Derek Hough goes bi-coastal as 'Dancing with the Stars' kicks off 20th season

NEW YORK (WABC) -- It may be hard to believe, but "Dancing with the Stars" kicks off its 20th season Monday night.

And as the hit show celebrates its 10th anniversary, you can expect it to be a star-studded affair that's full of surprises.

A decade of the quest for the Mirror Ball trophy is being celebrated in Los Angeles, but one of the contestants and her professional partner remain in a New York state of mind.

Eyewitness News caught up with Derek Hough, the shows biggest winner, in Midtown.

Five stars have gone home with the top prize after dancing with Derek, and yet he nearly didn't make this anniversary show.

"My first week on every season, I feel I don't know what I'm doing," he said. "You know, it's weird. It's like how do I choreography. I forget which hand goes where."

His partner this time is former Olympic gymnast Nastia Lukin, who knows he's just being modest.

"I kind of take it back to my gymnastic career, and my dad was my coach, and he was an Olympic medalist, Olympic champion himself," she said. "And so to be able to have the best of the best coach you through the entire experience, they know exactly what

you need to do to get you where you want to be."

Their rehearsal hall is located within Radio City, where Hough is appearing on-stage with the Rockettes in the "Spring Spectacular." Just a short subway ride away is NYU, where Lukin is a junior majoring in sports management.

"When we're here, there's nothing else," she said. "I'm not thinking about school. He's not thinking about his other show. And I think it's the only way you can do it."

Given their commitments in the city, their first number makes sense. It's "New York, New York."

But their bi-coastal commitments will make for an especially demanding schedule.

"I'm doing 10 shows of the New York Spring Spectacular during the week, and Sunday I finish a few shows," Hough said. "I get on a red eye to L.A. I go straight to the studio to film 'Dancing with the Stars,' and then I finish, do press, and then I go straight to the airport. And then I fly back to New York and arrive Tuesday morning."

And not only is Derek dancing on both coasts, he is also going on tour with his sister Julianne, who used "Dancing with the Stars" as a springboard to her own showbiz career. On Monday night, she begins her job as one of the judges on the show.

Tickets to see Derek Hough in person at Radio City Music Hall are on sale now.