I previously made my DWTS Season 8 Couples suggestions. Today they made the official announcement of the couples for season 8 of Dancing with the Stars. Check out the pairings below and then go vote for your favorite DWTS star.

Belinda Carlisle is paired with Jonathan Roberts
Singer and Band Member of The Go-Go’s

David Alan Grier is paired with Kym Johnson
Actor and Comedian

Jewel is paired with Dmitry Chaplin
Singer-Songwriter

Shawn Johnson is paired with Mark Ballas
2008 Gold Medalist Olympic Gymnast

Lil’ Kim is paired with Derek Hough
Grammy Award Winning Rapper

Gilles Marini is paired with Cheryl Burke
Sex and the City Actor

Ty Murray is paired with Chelsie Hightower
Rodeo Champion

Steve-O is paired with Lacey Schwimmer
Jackass and Wildboyz Reality Star

Nancy O’Dell is paired with Tony Dovolani
Access Hollywood Co-Anchor

Denise Richards is paired with Maksim Chmerkovskiy
Television and Film Actress

Lawrence Taylor is paired with Edyta Sliwinska
Retired NFL Linebacker

Chuck Wicks is paired with Julianne Hough
Country Singer

Steve Wozniak is paired with Karina Smirnoff
Apple Co-Founder and Philanthropist

Looks like I was right about my prediction that Mark Ballas Jr will be with Shawn Johnson. Check out these pictures of Mark and Shawn at their first Dancing with the Stars practice:
      
 

Maks also talked about Shawn Johnson being on the show along with pleading the fifth about Julianne Hough paired with Chuck Wicks:

TVGuide.com: What sort of unique challenges face Shawn Johnson, who is just 4-foot-10?
Chmerkovskiy: I actually think her main challenge is that she’s so young [age 17] in a big girl’s world, so to speak. Her challenge will be to spice things up if the judges say that she’s too quiet and calm. But we all saw her at the Olympics — she’s amazing and focused and determined. A very hard worker.

TVGuide.com: She could break into a tumbling pass in the middle of a Paso Doble!
Chmerkovskiy: Oh, she could do a cha-cha on her hands! We’re kind of guessing that she’ll be paired up with Mark [Ballas], and he’s crazy with the [choreography].

TVGuide.com: Some are speculating that dancing as a team could be tough on Julianne Hough and Chuck Wicks, her country singer-boyfriend. But I think if DWTS has shown us anything, it’s that it cultivates romance. They could come out of this stronger.
Chmerkovskiy: I don’t want to start the season with a usual Maks rant, so I’m going to plead the fifth on that pairing!

Maks is great. Probably the best interview on the show. Anyone have a connection with Maks? I’d love to interview him for this blog.

Maks told People these 2 little nuggets:

“Planning the proposal was the most nerve-wracking thing of my life,” Chmerkovskiy, 29, tells People magazine.

The couple plans to wed in late 2009 and Chmerkovskiy said the they definitely are looking forward to starting a family. “Our kids would be rock stars,” he told People. “They’re going to be like royalty.”

Finally, check out this short video from the Dancing with the Stars tour finale in Philly. Derek (and other dancers) pulls a lucky fan out of the crowd for a little spin spin and dip on the dance floor.