Kellie Pickler Will Be A Finalist

Season 16 of Dancing With The Stars debuted last night with a great new cast of stars.  It's a weekly staple in our home.  My wife Lori is a dance fanatic and wouldn't miss the show for anything.

Lori is a former world champion country dancer.  She also teaches country line dancing Tuesday evenings at the Moose Lodge.

So it is no surprise that DWTS is a must-see in our home.  For her, watching the show is the same thing as me watching college football or the NCAA Tournament.

Last night, I was impressed with the field of contestants on Dancing With The Stars and I am planting my flag now and making my prediction as to who will win the coveted mirror ball trophy.

In my mind, Zendaya,  Kellie Pickler and Alexandra Raisman are the three to watch.  I believe it will be Zendaya, Pickler, Raisman and Dorothy Hamill as the final four.

16 year old Zendaya Coleman and her partner Val Chmerkovsky scored a 24 out of 30 from the judges.  Disney star Zendaya is the youngest member ever on the show and has experience singing and dancing.  In my mind, they stole the show.

Not far behind in my eyes were Country singer Kellie Pickler and her partner Derek Hough. They scored a 21 out of 30 from the judges.  Pickler showed she has the goods and she will bring it all the way to the finals.

Olympic gold medalist Dorothy Hamill showed that her experience as a figure skater will make her a formidable force in the competition.  Hamill and her partner Tristan MacManus also scored a 21 of 30.

Gymnast Alexandra Raisman and her partner Mark Ballas also scored a 21 out of 30.  Raisman, who won a gold medal in the Olympics, is following in the footsteps of Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson.  Johnson's legacy on the show will put a lot of pressure on Raisman to measure up to the standards.  Raisman will deliver.

In the end, it will be Zendaya, the 16 year old wunderkind, who will win the mirror ball trophy. She will narrowly beat Kellie Pickler in the Dancing With The Stars finals.  However, I could be wrong.  I am judging merely by dancing talent.  Kellie Pickler's fan votes could give her the edge she needs to win it all.

It's gong to be a fun season to watch.