Does winning the ‘Dancing’ trophy boost careers?

Mark Ballas and Shawn Johnson perform during the semi-finals of Dancing with the Stars in Los Angeles. (AP photo)

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LOS ANGELES – After 10 weeks on “Dancing With the Stars,” actor Gilles Marini, Olympian Shawn Johnson and “The Bachelor” reject Melissa Rycroft have become household names – at least with the show’s nearly 20 million weekly viewers.

Tonight, one of them will be named the new “Dancing” champ, collecting the coveted mirror ball trophy along with a potential career boost.

But just as becoming the “American Idol” doesn’t automatically mean a rocking music career, winning “Dancing” doesn’t always translate to bigger and better gigs, though it certainly opens up the possibility.

“Anything they go into will be incredible,” says Pierre Dulaine, co-founder of Dancing Classrooms, which teaches ballroom dancing to fifth graders nationwide. “They learn respect, dedication and humility.”

Season one, Kelly Monaco: A former Playboy Playmate and sometime “Baywatch” star, Monaco, 32, won the inaugural season of the ABC show in 2005 with professional partner Alec Mazo. Once taking the trophy, she scored a recurring role on the TV soap “General Hospital.” She is now appearing opposite fellow “Dancing” alumna Melanie Brown in “Peepshow,” a burlesque-inspired production at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Season two, Drew Lachey: A member of the boy band 98 Degrees with his brother Nick Lachey, Lachey performed on Broadway in “Rent” and “Monty Python’s Spamalot” before joining the “Dancing” cast. After winning in 2006 with partner Cheryl Burke, he co-hosted the Miss USA pageant, joined the “Dancing With the Stars” tour and filled in as the show’s host while Samantha Harris was on maternity leave. He appeared on the show again this season to weigh in on the contestants and what they need to become champions. Lachey, 32, can next be seen on “HGTV’s $250,000 Challenge,” a series debuting May 31 that has families competing for cash through home-improvement challenges.

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