Kathy Ireland Feels Like a 'Big Winner' After 'Dancing With the Stars' Appearance

Sept. 30, 2009— -- Kathy Ireland, the third contestant to be voted off "Dancing With the Stars," said despite the early send-off she still feels "like a big winner.

"It's been such a blessing, the entire experience," Ireland told Chris Cuomo today on "Good Morning America." "I'm surprised that I was able to get on the dance floor in the first place. It was a miracle."

The former supermodel credited her dance partner Tony Dovolani for teaching her "grace and elegance."

"Tony is a genius, the Fred Astaire of our generation," she said.

She also expressed gratitude to her supporters, including legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor, who posted on Twitter that she didn't believe the judges had been fair to Ireland.

Ireland has pledged to give her earnings from the show to various charities.

"That was one of the exciting things about participating … being able to support [charities]," she said. "Nonprofits are having a tough time."

Dovolani said that generosity was just one of the things he would miss about working with Ireland.

"I am so impressed by her, by the way she works, by the way she approaches everything in life," he said. "I kind of looked forward to going to work every day."

Ireland and Dovolani danced the quickstep to the song "Shall We Dance?" Monday night. The answer to that question from judges and viewers was "no," but Ireland was poised and gracious as she learned her fate.

"There is so much to take away from this experience, I wouldn't change a moment of it," Ireland said on the show. "The fact that I got to learn how to dance from world champion Tony Dovolani, it's been so much fun, the entire experience."

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