Las Vegas Weekly

April 6, 2009 · 8:56 AM

Busy couple Julianne Hough and Chuck Wicks return to L.A. for DWTS

By Robin Leach

Julianne Hough holds her ACM Award for Top New Artist at the 2009 Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

There was no time for Julianne Hough to party into the pre-dawn hours to celebrate her incredible win last night as Top New Artist at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. She and country singer boyfriend Chuck Wicks were up before daylight this morning for a 5:30 a.m. flight to L.A.

Julianne has to miss the taping of tonight’s salute to Artist of the Decade recipient George Strait, who she will be opening for on his summer tour. Chuck and she continue their run -- and battle -- on Dancing With the Stars tonight.

Backstage last night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Julianne told me that many of the country stars are addicted to the hit ABC show and, along with writers and recording friends in Nashville, they are even joining in the voting!

However, it now looks certain that this is Julianne’s last season on DWTS. I joined them during their crazy, out-of-control rehearsal schedule here at Tony Delgado’s dance studio in Summerlin over the weekend.

Not enough that Julianne gave a free concert downtown at Fremont Street Experience on Friday night after arriving by plane from a Utah concert. Not enough that Chuck performed out at the Ovation venue in Green Valley Ranch on Thursday night.

Not enough that she won Top New Female Vocalist and Top New Artist awards during the three-hour telecast last night, but the cute couple had to pack in six hours of weekend dance rehearsals, too! One session began at 6 a.m., and another ended at midnight. Tonight, they will be dancing a Viennese waltz to a Rascal Flatts song.

Photo: TVT

Chuck Wicks, Julianne Hough and Robin Leach.

“You’ll easily recognize us tonight as the tired couple with the red eyes!” Julianne laughed. “I don’t think we’ve had more than three hours of sleep a night the past four days.”

Chuck said: “It’s all beginning to catch up to us. My shoulder is hurting from the dancing, and I think after this season, I will have to retire her so she can just concentrate on her singing. It’s just too hard on her to combine the TV dancing schedule, performances and rehearsals and touring and recording.”

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabikphoto.com

Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough at the 2009 Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Chuck and Julianne make a handsome, loving and caring couple -- and even on a rehearsal break, they still hold hands!

Meantime, Las Vegas is all over this week’s Dancing With the Stars. On tomorrow night’s results show, 19 cast members from the Wynn water spectacular Le Reve will present a unique and dynamic interpretation, blending ballroom dance with acrobatics and athleticism! DWTS pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who choreographed some of the new numbers in Le Reve, also created tomorrow’s special performance.

Photo: Wynn

Le Reve.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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