Keo Motsepe
Keoikantse Motsepe (born 24 November 1989) is a South African dancer. His dancing styles are Latin and Ballroom.[1] He is known for being the first black professional dancer on the ABC show Dancing with the Stars.
Keo Motsepe | |
|---|---|
| Born | Keoikantse Motsepe 24 November 1989 |
| Occupation | Dancer |
| Employer | ABC |
| Television | Dancing with the Stars |
Life and career
Motsepe started his career at 11 years of age by entering into in a competitive dance scene representing his country. In 2012 Motsepe joined the cast of Burn the Floor. In 2014 it was announced that Motsepe would join the cast of pro dancers on Dancing with the Stars.
Dancing with the Stars
In season 19, Motsepe was paired up with Olympic athlete Lolo Jones. They were eliminated during the first week of competition, finishing in 13th place.
In season 20, Motsepe was paired up with model Charlotte McKinney. They were eliminated in the third week of competition, finishing in 11th place.
For season 21, he paired with Grammy Award-winning singer Chaka Khan. They were the first couple eliminated on the second week of competition, finishing in 13th place.
For season 22, he was partnered with Full House and Fuller House actress Jodie Sweetin.[2] The couple was eliminated in the eighth week of competition, despite being at the top of the leader board that week. They placed 6th overall. In a surprise challenge, judge Bruno Tonioli worked with Sweetin and eventual-winner Nyle DiMarco and their professional partners. During the sequence, the two celebrities swapped partners, seeing DiMarco and Motsepe dance the tango in ballroom hold, with both men shirtless, and Mostsepe lift and twirl DiMarco. This was the first same-sex dancing included in the show's franchise world-wide.[3]
He returned to season 23 but as a troupe member.
For season 24, he returned as a pro dancer and was partnered with actress & comedian Charo. They were eliminated in the third week of competition, finishing in 11th place.
Motsepe returned for season 25 and is paired with Shark Tank panelist, Barbara Corcoran. They were the first couple eliminated on the second week of competition, finishing in 13th place.
For season 26, he was partnered with former Olympic softball pitcher Jennie Finch Daigle. They were eliminated on the third week of competition and finished in 4th place, tying with Chris Mazdzer and Mirai Nagasu and partners Witney Carson and Alan Bersten.
For season 27, he was paired with Harry Potter actress Evanna Lynch. The couple made it to the finals where they finished in 3rd place, marking Motsepe's best so far and also his first time in the finale. [4]
Motsepe appeared in season 28 as a pro dancer, but was not paired with a celebrity. He returned to compete again on season 29 where he is partnered with actress Anne Heche. They were eliminated in the fourth week of competition and finished in 13th place.
Following season 29, Motsepe revealed he was dating contestant Chrishell Stause.
| Season | Partner | Place | Average Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Lolo Jones | 13th | 22.0/40 |
| 20 | Charlotte McKinney | 12th | 23.3/40 |
| 21 | Chaka Khan | 13th | 14.0/30 |
| 22 | Jodie Sweetin | 6th | 24.5/30 |
| 24 | Charo | 11th | 23.3/40 |
| 25 | Barbara Corcoran | 13th | 15.5/30 |
| 26 | Jennie Finch Daigle | 4th | 22.0/30 |
| 27 | Evanna Lynch | 3rd | 26.7/30 |
| 29 | Anne Heche | 13th | 18.0/30 |
Dancing with the Stars performances
With Lolo Jones
- Average: 22.0; placed 13th
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | |||
| Inaba | Goodman | Hough | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Tell Her" | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | Eliminated |
With Charlotte McKinney
- Average: 23.3; placed 11th
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | |||
| Inaba | Goodman | Hough | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Jive / "Shake a Tail Feather" | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "California Gurls" | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | Safe |
| 3 | Rumba / "Empire" | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | Eliminated |
With Chaka Khan
- Average: 14.0; placed 13th
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Hough | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "I Feel for You" | 5 | 4 | 4 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Foxtrot / "Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)" | 5 | 5 | 5 | Eliminated |
With Jodie Sweetin
- Average: 24.5; placed 6th
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Tango / "Confident" | 7 | 6 | 7 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Samba / "Bun Up the Dance" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Foxtrot / "Rise Up" | 8 | 7 | 8 | Last to be called safe |
| 4 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Try Everything" | 7 | 6/71 | 7 | Last to be called safe |
| 52 | Paso Doble / "Under Control" | 9 | 8/93 | 9 | No Elimination |
| 6 | Contemporary / "Try" | 9 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 7 | Quickstep / "For Once in My Life" Team Freestyle / "End of Time", "If I Were a Boy" & "Crazy in Love" |
8 8 |
9 8 |
9 9 |
Safe |
| 8 | Jive / "Something's Got a Hold on Me" Team-up Dance (Argentine Tango) / "Habanera" |
10 10 |
10 10 |
10 94 |
Eliminated |
1 Score given by guest judge Zendaya.
2 For this week only, as part of "America's Switch Up", Sweetin performed with Valentin Chmerkovskiy instead of Motsepe. Motsepe performed with Kim Fields.
3 Score given by guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
4 Due to Tonioli being the judge coaching Sweetin's team during the team-up dance, the viewers scored the dance in his place with the averaged score being counted alongside the remaining judges.
With Charo
- Average: 23.3; placed 11th
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | |||
| Inaba | Goodman | Hough | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Salsa / "Cuban Pete" | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Paso Doble / "España cañí" | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | Last to be called safe |
| 3[5] | Foxtrot / "Chapel of Love" | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Eliminated |
With Barbara Corcoran
- Average: 15.5; placed 13th
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Salsa / "Money Maker" | 5 | 4 | 5 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Tango / "Whatever Lola Wants" | 6 | 5 | 6 | Eliminated |
With Jennie Finch Daigle
- Average: 22.0; placed 4th
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Foxtrot / "All-American Girl" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 2 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Do It Like This" Team Freestyle / "Instant Replay" |
6 9 |
7/71 9/101 |
6 9 |
Safe |
| 3 | Viennese Waltz / "The Rest of Our Life" Cha-Cha-Cha Dance-Off / "Dance" |
7 No |
7/82 Extra |
7 Points |
Eliminated |
1 Score given by guest judge Rashad Jennings.
2 Score given by guest judge David Ross.
With Evanna Lynch
- Average: 26.7; placed 3rd
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Foxtrot / "Do You Believe in Magic" | 7 | 5 | 6 | Safe |
| 2 | Samba / "Can't Touch It" Jive / "Heat Wave" |
8 8 |
8 8 |
8 8 |
Safe |
| 3 | Viennese Waltz / "Hedwig's Theme" | 9 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 4 | Trio Salsa / "Black Magic" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Last to be called safe |
| 5 | Jazz / "When Will My Life Begin?" | 8 | 8 | 8 | No Elimination |
| 6 | Tango / "Disturbia" | 10 | 9 | 10 | Safe |
| 7 | Rumba / "Every Little Thing" Team Freestyle / "9 to 5" |
10 10 |
10 9 |
10 10 |
Last to be called safe |
| 8 Semi-finals |
Contemporary / "Stand Up for Something" Foxtrot / "Rewrite the Stars" |
10 10 |
10 9 |
10 9 |
Safe |
| 9 Finals |
Tango / "Disturbia" Freestyle / "It's Oh So Quiet" |
10 10 |
10 10 |
10 10 |
Third Place |
With Anne Heche
- Average: 18 ; placed 13th
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Hough | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-Cha-Cha / "Don't Start Now" | 6 | 6 | 6 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Foxtrot / "Counting Stars" | 6 | 6 | 6 | Safe |
| 3 | Quickstep / "Zero to Hero" | 5 | 5 | 5 | Bottom 2 |
| 4 | Paso Doble / "Rise" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Eliminated |
References
- "Keoikantse Motsepe". burnthefloor.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
- "Jodie Sweetin 1st Cast Reveal DWTS Season 22 - GMA". Youtube. March 2, 2016.
- Williams, Joe (May 10, 2016). "Dancing With The Stars features first same-sex dance routine". PinkNews. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- Murphy, Desiree (September 12, 2018). "'Dancing With the Stars' Season 27 Cast Revealed -- Meet the Celebs and Their Pro Partners!". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
- http://www.disneyabcpress.com/abc/shows/dancing-with-the-stars/press-releases/
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Tamar Braxton & Valentin Chmerkovskiy |
Dancing with the Stars (US) quarter-finalists Season 22 (Spring 2016 with Jodie Sweetin) |
Succeeded by Marilu Henner & Derek Hough |
| Preceded by Diana Nyad & Henry Byalikov Redfoo & Emma Slater Chris Kattan & Witney Carson |
Dancing with the Stars (US) last place Season 19 (Fall 2014 with Lolo Jones) Season 21 (Fall 2015 with Chaka Khan) Season 25 (Fall 2017 with Barbara Corcoran) |
Succeeded by Redfoo & Emma Slater Geraldo Rivera & Edyta Śliwińska Jamie Anderson & Artem Chigvintsev Johnny Damon & Emma Slater |