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Paula Abdul to Join Dancing With the Stars?

Abdul's 1995 dance workout video

Abdul's 1995 dance workout video

Although Paula Abdul has reinvented herself as a judge on American Idol, it appears she years to return to her dancing roots. The former choreographer is reportedly eager to join next season's cast of "Dancing With the Stars."

Last month, the show's host, Tom Bergeron, accidentally revealed Abdul's desire to join the show. And now, she's admitting to OK! Magazine, "I'm just hypothetically thinking about it." Abdul elaborates, "It's all Tom's fault! I'm a huge fan [of the show]. It would be a phenomenal experience for me to be a student and to learn a form of dance that I've never been introduced to."

"Dancing's" premise, of course, is to pair up non-dancing celebrities with brilliantly talented ballroom partners. Yet, Abdul's background as a Laker Girl and choreographer (it's been widely reported that she taught Janet Jackson her moves), seems to clearly violate those terms. To attempt to distance herself from the dancer classification, Abdul explains, "I was always a choreographer...But I've never been able to be a student and I've never done partnering. If I even dabbled with it, I had to be the guy and that's not fun. I want to wear the pretty dresses like the girls."

Personally, I find Abdul's explanation just a bit off. How is it that a choreographer was never a student? The stories of dancers who are self-taught and rise quickly to mentor status are rare. But looking at Abdul's movement style, you can tell she had training. Granted, jazz and street-style training is greatly different from ballroom and partnering. But, I would argue that being a dancer and choreographer gives her an unfair advantage.

What do you think about Abdul's potential to join "DWTS?" Would you like to see her in action, or do you think it's against the show's policy?

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tags Jazz, Hip Hop, Ballroom, Teacher, Enthusiast, Parent, Competitions & Conventions, Performance (all tags)

Full discussion: http://blog.danceruniverse.com/blog/story/2008/4/24/145919/579