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LOS ANGELES - Brassy Marie Osmond, sultry Melanie Brown and revved-up Helio Castroneves will face the music once more as the US version of 'Dancing with the Stars' wraps another winning season.
How hot is the contest that sends grade-B celebrities whirling across the floor into the arms of patient dance pros? So scorching that A-lister Celine Dion, who performs on Tuesday's results show, longs to do more than sing for it.
"I hope they invite me to dance. I'd love to," Dion said last week after taping her appearance, which includes a production number built around her signature song, My Heart Will Go On. She's a "tremendous fan" of the show, she said.
"They have the body, and they dance like all of us would like," she said, her eyes wide with enthusiasm for the hoofers, who include Jonathan Roberts, paired with Osmond; Brown's partner, Maksim Chmerkovskiy; and Julianne Hough, dancing with Indy 500 champion Castroneves.
Whether the finale can top last May's matchup remains to be seen: Nearly 23 million viewers saw Olympic speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno best 'N Sync crooner Joey Fatone and boxer Laila Ali, who was voted off midway through the final episode.
This time, the third-place contestant will be announced at the start of Tuesday's show, and the remaining pairs will perform two last dances, which will help determine the winner.
The ABC show averaged about 20 million weekly viewers for each of its twice-weekly episodes in the 2006-07 season, eclipsed only by Fox powerhouse American Idol. Dancing is still on its toes, with nearly 22 million viewers making it last week's No. 1 show.
Judge Bruno Tonioli, whose ebullience is a Dancing highlight, said he sees the contest's appeal as more than muscled-and-faux-tanned-skin deep.
"It's a very honest show," he said in an interview. Contestants "really have to put their heart and soul in it. They can't get away with publicity and spin. The public will see something very, very real."
Host Tom Bergeron agreed. "It's a feel-good show unfolding in real time in front of you," as well as a throwback to the popular variety shows of the past, he said.
- AP
