ABC'S 'DANCING WITH THE STARS' RETURNS WITH A SPECIAL TWO-HOUR SEASON PREMIERE ON SEPTEMBER 12

"Episode 2301" - "Dancing with the Stars" is back with its most dynamic cast yet and ready to hit the ballroom floor. The competition begins with the two-hour season premiere, live, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network. The premiere episode will kick off with the largest scale opening number ever, shot with the pros at Griffith Observatory.

Each couple will perform a Jive, Foxtrot, Cha Cha or Viennese Waltz, vying for America's vote for the first time. No couples will be eliminated on week 1, and they will all advance to week 2 of the competition.

Each Couple Will Dance to the Following Songs (in alphabetical order):

Jake T. Austin & Jenna Johnson - jive - "Kiss You" by One Direction

Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds & Allison Holker - foxtrot - "Deed I Do" by Ray Charles

Marilu Henner & Derek Hough - jive - "Can't Stop Dancing" by Becky G

Laurie Hernandez & Valentin Chmerkovskiy - cha cha - "American Girl" by Bonnie McKee

James Hinchcliffe & Sharna Burgess - foxtrot - "Live Life" by Zayde W�lf

Calvin Johnson Jr. & Lindsay Arnold - cha cha - "That's What I Like" by Flo Rida feat. Fitz Lunchmoney

Terra Jolé & Sasha Farber - jive - "Stuff Like That There" by Betty Hutton

Jana Kramer & Gleb Savchenko - Viennese Waltz - "Dangerous Woman" by Ariana Grande

Ryan Lochte & Cheryl Burke - foxtrot - "Call Me Irresponsible" by Michael Bublé

Maureen McCormick & Artem Chigvintsev - Viennese Waltz - "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman" by Mary J. Blige

Rick Perry & Emma Slater - cha cha - "God Blessed Texas" by Little Texas

Amber Rose & Maksim Chmerkovskiy - foxtrot - "Here" by Alessia Cara

Vanilla Ice (Robert Van Winkle) & Witney Carson - cha cha - "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice

Hosted by two-time Emmy-winning host Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews (sports host and "Dancing with the Stars" season 10 finalist), "Dancing with the Stars" is the hit series in which celebrities perform choreographed dance routines which are judged by a panel of renowned ballroom experts, including head judge, Len Goodman, dancers/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.

For Monday, viewers may cast their votes for their favorite couples via phone during and up to 60 minutes after the end of the "Dancing with the Stars" broadcast in each time zone. Online voting at www.ABC.com and on Facebook at https://apps.facebook.com/votedwts/ is open for 24 hours, beginning from the start of each episode on the East Coast at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT and closing at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 p.m. PDT on Tuesday evenings.

Editors please note: "Dancing with the Stars" will air live from 5:00-7:01 p.m., PDT in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

"Dancing with the Stars" is produced by BBC Worldwide Productions. Rob Wade, Ashley Edens-Shaffer and Joe Sungkur are executive producers. Phil Heyes directs. "Dancing with the Stars" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound. This program carries a TV-PG, L parental guideline.

About BBC Worldwide Productions

BBC Worldwide Productions is a key business under BBC Worldwide North America, the U.S. division of the main commercial arm and wholly-owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), BBC Worldwide. Based in Los Angeles, BBC Worldwide Productions develops and produces scripted and unscripted projects based on BBC formats/brands for cable and broadcast networks, as well as digital platforms. Key titles include "Dancing with the Stars" (ABC), "Getting On" (HBO), "Top Gear" (History), the limited series "The Night Of" (HBO) and the upcoming game show, "Hypnotize Me"(FOX).