Melanie Brown and Maksim Chmerkovskiy.

With Sabrina Bryan and Mark Ballas out of the competition, these two are clearly the favorites; although Jennie Garth has been coming on strong lately and performed well again last night.

At the program's end, Jane Seymour and All My Children star Cameron Mathison seemed most vulnerable. His energetic jive could save him after a disappointing quickstep, but even Seymour's cha cha cha may not be enough to stop viewers from bidding her farewell.

As for Mel B's paso doble? Bruno Tonioli said: "My jaw was on the desk... Top that!"

Follow our link now to read a full recap of Dancing with the Stars, week seven.

We mentioned the perfect score awarded on Dancing with the Stars last night.

Now, here's a look at the rumba routine that earned Melanie Brown and Maksim Chmerkovskiy a 30 from the panel of judges:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BW4NI8oVTc&eurl=http://justjared.buzznet.com/2007/10/30/mel-b-perfect-10/[/youtube]

Who will you be rooting for this season on Dancing with the Stars?

The pair below is doing its best to earn your vote, as Melanie Brown and Maksim Chmerkovskiy pose seductively for the camera.

Melanie Brown is one of a few celebrities Dancing with the Stars this fall. Sabrina Bryan is another.

As TVSquad.com helped us report below, it was a good week for a pair of pairs on Dancing with the Stars last night. Let's get right to the recap...

Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough (Quickstep) - This week the contestants got to pick their favorite Ballroom and Latin dance styles. For the Ballroom round, Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough chose the Quickstep.

The couple did an impeccable Quickstep that included smooth movements, quick footwork, and several crowd-pleasing moments. We couldn't find anything to criticize in their performance, and neither could the judges. Len called Apolo's speedy footwork "fantastic," and Carrie Ann thanked the couple for setting a high standard. Score: 30 (10, 10, 10)

Ian Ziering and Cheryl Burke (Tango) - Ian Ziering was bummed about being so far behind in last week's scoring, and resolved to bring out the "real Ian" this week. He has a lot of catching up to do since the other couples came into their own a few weeks back.

In a shout-out to last week's musical guest, Ian and Cheryl performed to Nelly Furtado's "Maneater." The couple was, as always, technically good and very intense. Their second dance showed more of that quality than their Tango did. Bruno loved the performance, but criticized Ian's foot placement, Carrie Ann felt that they fell just short of a 10, and Len thought it was Ian's best dance ever. Carrie Ann also mentioned Ian's "potential," but it seems a little late in the game for Ian not to have realized that potential. Score: 28 (9, 10, 9)

Laila Ali and Maksim Chmerkovskiy (Quickstep) - This week, Maksim Chmerkovskiy brought extra drama to rehearsal, and seriously tested Laila's patience. Maksim strikes us as a bit of a diva, and his later behavior definitely reinforced that. He's still hot, though, and it was nice of him to bring Laila flowers the next day.

The couple danced the Quickstep to "Walk Like An Egyptian." Carrie Ann praised Laila for bringing a "unique vibe" to the dance floor, and Len thought the dance was light, but more "basic" than Apolo's. Maksim unwisely talked back to Len, which was a bit ungrateful when you consider their scores. Score: 30 (10, 10, 10)

To continue reading this Dancing with the Stars recap, follow our link...