Baltimore-born R&B; singer Mario will be one of 12 celebrity performers on ABC's top-rated Dancing with the Stars when it returns March 17, and he promises that he won't disappoint his fans in Baltimore.
"I've never done ballroom dancing, but I'll be ready," the 21-year-old singer said yesterday after a taping of The Oprah Winfrey Show that previews the new season of Dancing. It's scheduled to air tomorrow.
"Everywhere I go, I represent my city, Baltimore," he said. "And coming from a place where success stories for youth are few and far between, I see my involvement in Dancing with the Stars as a chance for me to show millions of viewers what hard work and dedication can accomplish. This is the story of my life."
With a nightly audience of more than 15 million, the reality-TV competition series was the second most popular program on TV last year, behind only Fox's American Idol. Various versions of Dancing ranked as four of the 10 highest-rated Nielsen shows of the year while attracting one of the most diverse audiences for any prime-time show.
"When my manager called me to talk me about being on the show, he knew what my first answer was going to be," Mario said, acknowledging an initial reluctance. "But then I came to notice that the show gave viewers a chance to get to know the performer behind the costume - and I liked that."
Being the youngest performer in the cast also has its appeal.
"I like the fact that I will be carrying the torch for my generation," he said. "And, I also like the fact that I will be doing it with such a diverse and accomplished cast of other performers this year."
The format of the ABC series features celebrities paired with professional dancers. Mario's partner is Karina Smirnoff, who has danced in previous seasons with country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and actor Mario Lopez.
"I promise I won't embarrass myself out on the floor with a hottie like Karina," Mario said.
Born Mario Dewar Barrett, the singer has already scored one TV triumph in recent months with the MTV documentary I Won't Love You to Death: The Story of Mario and His Mom, a powerful account of the efforts by the young artist to help his mother break a daily heroin habit. The widely praised film followed Mario's mother, Shawn, who lives in Baltimore, as she moved with his help from street-corner drug buys to successful rehabilitation.
Mario said yesterday that his mother was with him for the Oprah Winfrey taping and that she remains off drugs: "She's doing great."
The multitalented performer, who splits his time between homes in Baltimore and Atlanta, has appeared in feature films Step Up and Freedom Writers. His hit recordings include "Just a Friend" and "Let Me Love You" - the latter named Billboard magazine's top R&B;/Hip-Hop single of the year in 2005.
About his Dancing appearance, he says, "This is definitely a challenge, but I've had challenges all my life. At the end of the day, if you dedicate yourself, there's nothing you can't do. This is just another way for me to express myself, and we're going to be amazing."
david.zurawik@baltsun.com
Other partners
Check out the rest of the cast of the next Dancing with the Stars:
Adam Carolla:
radio host, TV host (Man Show) and actor
Crisitian de la Fuente:
"Latin heartthrob" and telenovela star
Shannon Elizabeth:
actress (American Pie)
Steve Guttenberg:
actor (Veronica Mars, Police Academy and Three Men and a Baby)
Penn Jillette:
quirky, 6-feet-6-inch magician
Marlee Matlin:
actress and Oscar winner (Children of a Lesser God, The West Wing and more)
Priscilla Presley:
actress (Dallas and The Naked Gun) and widow of Elvis Presley
Monica Seles:
nine-time Grand Slam tennis title holder
Jason Taylor:
Miami Dolphins defensive end
Marissa Jaret Winokur:
Hairspray stage star and Tony winner
Kristi Yamaguchi:
1992 Olympic figure-skating gold medalist