All Eyes On Mills As 'Dancing' Kicks Off New Season

All eyes were on Heather Mills as ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" kicked off its fourth season Monday night.

Mills, an animal right activist and estranged wife of former Beatle Paul McCartney, lost a leg when she was hit by a motorcycle. She's the first dancer with a disability to perform on the show, and she said part of her inspiration to give it a try is her desire to inspire others.

If Monday was any indication, she met her goal.

"There was far more right about that routine than there was wrong," "Dancing" judge Len Goodman said after seeing Mills dance. "You're an inspiration to people to get out and dance."

"I have no dance background except in a local disco," Mills said before starting her practice sessions with professional dancer Jonathan Roberts.

"You're going to have to work so much more than everyone else to make this look right," Roberts told Mills.

"Walking is the hardest thing," Mills said after completing a spin-kick combination in practice.

Roberts and Mills danced the foxtrot to "Cheek to Cheek." Goodman told the couple they wouldn't get a pass from the judge because of Mills' disability, and Heather said she wouldn't want it any other way.

"You've got more guts than Rambo," judge Bruno Tonioli told Mills. "To take this one, I have to give you credit."

"Your disadvantage could be an advantage because you know how to work through difficult situations," Carrie Ann Inaba said when judging the couple.

The pair got 18 of 30 possible points.

Ian Ziering, best known for his years on "Beverly Hills 90201," led off the dancing on Monday night. He said he entered the "Dancing" competition to make his parents proud.

"My mom -- this is something that would light her up," Ziering said.

Ziering is paired with two-time winner Cheryl Burke, who said she's aiming for win No. 3.

"She's an amazing dancer," Ziering said of Burke.

Frustration and sweat were the theme of Ziering's practices.

"Ian definitely gets frustrated but really knows how to laugh at himself," Burke said.

"I've never entered any competition to lose. Cheryl entered as a champion. I'm going to make sure it stays that way," Ziering said.

The pair got 21 of 30 points dancing the cha-cha-cha to "Mony Mony."

"Cheryl, you keep getting really good partners, and you've done it again," Goodman said, before suggesting that Ziering work on his hip action.

Paulina Porizkova was a supermodel in the 1980s. She's paired with season 1 champion Alex Mazo, who told the aging Porizkova that his father owns a lot of photos of her.

"I've been known as a klutz my entire life," Porizkova said before the practices began. "My family called me as graceful as a two-by-four."

The model said she has watched show from beginning and couldn't wait to join the cast.

"It's surreal. It's just as good as you thought it would be, but you are not as good as you thought you would be," Paulina said.

The pair fox-trotted to "It's Too Darn Hot," before getting good reviews from the judges.

"You've got fabulous arms," said Goodman. "All your lines are beautiful. (But) your posture's not quite right."

"I think you have great potential … but, you were a little bit awkward with each other," Inaba said.

"I think you've got class oozing from every pore," Tonioli said. "You look like you have breakfast, lunch and dinner at Tiffany's."

The fox-trot scored a 19.

Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" lit up dance floors more than a decade back, but his cha-cha-cha to his song "I Want My Mullet Back" with partner Karina Smirnoff didn't light up the judges.

"That was rock 'n' roll, but it wasn't cha-cha. Go back to work," Inaba said.

"It was more like a hoe-down than a cha-cha-cha," Goodman said. "But I want to see next week. I want to see you doing a fantastic quick step."

Smirnoff was second last season. She said she's got work to do with Cyrus.

"Billy Ray is extremely charming, but he's very insecure," Smirnoff said.

"My strength is you -- and other than that, everything's a weakness," Cyrus told Smirnoff.

Cyrus said he's shy until he gets on stage to perform, so he hoped that flashier side would show up for the competition.

The pair scored 13 out of a possible 30 points.

Leeza Gibbons is no stranger to television, but what she isn't used to, she said, is giving up control.

"I'm the oldest woman on 'Dancing With the Stars.' If Jerry Springer can do it, I can do it, too," Gibbons said.

"Relinquishing that control was (hard)," Gibbons said.

Tony Dovolani is the man in charge, and Gibbons said she's taken with him.

"The minute I laid eyes on him, I knew we could have this chemistry as a couple," Gibbons said of Dovolani.

The performed a fox-trot to "Strangers In the Night" and netted 15 points.

"Leeza, darling, you've got to relax," Tonioli said after watching.

"Sometimes you get a little bit nervous. Relax and enjoy," Goodman said.

"You need to let loose and let your confidence shine," Inaba suggested.

"I can't even believe I'm here," Gibbons said after hearing from the judges. "I've been asked to the dance."

The star of the night -- no doubt because he built his fame on dancing -- was former boy-bander Joey Fatone. He's paired with Kym Johnson, who whipped Jerry Springer into shape last season.

"I've done a lot of hip-hop dance with 'N Sync, and ballroom is definitely different," Fatone said.

"Joey 'Fat One' is not going to be his nickname much longer. I'm going to transform him," Johnson said.

"I came here to have fun, and I came here to win. That's what I'm doing," Fatone said.

They danced the cha-cha-cha to "You Should Be Dancin'" and knocked the socks off the judges, who gave them the night's high score of 24 points.

"I think the competition began right now. I love your sense of humor," Inaba said.

"That path to glory starts here," Goodman said. "And you've just taken an enormous step forward."

"You sold it. You did it," Tonioli said.

Her famous name inspires people across the world, and Laila Ali is known as a boxing great just like her father. She said she joined the show to tap into her feminine side.

"I get to live out a fantasy to be a dancer -- the hair, the makeup, the whole show. My dad is excited about me being on the show," Ali said.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy is known on the show as the toughest teacher, but he's met his match in Ali. He said he wouldn't get in a boxing ring with her because he loves his face too much but plans to make her into a swan.

"I don't sugarcoat things. If it's disgusting, I just say, 'It's digusting,'" Chmerkovskiy said. "My job is to transform Laila."

"None of these celebrities are going to outdo me. You better bring your A game," Ali said.

Fox-trotting to "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)," the pair got the night's second-highest score from the judges with 23 points.

"Float like a butterfly, glide like a swan," Goodman said afterward.

John Ratzenberger of "Cheers" fame had just two weeks to prepare after replacing a dancer.

"I'm doing it for all the baby boomers out there," Ratzenberger said.

Edyta Sliwinska is Ratzenberger's Polish partner, and it is her fourth time on the show.

"This is my fourth season, and this is the first time I'm more nervous that my celebrity," Sliwinska said.

"As long as my shoes stay tied, I think I'll be all right," Ratzenberger said.

The cha-cha-cha to "Chain of Fools" got 17 points from judges, who gave Ratzenberger credit for doing so well with so little practice.

"That was surprisingly good," Inaba said. "I didn't expect that from you."

"I was dreading it, to be honest," Goodman said. "You've only had a couple of weeks. But it was a good job."

"You started with a bit of hesitation, but when you kicked in you had confidence," Tonioli said.

Miss USA 2004 Shandi Finnessey is no stranger to looking confident and keeping a smile while the world watches.

"It's Barbie and Ken live in your living room," Tonioli said after Finnessey and partner Brian Fortuna performed the fox-trot to "Power of Love" by Huey Lewis And The News.

"If I want something, I go after it 100 percent," Finnessey said.

"Shandi is young and hot and sexy. I think Shandi and I have a lot of chemistry and that's going to be a factor," Fortuna said.

"I feel kind of gangly," Finnessey said.

"Your lower half needs work," Inaba said.

"While you did come out and sell it, for me, it was a little aggressive," Goodman said.

The pair got 19 points.

Clyde Drexler is the tallest competitor to ever join "Dancing." At 6 feet 7 inches tall, he towers over his 5-foot-4-inch partner Elena Grinenko.

"If the dance moves are tight, no one will care about the height," Drexler said.

"He's a gentle giant," Grinenko said.

Drexler's charm came through in the practices and on the dance floor.

"My nickname -- Clyde the Glide -- came from being able to glide to the basket. I want to keep it," Drexler said. "I've got a great partner. It's like playing basketball with Hakeem Olajuwon."

Their cha-cha-cha to "I Was Made To Love Her" got 16 points, and Inaba told Drexler, "I think you can keep the nickname."

"It was such a charming performance. You were a revelation," Goodman said.

"You can charm the pants off America," Tonioli said. "But I think you didn't do enough. You have the talent. Use the floor. Big is beautiful. Sell it."

Apolo Anton Ohno has five gold medals and may be able to count a "Dancing With the Stars" win incoming months. His partner, Julianne Hough -- the youngest pro dancer ever on the show -- and the judges were impressed with the athlete's poise.

"For a moment, I thought you were the guy from the boy bander," Inaba said.

Hough is following Ohno around the world as he continues to compete in speed-skating events.

"I met a bunch of his fans, and they are crazy-nuts about him," said Hough. "When I first met Apolo, I'm not going to lie, I was a little star-struck."

"I'm nervous," Ohno said before practices began. "A lot of the other couples have six to eight hours a day to practice. Being an Olympic gold medalist, I'm used to being the best, but for this show, I'm not 100 percent prepared."

Their cha-cha-cha to "Let's Hear It for the Boy" got 21 points, though the judges said they have plenty to work on.

"Your hands, your feet -- you have to concentrate on the technique side," Tonioli said.

"For me, your posture isn't great," Goodman said.

America gets to vote on who should stay and who should go. All of the couples will dance again Monday night before the first elimination show next Tuesday.