Competition heats up, and one couple faces first elimination on 'Dancing with the Stars'

The competition heats up on a Latin-themed "Dancing with the Stars" as the celebrities take on new dance routines and fight for survival, Monday, Sept. 23 (8 p.m.), on ABC. Featuring a show-stopping opening number choreographed by Sharna Burgees and Henry Byalikov, the themed evening will require each couple to perform a samba, jive, rumba or paso. At the end of the night, one couple will face the first nail-biting elimination. The first elimination is determined by combining the judges' scores from the first two weeks with the public votes from premiere night.

Hosted by Emmy Award-winning host Tom Bergeron ("America's Funniest Home Videos") and Brooke Burke-Charvet, "Dancing with the Stars" is the hit series in which celebrities perform choreographed dance routines that are judged by renowned ballroom judge Len Goodman and dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli and Carrie Ann Inaba.

Viewers may cast their votes for their favorite teams via phone on Monday nights during and up to 60 minutes after the end of the "Dancing with the Stars" broadcast in each time zone. Online voting at www.ABC.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dancingwiththestars is open for 24 hours, beginning from the start of each episode on the East Coast at 8 p.m., and closing at 8 p.m. on Tuesday. For the final week, on Monday, Nov. 25, online voting will open for 15 hours, beginning from the start of the episode on the East Coast at 8 p.m., and closing at 11 a.m. the next day. A custom Facebook app lets fans vote, share whom they voted for, and say why, as well as see whom friends voted for.