Las Vegas Weekly

March 3, 2010 · 8:27 AM

Photos: First rehearsals for new Dancing With the Stars cast

By Robin Leach

Jake Pavelka and Chelsie Hightower rehearse for Season 10 of Dancing With the Stars on March 2, 2010.

Photo: Rick Powell/ABC TV

The new Season 10 cast for Dancing With the Stars had no time to waste! No sooner had ABC announced the lineup Monday night than the professional dancers had their new celebrity partners in the dance studio for a grueling six-hour rehearsal.

ABC photographer Rick Powell was on hand to capture the first day warm-ups for three couples with Las Vegas connections. Pussycat Dolls lead singer Nicole Scherzinger, a frequent Las Vegas visitor, has been teamed up with our own Season 7 pro champion Derek Hough; astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who participates in Zero Gravity at McCarran International Airport, is teamed with Ashly Costa (formerly Ashly DelGrosso); and Las Vegas sweetheart Chelsie Hightower is partnered with The Bachelor star Jake Pavelka.

The 11 couples, which also include Pamela Anderson, Kate Gosselin and Vancouver Winter Olympics gold medalist Evan Lysacek, will unveil their Viennese Waltz and Cha Cha routines on the season premiere March 22.

Our friend Johnny Avello, director of the Wynn sports book, has posted his picks and odds for the teams. He thinks Evan partnered with Anna Trebunskaya will run away with the disco ball trophy and that Pamela Anderson with newcomer Damian Whitewood will be the first to be voted off by the judges and viewer votes.

Here are his official odds as we get ready for Season 10: Evan Lysacek and Anna Trebunskaya, 4 to 1; Nicole Scherzinger and Derek Hough, 5 to 1; Aiden Turner and Edyta Sliwinska, 6 to 1; Erin Andrews and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, 7 to 1; Niecy Nash and Louis Van Amstel, 8 to 1; Chad Ochocinco and Cheryl Burke, 10 to 1; Shannen Doherty and Mark Ballas, 12 to 1; Buzz Aldrin and Ashly Costa, 15 to 1; Kate Gosselin and Tony Dovolani, 18 to 1; Jake Pavelka and Chelsie Hightower, 22 to 1; and Pamela Anderson and Damian Whitewood, 25 to 1.

Based on Johnny’s history of accuracy, he may well have called this one right from the get-go -- even before the cameras zoom in on the first fancy footwork. Remember that this is strictly for entertainment purposes and not for wagering.

Vegas DeLuxe will bring you all the dance rehearsal photos in the coming days, along with the official photo sessions of the 11 celebrities and their partners.

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.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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