Was Dancing with the Stars veteran Louis van Amstel not given a celebrity partner for the series' upcoming fourth season because he's too short or because he's a diva?

ADVERTISEMENT
"As you may have already heard, the couples for season four of Dancing with the Stars have been announced and guess what... I'm not one of them," van Amstel wrote on his official website, explaining his absence to fans.  "I got the first call early last week that I wasn't going to have a celebrity dance partner this season, due to the simple fact that by sheer chance, all the female celebrities are 5 feet 9 inches or taller. Since I am 5 feet 8 inches, I am unlucky this season."

A veteran of the first three Dancing with the Stars installments, van Amstel was paired with The Bachelorette star Trista Sutter in the first season; two-stepped with Days of Our Lives actress Lisa Rinna during the second season; and danced with High School Musical star Monique Coleman in the third.

While van Amstel's tall tale (or short tale, depending on how you look at it) seems logical enough, it may not be entirely true.  

Access Hollywood correspondent Laura Saltman reported on her blog on Wednesday that a "source close to Dancing with the Stars" told her that height had nothing to do with van Amstel not being asked back for the fourth season.  Instead, the source claimedit was because van Amstel had "turned into a complete diva" during the recently concluded Dancing with the Stars live tour, for which he served as choreographer.

"[He was] angry that he had to share those responsibilities with judge Carrie Ann Inaba who is herself a choreographer," Saltman wrote in her blog.  "[van Amstel] and [Inaba] apparently butted heads the entire time and dancers on the tour are said to have been seen crying and threatening to quit under van Amstel's tutelage."

According to the source, there were calmer waters during the last month of the tour -- but "the damage had already been done" -- resulting in van Amstel not receiving a celebrity partner for Dancing with the Stars fourth season.  However Saltman reported it's possible he may return on an "as needed basis as a choreographer only for results show dances."

In late February Ashley DelGrosso -- another Dancing with the Stars veteran of three seasons -- announced she would not be paired with a celebrity for the fourth season because she's expecting her first baby in July.
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio
Christopher Rocchio is an entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and has covered the reality TV genre for several years.