Dancing with the Stars cut finalist Bethany Mota and her professional dance partner Derek Hough during the first part of the nineteenth-season finale Monday night on ABC. 

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The YouTube fashionista and Derek became the tenth couple eliminated from the competition based on the combination of the Dancing with the Stars judges' scores they had received during last week's performance show and the home viewer votes that were cast immediately following that episode.

Bethany and Derek had topped the judges' leaderboard twice this season and otherwise landed consistently high in the rankings.

"I've discovered things about myself that, you know, things I never thought I could do. I never thought that I would be this far in the competition, and that's a first, you know? I was just hoping to make it past Week 2. So to be in the finals was the best thing ever!" Bethany said following her ouster.

"I'm so proud of her, man. This has been an incredible season. I think I'm just really proud to be a part of a show that celebrates a very difficult, artistic, athletic art form -- like dance. It's the biggest dance show on the planet and I'm proud to be a part of it, and I'm proud of this young lady right here. She's an amazing role model and I'm so proud!" Derek explained before wishing his competitors good luck.

Actress and Pretty Little Liars star Janel Parrish and partner Val Chmerkovskiy were the other bottom-two couple still in danger of elimination prior to Bethany and Derek's ouster based on the judges' scores and America's votes from last week.

Monday night's Dancing with the Stars broadcast featured the four remaining couples each performing an old dance selected for them to improve upon by show judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Julianne Hough and Bruno Tonioli in addition to the fan-favorite freestyle.

First place on the judges' leaderboard went to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Alfonso Ribeiro and partner Witney Carson with a perfect total score of 80 points.

Alfonso and Witney first reprised their jive from Week 1 and earned 40 out of 40 possible points. The pair then followed it up with their freestyle, which featured many styles of dance -- including tap -- and received another 40 out of 40 possible points.

Duck Dynasty star Sadie Robertson and partner Mark Ballas finished in second place on the leaderboard with 78 total points.

After receiving 38 points for the new and improved samba from the week America had served as a guest judge, Sadie and Mark danced a video game-inspired freestyle. Sadie and Mark dressed as Mario and Princess Peach, and their animated routine earned a perfect score of 40 points from the judges.

Third place on the judges' leaderboard went to Janel and Val with 77 total points.

Janel and Val first did an encore performance of their samba from Week 6 and earned 37 points for it. The couple later took the stage with an intimate, contemporary freestyle routine -- choreographed to reflect their connection with one another -- which received a perfect score of 40 points from the judges.

Bethany and Derek landed in fourth -- and last -- place on the leaderboard with 76 total points. The pair reprised their jive from Week 1, racking in 36 points, and then followed it up with a freestyle representing Bethany's "revolution." Bethany and Derek earned 40 additional points for the freestyle. 

The three finalists will dance one last time for extra judges' points during the second part of the nineteenth-season finale Tuesday night. The Dancing with the Stars' judging panel agreed this finals competition is the tightest it's ever been.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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