A "Dancing With the Stars" Pro Says This Celebrity Was His Worst Partner
Isabella Wilson
Updated on February 22, 2026
South African dancer Keo Motsepe has been a cast member of Dancing With the Stars since 2014, when he became the first Black male pro on the popular competition series. And so far, he's partnered nine celebrities on the dance floor, with varying levels of success. Speaking to Us Weekly recently, Motsepe spilled the tea on all things DWTS, including his most and least favorite pairings. To find out which celebrity partner this DWTS pro says was the worst dancer, read on. And for stars who weren't interested in the Mirrorball Trophy, check out 17 Celebrities Who Turned Down Dancing With the Stars.
Motsepe's "worst" partner is a music legend.
"I don't want to say this," Motsepe began his answer as to who the worst celebrity dancer was, with his heads in his hands. "I'll say Chaka Khan."
"I remember asking her, 'Why do we have to rehearse like at 11:00 p.m.? Like every night!'" the pro said of the singer. "And she goes, 'That's when I started working.' That's when she starts recording her music, and I was like, 'Oh, so you sleep during the day? So, your morning is, like, South African time, pretty much?' And she goes, 'Yes, honey!'"
He went on to explain that he had to change his schedule to meet her needs. And the results weren't great—the two were the first couple to be eliminated in Season 21.
Motsepe also danced with Lolo Jones, Jodie Sweetin, Charo, Barbara Corcoran, Jennie Finch Daigle, and Anne Heche on the show, and two other stars who stand out for the right and wrong reasons. Read on to find out who they were, and for another celebrity the pros weren't impressed with, check out The Worst Dancing With the Stars Contestant Ever, According to the Pros.
The dancer who "surprised" Motsepe the most is a former child star.
On the other hand, Motsepe's highest-ever finish on the show was with Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch in Season 27. The two placed third in the competition, and Motsepe remains impressed with her commitment.
"She came in and I remember she was like, 'I never danced before. I don't know music, I don't know this,' and I was like, 'Why do you want to do the show?'" he recalled. "And she said, 'I want to know how to dance,' and I said, 'Okay.'"
He added, "When I say she achieved that goal, she did."
Motsepe shouted out Lynch for being adaptable and a fast learner. He also said that she worked really hard on her own time, asking him to send her videos of other dancers he wanted her to emulate and then studying them.
The pro additionally named his freestyle with Lynch to "It's Oh So Quiet" as his favorite dance he ever performed on the show.
For more updates on the Harry Potter cast, check out This Is What All the Kids From Harry Potter Look Like Now.
The partner who "hated" practice the most was a model from a viral commercial.
In Season 20, Motsepe partnered with Charlotte McKinney, an actor and model who starred in a massively popular commercial for Carl's Jr. The two finished in 12th place.
"Charlotte, I love you…" the pro said before describing her distaste for training.
"So many celebrities come on the show and they think, 'Oh great, just learn the dance and Monday's show,'" Motsepe explained. "But no. There's so much that goes into the show. It's a huge preparation, huge preparation. So I think she came in like, 'Ah, it's gonna be easy,' and I was like, 'No, it's not. You're going to be facing me every single day, and I'm gonna annoy you, obviously.'"
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His pick for the best celebrity dancer to ever compete is a '90s sitcom star.
Alfonso Ribeiro, who won the competition in Season 19 (Motsepe's first) when he was paired with Witney Carson, says the Fresh Prince star was the best dancer in his time on Dancing With the Stars.
"That man has rhythm," Motsepe said. The pro says he's remained friends with Ribeiro and when Motsepe goes to his house, he will pull out some of his ballroom skills. "I'm like, 'Have you been practicing?'" Motsepe said. "It's just so natural. But he also knew that he had that rhythm on him, but he didn't take it for granted. He just worked so hard."
For contestants you may have forgotten, check out 25 Celebrities You Won't Believe Did Dancing With the Stars.
Motsepe famously dated one celebrity contestant.
After Season 29, Motsepe and celebrity dancer Chrishell Stause of the realty reality show Selling Sunset went public with their relationship. This was after rumors circulated that Stause was actually dating her partner, Gleb Savchenko. But she and Motsepe split early in 2021, with Stause later declaring via Instagram that she was "off men" for the time being, as per People.
For more stars who made it big on reality shows, here are The 30 Most Successful Reality TV Personalities of the Last 30 Years.
Sage Young Sage Young is the Deputy Entertainment Editor at Best Life, expanding and honing our coverage in this vertical by managing a team of industry-obsessed writers.Read moreFiled UnderCelebrities • Entertainment • NewsRead This NextThis Was the Worst "DWTS" Contestant
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