An "American Idol'' family we are not. But when the new season of "Dancing With the Stars'' begins, as it does tonight, count us in. We love it!! I don't know what it is about the show that hits just the right steps for us ... maybe it's the music, the costumes, the glitz, the fact that it's live TV, or the pleasure of watching people move around a dance floor in the tech-obsessed 21st century. Or maybe it's just that it's one show that my daughter and I both enjoy, and can spend time watching together.

We critique along with the judges (often we spend as much time evaluating Len, Bruno and Carrie Ann as the dancers themselves) even though I understand even less about dance than my ballet-student daughter. But we have learned more than we ever thought we'd know about the waltz, the samba and the quick step.

I'm biased this season. I'll be pulling for my favorite "Dancing'' pro, Kym Johnson, who's paired with one of my teen idols, Donny Osmond. (Yeah, go ahead. Try and figure out how old I am. Shouldn't be too tough.) My daughter is taking a wait-and-see attitude, however. She says she wants to assess the talent. I have a meeting tonight -- argh! -- so my daughter's going to fill me in on what I miss. Hope it isn't too much.

See you on the dance floor, or more correctly in our case, on the living room sofa!