The professional dancers of "Dancing With the Stars" are preparing for Season 19.

Last week, the list of professional dancers competing this season was revealed. Veteran dancer and reigning champion Maksim Chmerkovskiy was missing from the list, but fellow "Dancing With the Stars" veteran Tony Dovolani said he has no plans to quit the competition yet.

"It's about showing people that just because you get to a certain age, it doesn't mean you're supposed to mail it in," the 41-year-old dancer told GossipCop. "Still fight. Still go out there and give it your best."

Only Dovolani's wife, Lina, can convince the dancer to walk away from the ABC dancing show.

"She's my honest opinion," he said. "When she looks at me and says to me, 'Honey, it's time for you to step aside and let the other ones take it,' then I'll stop. ... If I didn't have a strong wife like I do, I would not be able to do what I do. Honestly, she's the secret to my success."

Returning dancers Mark Ballas and Derek Hough also talked about the upcoming season last week during an interview with Florida's WPBF local news.

"They're making changes to the cast, and we've got some new people," Ballas said. "It's going to be really fun."

"I'm going to attempt to dance on my hands the whole time," Hough said jokingly.

Back in July, Hough said he was uncertain if he would return for Season 19.

"I just did a tour this summer and to see all of the fans, you definitely don't want to let anybody down. You want to go on there," he said.

The five-time mirrorball trophy winner also said that despite working 10 hours a day for a week on every episode's dance routine, he doesn't mind the judges' criticism.

"For the past seasons I've really enjoyed that little banter where you feel like you've done a good job and you're happy with your performance, and say Len [Goodman] says, 'I hated it; it was a hodgepodge,' then it's actually kind of fun," Hough said. "That's kind of what makes the show the show."

The next season of "Dancing With the Stars" begins on Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC with a two-hour premiere.

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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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