Season four Dancing with the Stars champ Apolo Ohno will join the live summer tour generated by the hit ABC show.

“After the show I started training again for the Olympics but realized quickly that I couldn’t go on without at least one more week of Samba,” Ohno said in a statement that People magazine reported.

The two-time Olympic speed-skating gold medalist, along with partner Julianne Hough won the competition on Dancing in May, when he declared, “I feel amazing.”

His appearances on the tour will only be in five select cities, starting in Raleigh, N.C., on Saturday. He’ll also show up in Hershey, Pa., on July 2; Bridgeport, Conn., on July 3; Wilkes Barre, Pa., on July 5 and Atlantic City, NJ, on July 6. 6th.

Dancing contestant (and Cheers veteran) John Ratzenberger will also make a guest appearance in his hometown of Bridgeport.

Other stars who are currently on the Dancing tour include, Joey McIntyre, Joey Lawrence, Drew Lachey and Joey Fatone, who has signed on to host a karaoke-themed game show on NBC, which starts July 9.

More than just a speed skater now, how does Apolo Anton Ohno feel about his victory this season? Us Magazine sat down the the athlete…

 Us: Is this the best birthday gift you’ve received?
Apolo Anton Ohno: This was an amazing birthday gift, but to win on top of the whole experience was even better!

Us: Your appearance on the series has no doubt heightened your public profile. Are you often recognized by fans on the street?
AO:I was recognized at Rockefeller Center this morning! [My partner Julianne Hough and I] went to the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland and there were tens of thousands of people screaming. I kept seeing grown women bawling when I walked over and was like “Hey, what’s up?”

Us: If you and Julianne hadn’t won the show, which other couple do you think would have been most deserving?
AO: That’s hard to say because I feel that everyone is a champion now. It’s very hard to criticize somebody of their work ethic or how hard they tried because everyone worked hard. Some people might just be a little more talented than others and some might have a bigger fan base than others. The show was not easy and takes a lot of time out of your life, so those who gave 100% have nothing to be ashamed of.

Us: Our readers really enjoyed your freestyle dance.
AO: Me too. I like the freestyle the most because we could go out there and dance. We weren’t worried about impressing anybody, all we wanted to do was get the crowd into the dance and we wanted people to want to dance.

Us: Will you keep dancing even though you’re skipping the tour to train for the 2010 Olympics?
AO: I’ll keep dancing, when I can squeeze it in. It’s something social, anybody can do it and it’s fun. I had no idea it was going to be this fun. It’s like releasing your soul!

Us: Lastly, how will you display your trophy?
AO: I think I’m going to have it mechanically levitated in my house and slowly lower every time the door opens!

Dancing with the Stars fans enjoy celebrity gossip as much as anyone.

The latest? That this season’s winner, Apolo Anton Ohno, and her partner Julianne Hough are an item. It’s simply false, each states.

“There’s no truth to [the rumors of a romantic relationship]. Our relationship was strictly professional. It was sometimes goofy, but strictly professional,” Ohno told the New York Post.

Fueling speculation about a possible romance was the fact that Hough canceled her August 8, 2007 wedding to former dancer Zach Wilson less than two weeks before Dancing with the Stars‘ fourth season finale.

Hough and Wilson were planning to wed in a Mormon ceremony in her home state of Utah, but due to her busy schedule with Ohno on Dancing with the Stars, the couple instead decided to wait to tie the knot. However, Ohno says Hough’s wedding postponement and his chemistry with the 18-year-old professional dancer should not cause people to speculate.

“We had great chemistry on the dance floor, which is why people think [we're romantically involved]. It meant I was doing my job [as a dancer],” Ohno said.

Having spent the last month in China as part of a performing-arts group from Brigham Young University, where he’s currently enrolled as a pre-dental student, Wilson recently told TV Guide he’s also aware of the rumors about his fiancee and Ohno.

“I’ve heard a lot about that,” he said. “Because I’m a dancer I know what performing takes. I’ve been involved in ballroom a lot, so I know there has to be chemistry when you dance together. It doesn’t mean that there’s any romance going on. And I know personally that there’s not, because I’ve been with them in rehearsals and I’ve gotten to know Apolo really well. He’s a really nice guy. So it doesn’t bother me.”

While he may be aware of the chemistry needed to succeed in the ballroom, Wilson said he still understands how Ohno and Hough’s compatibility on the dance floor could be confused as romance by the average Dancing with the Stars‘ viewer.

“If I didn’t know her and I was watching the show, I would think that they were in love,” he told TV Guide. “But I do know her and they’re not. They’re just good friends.”

Instead of being jealous, Wilson said he’s proud of Hough and her accomplishment.

“She’s incredible,” he told TV Guide. “I just love her so much. I knew from the moment I met her that she would be a star. There was no question in my mind.”

Also, come on: if Hough were gonna hook up with a star on the show, wouldn’t it be that hottie Maksim Chmerkovskiy?

Apolo Anton Ohno received an extra special 25th birthday gift Tuesday: The two-time Olympic medalist became the latest Dancing with the Stars champion.

“I feel amazing,” the speed skater said after learning he’d won the competition, beating out singer Joey Fatone and boxer Laila Ali. “From day 1 I feel like everyone here has been champions.”

  On Tuesday’s finale Ohno and his partner Julianne Hough danced the paso doble before winning the mirror-ball trophy.

“I’m so excited to see Apolo win,” judge Carrie Ann Inaba told People magazine after the finale. “He took it so seriously. He truly mastered the dances. He was the best technical dancer. Apolo and Julianne brought a whole new energy to the dance floor. You never quite knew what they were going to do.”

Runner-up Fatone kept up his signature good spirits saying he felt “like a winner” and calling the show “one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life.”

Ali and Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who started the evening in third place, ended up in the same position after performing the mambo. When asked about balancing boxing and dancing, Ali said, “I think you can be strong and sexy and beautiful.”

But not a winner. That honor now belongs to Ohno, as he follows in the footsteps if last year’s champ, Emmitt Smith.

Ten weeks of Dancing with the Stars has gone down to this week, this night.

With just three top-notch couples remaining, which stepped up its game? Can Laila Ali and Maksim Chmerkovskiy overcome their underdog status when compared with the moves of Joey Fatone and Apolo Anton Ohno?

It was quite the night of moving and shaking. Read about it now in our episode guide!

They may be fierce competitors on screen - but the Dancing with the Stars cast obviously gets along well when they aren’t competing for scores.

Here are a couple of pictures of the celebs and dancers celebrating the birthday of Apolo Anton Ohno in Hollywood Monday night:

The three finalists - Joey Fatone, Ohno and Laila Ali - pose for the camera.

Ohno shares some cake with partner Julianne Hough.

Two dances, two perfect scores? Which Dancing with the Stars couple pulled off this feat last night?

Was it the current favorites, Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough? Or maybe Joey Fatone and Kym Johnson stepped up their game after being dropped to the final two last week.

Without her legendary father in attendance this time, how did Laila Ali fare? There’s only one way to discover the answers to all these pressing questions …

Read our week 9 episode guide right now!

Well, John Ratzenberger won’t with Dancing with the Stars after being voted out last night.

And, sure, Joey Fatone and Ian Ziering may have stolen our hearts back in the day, but now it’s all about Apolo. Here are the top five reasons why Us Magazine knows he’ll win:

5. Serious Stamina – As a multi-talented athlete, Apolo first won our hearts as he lapped around the U.S. Olympic speed skating track to take home numerous medals of honor. Lacing up his dancing shoes certainly isn’t a problem now and as for that good ol’ quickstep? Apolo’s always has a need for speed!

4. Apple Pie Appeal– Joey Fatone and Ian Ziering may have a built in fan-base of teenyboppers from their early ’90s heydays, but Apolo’s fancy footwork and will to win endeared him to audiences from his very first Cha-Cha.

3. Hey, Apolo, You’re So Fine! – In recognition of his style savvy, Us named Apolo and his DWTS dudes to our “7 in ‘07” list at our recent Hot Hollywood Style 2007 party. With a manly bandana keeping the sweat off his brow, Apolo’s signature style often features funky colors and flashy, form-fitting duds. He definitely gets a “10” from Us for style!

2. His Pampered Dogs – At the end of a grueling practice session, Apolo is one of the first to put his feet up and relax. “My feet hurt the worst,” he tells Us, “I just have to put them up!” Good to know he can indulge once in a while!

1. Celebs Love Apolo! – He and partner Julianne Hough were favored by the judges early on as having “the most potential,” and, now that America has seen his skills, support has come from far and wide. “ Apolo and Julanne are the ones to beat,” season 3 dancer Lisa Rinna said.

It was an evening of TWO dances last night. Ballroom and Latin were on the agenda for our Dancing with the Stars contestants.

Were there any perfect scores? Are Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough still the favorites? Or did a shirtless Maksim Chmerkovskiy steal their shoe-tapping thunder?

There’s only one way to find out: Read through our Episode Guide right now.

On April 13, many in the Dancing with the Stars cast attended the 14th Annual Race to Erase MS.

Here are a few photos from the charity event, starting with this year’s current favorites, Apolo Anton Ohno and Julianne Hough:

Next, take a look at a happy, romantic couple. Yes, that really is Matthew Lawrence with his arm around Cheryl Burke:

Finally - look out! - a giant close up of Joey Fatone is coming your way. We doubt the ladies will mind, however: