Dancing with the Stars cut Patti LaBelle and her professional partner Artem Chigvintsev during Monday night's broadcast of the twentieth season on ABC.
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The iconic singer and Artem became the fifth 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.
"I'm honored to be here as long as I've been. I learned so much about me... that I can take direction. I've never done this before in my life and I learned a few steps and I made a great friend in Artem. And the audience, they've been supporting me like crazy. There's nothing else I can say except thank you to the judges. Thank you so much. I'm happy. I'm happy," Patti said following her ouster.
"I had the most incredible six weeks of my life with Patti because she is such a role model for every woman out there and she just inspired me with how much of a professional she is. Whatever she touched turned to gold," Artem added.
Patti and Artem had finished in a tie for seventh place last week with another couple, finishing three points above the pair who had landed in ninth -- and last -- place at the bottom of the leaderboard.
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This week featured a "Spring Break" theme as well as "Team Dances." Both "Team Trouble," which featured actress Rumer Willis as its captain, and "Team Yolo," which was led by Olympian Nastia Liukin, received 39 points out of 40 points from DWTS judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Julianne Hough to add on to each couple's individual score.
Patti and Artem tied for sixth place on the leaderboard with another couple after they received a total of 68 out of 80 points from the judges. Patti and Artem received 29 out of 40 points for their individual quickstep routine and 39 points for their "Team Trouble" dance, which featured each couple playing different high school characters based on stereotypes like the jock and cheerleader.
Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec and partner Kym Johnson were the other couple still in danger of elimination prior to Patti and Artem's ouster, but it was not revealed whether Robert and Kym were actually one of the bottom-two couples based on their judges' scores and America's votes from last week.
Monday night's leaderboard was topped by R5 frontman -- and second cousin of Julianne and Derek Hough -- Riker Lynch and partner Allison Holker with 76 total points. They first danced a samba that earned 37 points in addition to their 39-point worthy "Team Trouble" performance.
Second place on the judges' leaderboard was a tie at 73 total points between the following two couples: Nastia and Derek as well as The Hunger Games star Willow Shields and partner Mark Ballas.
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Nastia and Derek performed an individual tango routine that received 34 points from the judges. Willow and Mark took the stage with a salsa routine that also earned 34 points. Both couples were later members of "Team Yolo," who performed a quirky, upbeat beach-themed routine to the song "Wipeout."
Rumer and partner Val Chmerkovskiy finished in fourth place on the leaderboard with 71 total points. They danced a racy jazz routine worth 32 points and then shined with "Team Trouble."
Fifth place on the judges' leaderboard belonged to The Bachelor star Chris Soules and partner Witney Carson with 70 total points. The judges praised Chris for improving so drastically this week. He and Witney first received 31 points for their Viennese waltz and later joined "Team Yolo."
The couple who tied with Patti and Artem for sixth place on Monday night's leaderboard were U.S. Army veteran Noah Galloway and partner Sharna Burgess. Noah and Sharna also earned 68 total points. They performed an individual rumba routine that received 29 points from the judges and followed it up with the "Team Yolo" dance.
Just like last week, Robert and Kym landed in last place on the leaderboard with 67 total points. Their eighth-place finish was a result of their 28-point worthy jive routine in which Robert was a little off with his timing. Robert and Kym were also members of "Team Yolo."
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Next week, Dancing with the Stars' Tuesday-night results show will return with a dramatic double elimination.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski