Season Overview

The seventh season of Dancing with the Stars premiered on September 22, 2008 as a part of ABC's fall 2008 line-up. Instead of 12 couples like previous seasons, this was the first season to showcase a lineup of 13 couples. This season also introduced four new dances: the hustle, the salsa, the jitterbug, and the west coast swing, as well as Team Dancing. Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris return as the show's hosts. Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, and Carrie Ann Inaba continue as the judges this season, with Michael Flatley having appeared temporarily as a guest judge for Len Goodman during week six. Only three 30s were given out this season, and all were given to the winner, Brooke Burke: once for her foxtrot in week seven, once for her freestyle in the finals, and once for her repeated favorite dance, the Viennese waltz, also in the finals. This is the first and so far only season where all perfect 30s were given to one person. The official cast announcement was made on the morning of August 25, 2008 on Good Morning America. This is the third season to have its cast announced on GMA.