By Marlee Matlin

Let me say, right off the bat, dancing is a blast, particularly when you have Lisa Rinna and Louis van Amstel taking you through the steps. I arrived (sneaky Lisa, she surprised me!) thinking I'd be learning a few steps here and there and that I might break a small sweat. Was I wrong! Dancing is a total work out. Louis got us started right away, stepping and dancing with the beat and soon I could feel my feet, legs, arms, and that ever important "core" - stomach muscles, working just as hard as any traditional work out that I've had. But unlike the grunting and huffing and puffing that comes along with a traditional workout, Louis (and with Lisa beside me to get my behind in gear) made working out through dancing FUN. And though I was a bit sore at the end of class (more so the next day and more so the day after that!), it felt great to know I was doing something good for my body. Let me say this deaf lady likes to dance and I plan to come back!

Two weeks ago at the CMAs, "American Idol" alum Kellie Pickler broke down in tears during a performance of her song, “I Wonder,” which tackles her relationship with her estranged mother, Cynthia Malone. Malone hasn't been in Pickler’s life since she was 2 years old.

As Kellie sang, “Oh, I hear the weather’s nice in California,” tears streamed down her face. She could barely get out the final words to the song: "Your little girl is off to Tennessee."

Last night, Kellie hit the red carpet at the American Music Awards where she was a presenter, and filled us in on why emotion got the best of her.

"That is a very personal song anyways. And so any time I am singing it is emotional, just the power of the lyrics. But that was the first time performing at an award show and being able to sing in Nashville, Tennessee on the CMA stage in front of my peers. You know you are looking out in the audience and seeing George Strait and Kenny Chesney. It is an amazing feeling. They are so overwhelming and it was such a magical moment for me."

If you are a Celine Dion fan then I've got good news for you -- I've just learned that the songstress will be performing on the November 27th finale of "Dancing With the Stars." I can also reveal that one of the songs she will perform is her Oscar winning tune from "Titanic," "My Heart Will Go On."

The news was revealed inadvertently when "DWTS" dancer, Edtya Sliwinska (who was knocked out of the competition this week with partner, Cameron Mathison) let it slip that she had just come straight from a dance rehearsal for the performance. I immediately called her on it and she confirmed that Celine is booked.

"Yes. She is. It's very exciting we are going to be dancing to one of her songs. It's a beautiful song from 'Titanic.' It's really really a treat for us and we are honored to have an opportunity to do that."

The performance will cap off a busy week on ABC for Celine. This Sunday night she will perform on the "American Music Awards." Then on Wednesday, Nov. 21 (1:00 - 2:00 PM, EST), Celine will appear on "All My Children" as a featured guest on Erica Kane’s (Susan Lucci) fictional talk show, “New Beginnings,” marking her first daytime drama appearance. She'll sing the title track from her new CD, “Taking Chances.”

They're back! For the first time in ten years the Spice Girls hit the stage last night at the Victoria's Secret show in Hollywood, which will air December 4th on CBS. The girls came out and the crowd went wild. They performed two songs...actually they lip synched... but they still put on an entertaining show... and they looked FABULOUS!!!! With Hayden Panetierre, Eva Longoria and Ryan Seacrest among the stars watching from the front row, the girls did a boogie-woogie-bugle-boy style performance of their hit "Stop."

Lots of cute boy dancers in uniform worked the stage with the retro chic ladies in a tightly choreographed number. It's a little weird to see Posh, who never smiles and looks so serious all the time, up there dancing and waving her arms. I was surprised she could move, let alone dance in her skintight pencil skirt. At the end of the performance all the girls came together and hugged and seemed happy to be back together and also a little relieved. They also performed their new single "Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)", which wasn't as entertaining. The women looked great again, this time in long gowns, but they just stood there, barely moved and didn't engage the audience as much. Still, for anyone who is a fan of the Spice Girls...it was pretty exciting to see them all back together again... and people around me in the audience, especially a couple of girls sitting on my row...were going nuts.

With the writer's strike now in its second week and no foreseeable end in sight, it's no secret that reality shows will be taking over our airwaves. Thank goodness we haven't seen our favorite shows affected just yet.

However, the end is coming soon… very soon -- as more shows run out of fresh episodes. Fortunately, we have the Holidays and all those annoying Holiday shows and movies we hate to love, but that keep us busy through December.

Pretty soon though, it's going to feel like the year 2000 all over again. That would be the year that CBS' "Survivor" first hit the airwaves and every network scrambled to put their own reality show on TV giving us shows like "The Bachelor," "The Apprentice," "The Mole," "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here," "Joe Millionaire," "The Amazing Race" and all the others that have followed it.

The goods news is that if you've ever wanted to be on a reality show, now is your chance! Most of the network's Web sites have casting info for their shows. Here's just a sampling of some of the Casting Calls going on all over the USA to find new contestants for returning and brand new reality shows.

By Marlee Matlin

Greetings. First I want to thank Access and my family and friends for all their support.

Now's here the skinny on my desire to be "skinny." First, I want everyone to know that I am not planning on starving myself or get super thin. For someone who's 5'3", 129 isn't that bad. But I've been thinner and more comfortable with my body.

First, the goal here is to eat healthier, to exercise on a daily basis (this working mom of four just can't seem to find the time!) and to do my body a favor and in general, help myself develop the tools for living a healthy lifestyle that can accommodate my schedule. At the end of the day, it's not so much about me being overweight as is it that I'm just out of shape. Right now, I'm looking to lose a few pounds and remold my body so that I'm toned and muscular. I know I can do it because I used to have it before I had four children.

You know that feeling where you can wear whatever you want and not feel self conscious? That's what I'm looking to get back. I remember how great I felt back then and I just want some of that feeling back. It's about getting into that sleeveless dress, that short skirt or that bikini (I'm not holding my breath on the bikini but everyone says I can!).

Anyway, enough with the blabbering -- it's time to get up and work on getting on the new me (which is the old me before kids). Let's go!