Perth ballroom dancer Damian Whitewood has spent the past nine years on the road in theatrical productions but is now preparing to swap the stage for the small screen.

Whitewood, who first put on his dancing shoes at age 10, has headed to Los Angeles to start his hectic filming schedule for the 10th US season of Dancing with the Stars.

His international choreography and backstage experience on dance shows has given him an enviable store of insider knowledge to share with his prospective US celebrity partner, whom he will have to tutor in the art of ballroom dance.

The dancer, from Myaree, has had little time to relax since flying home last month after a seven-month stint on Broadway performing in Burn the Floor, an Australian theatre production boasting two solid hours of ballroom dancing with little dialogue.

Although Burn the Floor has taken Whitewood to more than 100 cities, from Amsterdam to Monte Carlo, he has finally tired of almost a decade of "suitcase life" and wants to turn his talents to the more lucrative world of television.

"I'll be earning six or seven times as much doing the Stars show," he said, adding that he was a natural-born performer.

His partner - both in life and on stage - Peta Murgatroyd, 23, will accompany him to Los Angeles to take parts in film and TV productions, which she hopes will set her on the path to Hollywood.