The world of professional ballroom dance often comes with injuries. Sadly, one accident during rehearsals sent a dancer home on “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro.” Now, Stephani Sosa is sharing her side of the story after she unintentionally struck Natalie Jolley in the face.
Stephani Sosa Reflects on the Unfortunate Incident on ‘The Next Pro’
During Monday night’s episode, Britt Stewart taught “The Next Pro” contestants a group routine. During rehearsals, Stephani Sosa accidentally caught Natalie Jolley across the eye. Unfortunately, it led to a black eye and concussion, meaning Natalie was medically unable to continue.
Stephani Sosa recently sat down with Nick Viall to share her side of the story.
“Stephani breaks her silence after accidentally giving a fellow DWTS: The Next Pro contestant a concussion during rehearsal,” Nick Viall captioned the Instagram clip.
“Honestly, I was just crying to her and I was just telling her how sorry I was,” Stephani remembered about the incident. “I felt so bad. Like, I know how hard she’s worked to be there. We’ve all worked really hard. It broke my heart and I’m sending her so much love.”
Nick Viall wondered if the women were still friends and Stephani confirmed they were.
“We actually worked together before the show, so she’s like a little sis,” the dancer shared.
In the comments, many fans rushed to Stephani’s defense. Most viewers recognized the onscreen incident was nothing more than an unfortunate accident.
“For the ones that have never danced… this is SO NORMAL!! The worst is when you get kicked in the face full force lol😭😭🫠🫠 but as my dance teacher would say ‘the girl in front of you doesn’t have eyes in the back of her head,'” one viewer wrote in the comments.
“@stephychica is the 👏 best 👏! 🔥🔥🙌🙌 Of course she handled the situation with care and professionalism,” another added.
“So poised and beautiful 🫶” another DWTS fan wrote.
Natalie Jolley Updates Fans on Social Media
Though Natalie Jolley certainly wasn’t ready to go home, she handled her elimination with grace. After Monday night’s episode, she updated fans on Instagram.
“First, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the love and support I’ve been receiving. It means the absolute world to me, 😭❤️” Natalie wrote.
“Being part of @dancingwiththestars The Next Pro has been one of the biggest honors of my life, and although my time on the show ended unexpectedly, I’m walking away with so much gratitude for this opportunity,” she continued. “Sadly, during rehearsals, I suffered a black eye and a concussion in an accident. I did everything in my power to stay in the competition, but the medical team determined that my injuries would prevent me from continuing.”
Natalie went on to share how “The Next Pro” helped her build confidence and create strong relationships in the ballroom world. This is not where her dance journey ends.
“I truly believe everything happens for a reason, even when it’s hard to understand in the moment,” she concluded the post. “I’m choosing to trust the process, keep moving forward, and believe that what’s meant for me will always find me. I know this is only the beginning as I continue to learn, grow, and come back even stronger!!”
“Dancing With the Stars” season 35 begins at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 15. There will be a second episode the following night on Wednesday, September 16.
