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Kellie Pickler Misses 'Dancing With the Stars'

She'll Return to Perform on the Show on Monday

Kellie Pickler is likely dusting off her dancing shoes right now. The singer and reigning Dancing With the Stars champion will make a triumphant return to the show for part one of the season finale, which airs Monday night (Nov. 25) on ABC.

She'll perform her single "Little Bit Gypsy," backed by a group of professional dancers, to open the show. It was back in May that Pickler and her dance partner Derek Hough absolutely dominated the dance floor and took home the coveted mirror ball trophy.

Now, if you watched the show at all last season, you know the two were definitive front-runners from the beginning. There was no denying it. We all knew Pickler was a phenomenal country singer. Turns out, sister was one heck of a dancer, too. And just like she does with her music career, she poured every piece of her heart, soul and body into becoming a Grade A ballroom partner for Hough and for her fans watching at home, too.

Dancing became a way of life for her. For weeks, she ate, slept and breathed the fox trot, the rumba, the samba, the waltz. And now that it's all over, she admits she misses it -- especially that killer-dance workout.

"I gained like 15 pounds as soon as the show was over!" Pickler jokes. "It was just because you work out and work out and work out -- you stop doing it, you lose it! If you want to maintain any type of muscle or toning, you have to stick with it. Once you go from that intense working out and you stop cold turkey, you gain it back fast!"

That may be true, but during our interview, I was hard-pressed to find where she might be hiding those purported 15 pounds. She still looks amazing.

Pickler's return to the show is a chance to greet old friends, make new ones and show what she's been up to since her big win -- an incredible new album, The Woman I Am.

Meanwhile, Lady Antebellum will perform their new single, "Compass," on part two of the Dancing With the Stars season finale Tuesday night.

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