Aaron Carter is aware he's already been named a favorite -- if not THE favorite -- among celebrities tripping the light fantastic on the new season of ABC's ''Dancing With the Stars'' that launches Sept. 21. He tells us, ''It's a lot to live up to. Sometimes that can be really great and sometimes it can be really difficult as well. Everybody's expecting me to do crazy things, tricks and stuff, and be really clean, really sharp with my dancing. I do have a lot to live up to, and twice as much work to do.''

It's hard to believe Aaron's just 21, given all the drama he's packed into his life already -- having become a heartthrob at the ridiculous age of nine when he first went out as an opener for his brother, Nick's group, The Backstreet Boys. Success followed success -- ''Aaron's Party,'' screaming girls, sold-out concerts, romances with Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan -- and then came the crash with his parents' ugly divorce, Aaron accusing his mother of pinching money from his bank account, his short-lived engagement to a Playboy centerfold model, on and on.

Now, of course, he's aiming to prove he has it all together again.

The blond cutie is spending five hours a day training with his partner, Karina Smirnoff. ''It's going good,'' he says.

How's his Viennese Waltz? ''We haven't really started on that one yet. We're just finishing and tightening up on the Cha Cha right now.''

So how's his Cha Cha working?

''I'm loving it. I'm loving it,'' he replies.

Aaron recently Twitpic'ed a photo of his high-heeled dancing shoes -- that almost looked painful. He says, ''Oh my gosh it's very, very difficult to get used to the shoes, because they're so tight on your feet and you've got to listen to everything your partner says and kind of forget about the spots where it hurts sometimes. It's difficult. It's fun. It's challenging.''

Is he going to be ready?

''I'm not ready yet. I will be ready. When that day comes, that will be the day that I'm ready.''

We'll see.