'Dancing with the Stars' ousts Chaka Khan and pro partner Keo Motsepe

Dancing with the Stars eliminated iconic singer Chaka Khan and her professional partner Keo Motsepe during Monday night's broadcast of the series' 21st season on ABC.


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

"I absolutely enjoyed [the show], yes, and I'm so happy to have met everybody," Chaka said of her Dancing with the Stars experience, though, "I feel like I've done [Keo] such a disservice. He is by far one of the best dancers that I've ever seen."

The singer and Keo had finished in twelfth place last week, finishing one point above the pair who had landed in last place at the bottom of the judges' leaderboard.

This week, Chaka and Keo fell into thirteenth -- and last -- place on the leaderboard after they received 15 out of 30 points from DWTS judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Julianne Hough for their foxtrot routine. The episode featured all the celebrities paying a tribute to their hometowns.


Oscar winning actor Gary Busey and partner Anna Trebunskaya were the other couple in jeopardy prior to Chaka and Keo's ouster, but they were not necessarily one of the bottom-two couples based on the judges' scores and America's votes from last week.

Bindi Irwin, the daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, and partner Derek Hough topped the leaderboard in first place on Monday night with 25 points after performing a tango routine.

Second place was a three-way tie amongst the following celebrities: Spy Kids star Alexa PenaVega, Big Time Rush singer Carlos PenaVega, and Tamar Braxton, a singer, talk show host and sister of Toni Braxton and partner Val Chmerkovskiy.

All three pairs earned 24 points from the judges. Alexa and partner Mark Ballas danced the salsa, Carlos and partner Witney Carson performed a foxtrot routine. Tamar and partner Val Chmerkovskiy took the stage with the cha cha.

Fifth place went to train hero Alek Skarlatos and partner Lindsay Arnold. They received 23 points for their jazz routine.


Internet sensation Hayes Grier and partner Emma Slater finished the night in sixth place for their 22 point-worthy foxtrot.

Seventh place, at 21 points, was a tie between Backstreet Boys member and partner Sharna Burgess as well as crooner Andy Grammer and partner Allison Holker. Both pairs performed jive routines.

Two couples also tied for ninth place at 19 points: Celebrity chef Paula Deen and partner Louis van Amstel as well as Don't Be Tardy and The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kim Zolciak and partner Tony Dovolani. Paula and Louis danced the rumba, while Kim and Tony took the stage with a quickstep routine.

Gary and Anna placed eleventh with 18 points after dancing the foxtrot.

Triple Crown-winning jockey Victor Espinoza and partner Karina Smirnoff claimed twelfth place with 17 points from the judges. Victor and Karina performed the jive.


Another Dancing with the Stars performance show airs Tuesday night at 9PM ET/PT on ABC. A second couple will be eliminated from the competition based on scores and votes from last night's episode. 






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski