Photos: Cast of 'Dancing with the Stars 8' in Rehearsal

February 16, 2009 06:25:30 GMT

In anticipation of the nearing 'Dancing with the Stars' premiere, the celebrities and their partners are in the studio working some moves.

Photos: Cast of 'Dancing with the Stars 8' in Rehearsal

The date is approaching and the contestants are on full throttle. Thirteen pairs of this season's "Dancing with the Stars" have been in rehearsals for the premiere episode of the dancing competition show and some of them have been photographed as promotional means.

Spotted working their moves are couples: Lil' Kim and Derek Hough, Denise Richards and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Steve Wozniak and Karina Smirnoff, and seven others. Missing from the pictures are couples Jewel Kilcher and Dmitry Chaplin, Nancy O'Dell and Tony Dovolani, as well as real-life couple Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough. The competition will begin March 9 on ABC.

Professional dancer and two-time winner Julianne Hough feels that the competition will bring her closer to her boyfriend, Chuck Wicks. She told People, "We never get to spend much time together. On the show, we'll be together 24 hours a day. We're a really good team off stage, so I think it will be fun."