'Dancing With the Stars' Eliminates...

By PopEater / Wire Services Posted Oct 21st 2009 06:43AM

This week, the 'Dancing With The Stars' couples danced to the dark and sexy paso doble. But who barely missed the mark and got eliminated? Find out, after the jump!

Spoiler Alert!

Natalie Coughlin won't be going for the gold on 'Dancing with the Stars.' Read her exit interview on AOL TV.

The Olympic swimmer and her professional partner, Alec Mazo, were eliminated Tuesday from ABC's popular dancing competition. The pair received a total score of 22 out of 30 from the show's judges for their paso doble Monday. After viewer votes were combined with the judges' scores, the 27-year-old Olympic gold medalist was eliminated from the show.

"I guess I didn't show it, how much I loved it," said Coughlin, "but I really did, and I'm sorry."

Before Coughlin's dismissal, the show's 16 professional dancers honored the late Michael Jackson with a performance fusing classic ballroom and Latin styles set to "I Want You Back," "Man In The Mirror" and "Thriller." Jackson family members including Katherine, La Toya and Jermaine Jackson watched the tribute from the front row in the ballroom.

"He's just an inspiration to all of us," said professional dancer Mark Ballas.

The nine remaining celebrity contestants competing for the "Dancing with the Stars" mirrorball trophy are entertainer Donny Osmond, actress Melissa Joan Hart, model Joanna Krupa, professional snowboarder Louie Vito, former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin, singers Mya and Aaron Carter and TV personalities Mark Dacascos and Kelly Osbourne.

2009 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.