Snowboarder Louie Vito to debut tonight on 'Dancing With the Stars'

Louie Vito has great moves. I've watched him snowboard and his craziness above the halfpipe walls is awe-inspiring. It will not be surprising if he makes the U.S. Olympic team bound for the 2010 Vancouver Games.

But can he dance?

The world will find out beginning tonight as the U.S. Snowboarding athlete, who is well-liked and clearly not shy, teams with professional dancer Chelsie Hightower for the season premier of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

Vito, like all snowboarders, is an individualist, though. He explains: "They really try to push you to have some color, but spray-tanning is not my thing. I'm going to try to keep it true to myself."

Of learning the ballroom dance steps, he says it's harder than it was trying to land his first double-cork 1080; fans will see this progressive trick at the Olympics.

Though Vito is an individualist, he confesses: "I dressed up for my salsa Latin-themed dances and you know what? I'm not going to lie, I felt like a salsa dancer when I was wearing that getup.

"That's kind of what's funny 'cause I know I would never wear that ever in my life."

Win or lose, he will entertain.

--Pete Thomas

Top photo: Louie Vito executes a 1080 above Copper Mountain's halfpipe. Credit: Eric Drummond / Summit Daily

Bottom photo: Vito poses for a portrait during the recent 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Media Summit in Chicago. Credit: Harry How / Getty Images

Comments

[chris king]

While Louie Vito has no trouble spinning threes, sevens and nines in both directions on a snowboard in the halfpipe, he has his hands full in Dancing With The Stars.

http://www.stompandflow.com/2009/09/22/snowboarder-louie-vito-dancing-with-the-stars/

[Sherry]

If Louie really said learning ballroom steps was more difficult than his tricks in the HP, he was joking or just making time with Chelsie.