Dancing with the Stars, Iowa Style!

Shawn Johnson is hosting a DWTS-themed event in Des Moine, Iowa as a big thank-you to her hometown fans.  This event is entitled “Shawn Johnson and Friends” and takes place tonight (July 26) at the Wells Fargo Arena.

While groups of previous “Dancing” contestants have conducted nationwide tours in recent years, this is a one-shot event. The Ballas Hough Band and Mitchel Musso (from the Disney Channel’s “Hannah Montana”) are on the bill, as well as dancers such as Gilles Marini, Cheryl Burke, Steve-O and Kristi Yamaguchi — the latter, like Johnson, a former Olympian turned “Dancing” champion.

I wrote more extensively about this event at Pure Derek Hough, mainly because Derek was talking about it and tweeting funny pictures of himself, Shawn, Mark, Corky, and Steve-O. If you check that site, you will find what I think is a full list of the participants and a few more links to more information about the event. A check of Mark, Gilles and Lacey’s Twitter accounts also show mentions of the event and a lot about practicing. I’m really, really hoping we’ll get video of the dancing and the singing – so check back here tomorrow. Cross your fingers!!