This season's dynamic lineup of stars -- including a country music legend, a figure skating champion, a boxing dynamo, an Olympic Gold medalist and the youngest contestant to ever compete on the show - will perform for the first time on live national television with their professional partners during the two-hour season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars," MONDAY, MARCH 18 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
As announced this morning on ABC's "Good Morning America" by "Dancing with the Stars" hosts Tom Bergeron and Brooke Burke-Charvet, the 11 celebrities, with their professional partners, heading to the dance floor this season (in alphabetical order) are:
ZENDAYA COLEMAN -- Multi-talented actress and singer Zendaya stars as Raquel "Rocky" Blue, one half of the comedic duo in the hit Disney Channel series "Shake It Up!," and is currently recording her debut album on Hollywood Records. Born September 1, 1996, in Oakland, California, Zendaya grew up as part of the California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda, where her mother works as the House Manager. In addition to training at the theater's student conservatory program and later performing in numerous stage productions, she helped her mom seat patrons and sell raffle tickets to benefit the theater. While attending the Oakland School for the Arts, Zendaya starred as Little Ti Moune in "Once on This Island" at the Berkley Playhouse, and in the breakout role of the male character Joe in "Caroline, or Change" at Palo Alto's TheaterWorks. She also studied at the CalShakes Conservatory program and at the American Conservatory Theater. Zendaya has performed around the world, including at the White House and in the 2011 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and she tours select cities with her Z-Swagg Dancers and Singers. Her name is derived from the word that means "to give thanks" in Shona (a Bantu language native to the Shona people of Zimbabwe). Zendaya has been a fashion model for Macy's, Mervyns and Old Navy, and was also one of the back-up dancers in a Sears commercial featuring Disney Channel star Selena Gomez. She now resides in Los Angeles, California with her family and dog, a giant Schnauzer named Midnight. ZENDAYA partners with VAL CHMERKOVSKIY.
