(CNN) -- It says something about the popularity of "Dancing With the Stars" that the show's professional dancers have become almost as famous as the celebrities they're paired with.



Mark Ballas and Shawn Johnson celebrate after winning last season's "Dancing With the Stars."



Take Mark Ballas, who last season waltzed and tangoed his way to a first-place finish with Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson -- his second mirror ball trophy since he joined the hit series in 2007.



At just 23, Ballas is already recognized on the street, he's in a band with fellow "Dancing" pro Derek Hough, and he's thinking about branching out into acting.



For the new season of "Dancing With the Stars," which begins Monday, Ballas is paired with Melissa Joan Hart, best known for her roles in the television series "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" and "Clarissa Explains It All."



Ballas spoke to CNN about his new celebrity partner, his training routine and whether former "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul could find a new home on the show.



The following is an edited version of that interview.



CNN: What is Melissa Joan Hart like as a dancer?



Mark Ballas: She's doing really well so far. I think she's going to shock a lot of people, and I think they will love her personality. She's really bright and bubbly.



CNN: Does she have any dancing experience?



Ballas: No, she's never danced before. I mean, she took a couple of ballet classes when she was a child, but everyone's done that. She's never danced like this before, so it's been a bit of a learning curve for her, but hopefully she'll smooth it out.



CNN: Did you know who she was before you were matched?



Ballas: Oh, yeah. I used to watch her shows all the time when I was younger. I would watch "Clarissa Explains It All" and "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" after school.



CNN: Do you get any input in what celebrity you are paired with?



Ballas: No, we get no choice whatsoever. It's basically [dependent on] whether they think our personalities will be compatible and also on height. You have to be the right height, because if someone is 6 feet and your partner is 5 feet, it won't work out.



CNN: How do you choreograph dances? Do you like to use certain routines over again?



Ballas: I start fresh every time. Having a good song is definitely helpful, and when you get a new song, it's really inspiring and makes you want to move, and that's the fun of it. You always want to keep things fresh, and I always keep challenging myself, like how can I outdo what I did last time?



CNN: The facial expressions seem so important in ballroom dancing. How do you teach that to your celebrity partners?



Ballas: That's something you can't teach. Obviously, you explain what the dance is and how you have to act and what you should be thinking, but you don't choreograph facial expressions. That's got to come from the heart and the soul, and you just have to feel it.



CNN: If you have a celebrity partner like Kim Kardashian, who was criticized for being wooden on the dance floor, is there anything you can do?



Ballas: The best thing to do is to make them feel comfortable. Kim got very shy when the cameras were on, and she would always dance a lot better off camera. But sometimes, dancing just isn't for certain people. Kim and I had a great time together and still are good friends to this day. But dancing wasn't her thing, she just didn't take to it.



CNN: Do you keep in touch with your former partners?



Ballas: Yes, I talk to Shawn [Johnson] and Kristi Yamaguchi all the time; I talked to Kim Kardashian about an hour
Who is mark ballas paired up with this season? Who finds her "bright and bubbly"? who finds her bright and bubbly? Who is paired with Mark allas? Who is paired with Melissa Joan Hart?
Shawn Johnson Ballas: Mark Ballas: Shawn Johnson Mark Ballas,
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