Following the premiere of the latest season of “Dancing With the Stars,” it has emerged that several dancers were hurt during rehearsals. The grueling reality dance competition is known for putting its celebrity contestants through their paces. Yet, few people would have expected several participants to have incidents so early in the process.
During rehearsals for the 35th season of the hit series, several professional dancers and celebrities clashed. This included Maura Higgins and her partner Mark Ballas as well as Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess. In both cases, the couples collided with each other during training, banging their heads together.
Fortunately, it seems like there was no lasting damage or injuries, meaning that the training for the first episode could continue.
Two ‘DWTS’ Couples Suffer Almost Identical Accidents
The incidents were revealed during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Smith Sisters Live.” “Me and Mark banged heads today,” Higgins explained, before joking that she wasn’t to blame. “To be honest, it was Mark’s fault.”
Burgess was then quick to interject and say that the same thing had happened to her. “We did too,” she said. “We banged heads today as well. Yeah, smacked each other straight in the head. You’re not alone.”
The discussion then turned to the fact that Ballas had apparently dropped Higgins several times during training. This prompted Burgess to confirm that she had suffered a similar fate with Cameron. Higgins even suggested that Ballas was deliberately dropping her, saying, “I swear he’s doing it on purpose.”
The pair are already familiar with each, having spent time together on the most recent season of “The Traitors.” Higgins even surprised Ballas during their first rehearsals, with her work ethic impressing her dance partner.
The accidents demonstrate just how physically demanding “Dancing With the Stars” is and how hard the couples train.
Ciara Miller Says She’s ‘Never Been So Sore’
Meanwhile, “Summer House” star Ciara Miller is also discovering how punishing ballroom training can be. In the same interview, she admitted that the relentless physical effort has left her in constant pain.
“I’ve never been so sore in my life,” Miller said. She also revealed that by the time she turned up for the fourth training session, she was already at a stage where she didn’t want to see her dance partner Brandon Armstrong. “I said, ‘I’m sick of seeing you,’” joked Miller. “I was like, ‘oh my God, I’m tired already.’”
Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis has also suffered a more visible injury, revealing earlier this month that she’d “busted” her toe while rehearsing with Alan Bersten.
Who Was Eliminated in the First Week of ‘Dancing With the Stars?’
The first episode of the latest season of “Dancing With the Stars” aired on Tuesday, September 15. It saw group dances and every couple took part in their initial dance. Unfortunately, it also featured the first elimination of the season, with one figure making a surprise exit.
Conor Leavitt, the wife of last year’s contestant Whitney Leavitt, was the first to leave the show. That means he failed to reach the heights of Whitney, who came sixth in the competition in the previous season.
Whitney subsequently posted a message to her husband, praising him for his performance and effort.
“Conner, I am so proud of you 🤍 I hope you never let this ending take away from what you just did. You stepped so far outside of your comfort zone, worked your [expletive] off, put yourself out there, and went for it. People can have their opinions, but I know you. They’ve only seen a fraction of what you’re capable of. And I can’t wait for them to find out!” Whitney shared.
