The seventh season of ABC’s Shall We Dance: The Celebrity Dance Challenge kicks off this Sunday at 9 p.m.
with the first batch of contestants featuring not just three but five celebrities who will be vying for a slot in the
finals.

Shall We Dance gives a second chance to former challengers who weren’t able to make it to the finals during
their first stint in the show. These are funnyman Long Mejia, actress Assunta da Rossi, boxer-turned-comedian
Onyok Velasco and sexy star Angelica Jones. SWD’s very own Dominic Ochoa, Lucy Torres-Gomez’s
co-host ever since the show started,completes the line up for the first batch as he finally agreed to be a
contestant in the dance challenge.

Dominic was asked time and again to dance in the show but he would agree only during specials. But this time, Dominicis up for a bigger challenge. “Nung nalaman kong si Long ang makakalaban, sabi ko sige okay lang.
Mukha naman si Long ang unang matatanggal,” Dom quips.

Dom, together with partner Michelle Valdez, has been doing rigorous rehearsals because according to him
the last thinghe wants the judges and the audience to see is a half-baked performance. “Gusto kong
ma-surprise ang mga judgessa sayaw namin kaya nag-practice talaga kami ng husto,” he added.

Long, who first competed in the show’s season 2, said he is more than ready to compete this time.
When asked whohe thinks is his toughest competitor, the comedian answered in jest, “Kung nandito
lang si John Travolta, siya talaga ang toughest competitor ko.” Long admitted later on that he is actually
nervous but will definitely try his best because he doesn’t like his partner Raine Trinidad to be disappointed.

Onyok is also back in SWD, and with a vengeance. This time, he says, he is more determined to win. He
and dancepartner Olivia Cui will incorporate more liftings in their routines (to showcase Onyok’s strong arms)
and more intricate
footwork in the arrangements.

Angelica, in turn, says that all is forgotten for she doesn’t dwell in the past. It can be remembered that
Angelica onceaccused Shall We Dance of being unfair because she didn’t get the song she wanted for her
Jive number. All shewanted now, she says, is to redeem herself and prove that she can really dance well.

Assunta was just happy to be able to dance again in SWD. She and her partner Rodel Espinosa will try to impress
the judges and the audience with their salsa routine.

Unlike last season, SWD has added a new twist in the show this time around. Whenever there will be a
non-elimination episode, the pair who gets the lowest score will have to prepare two dance routines for the next competition. Also,the three resident judges Edna Ledesma, Audie Gemora and Regine Tolentino will be
stricter and harder to please this season.

And so the dance battle begins this Sunday night at 9 p.m. as Philippine TV’s original dance competition of
the stars, Shall We Dance: The Celebrity Dance Challenge premiers its newest season on ABC.