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

(1989-11-24) 24 November 1989 (age 34)
OccupationDancer
EmployerABC
TelevisionDancing with the Stars

Life and career edit

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 edit

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 Motsepe 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.

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

With Lolo Jones edit

  • 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 edit

  • 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 edit

  • 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 edit

  • 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 edit

  • 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 edit

  • 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 edit

  • 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 edit

  • 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 edit

  • 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 edit

  1. ^ "Keoikantse Motsepe". burnthefloor.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  2. ^ "Jodie Sweetin 1st Cast Reveal DWTS Season 22 - GMA". Youtube. March 2, 2016.
  3. ^ Williams, Joe (May 10, 2016). "Dancing With The Stars features first same-sex dance routine". PinkNews. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ "Dancing with the Stars".
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Dancing with the Stars (US) quarter-finalists
Season 22 (Spring 2016 with Jodie Sweetin)
Succeeded by
Preceded by 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