DTWS Season 21 Premiere date 2015, Cast: Returning Karina Smirnoff, Len Goodman Exits

Aug 20, 2015 12:34 PM EDT

ABC's hit show Dancing with the Stars' official release date is on Sept. 14, but even if the show is less than one month away, we are getting plenty of spoilers and rumors.

In a report by EW, 37-year-old Ukrainian-American Karina Smirnoff has confirmed she will be returning for season 21 to try to win back the trophy. "I was a little nervous about not dancing on the show at all last season. I was doing it for the last 10 years," she said and added, "I had other things to do in my life, but not going back to the show felt like trying to see if I can walk on my own two feet! I've had obvious moments when I missed it."

Karina also posted a picture on her Instagram account a short footage informing her fans that she is back with Dancing With The Stars. She captioned the video, "Yay! Soooo excited! Can't wait to dance for you guys!"

Smirnoff won the Mirror Ball Trophy in season 13 with soap opera star J.R. Martinez, but took some time off in season 20 as she was busy promoting her book, We're Just Not That Into You: Dating Disasters from the Trenches and also to appear in an indie movie opposite Lainie Kazan titled Tango Shalom.

She added, "I'm excited and a little nervous. Normally I can at least narrow it down a little bit, like whether it will be an athlete or an actor, but I have no idea."

The report also confirmed that Dancing With The Stars season 20 champion Val Chmerkovskiy will be returning to compete in the coming season. Chmerkovskiy won the title with Rumer Willis. Another Dancing With The Stars alumnus who will strut the floors is Witney Carson (who was partnered with Chris Soules), the report added.

The contestants do not have an idea who will be their dancing partners until after a few days before the airing. Smirnoff earlier said in an interview that sometimes they were informed of the dancing partner on the first day of rehearsal.

Judge Len Goodman Leaves DWTS Stage

While dancers are returning to the next season of DWTS, one judge is reported to be leaving the dance floor.

Len Goodman, one of the original judges of the popular dance hit show, Dancing With The Stars, have asked to take a leave from the show to focus on his commitment to British TV dance competition Strictly Come Dancing and to spend more time with his grandson, reported Freep.com.

 DWTS executive producer Rob Wade issued a statement confirming the complete line up of pro dancers in Season 21, including Derek Hough, Mark Ballas, Chmerkovskiy, Artem Chignitsev, Smirnoff, Allison Holker, Sharna Burgess, Peta Murgatroyd and Witney Carson.

Two of the original judges, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli, will stay with the show. They will be joined by Julianne Hough and some guest judges. But Wade said Goodman could make an appearance during the fall season.