Maura Higgins revealed that a rehearsal mishap left her Dancing With the Stars partner Mark Ballas with a chipped tooth just days before their Week 2 performance. The accident happened while the pair were working through a difficult dance move that Higgins was struggling to master.
Higgins explained that she had successfully performed a spin during the previous week’s foxtrot but struggled to repeat the move while preparing for Week 2. The pair reportedly spent hours practicing the spin, with Higgins becoming increasingly frustrated with herself.
During one attempt, the rehearsal suddenly took an unexpected turn when Higgins accidentally swung her elbow directly into Ballas’ mouth. The impact injured Ballas’ tooth, while Higgins jokingly pointed out that the collision had also hurt her elbow.
The exchange between the two dancers quickly became the funniest part of the story. Higgins recalled worrying about Ballas after seeing his eyes watering, but the professional dancer immediately tried to reassure her that he was fine.
Ballas’ response made the situation even more entertaining. When Higgins reacted to the accident, he joked that he had more teeth and insisted that everything was okay. His lighthearted response helped ease Higgins’ concerns after the unexpected collision.
Higgins later praised her partner for how calmly he handled the injury. She described him as tough and said she was relieved that he did not allow the accident to derail their preparations for the next performance.
Ballas also joked that taking an elbow to the face was nothing new for him. His humorous attitude showed the kind of trust that had developed between the pair as they continued learning increasingly complicated choreography together.
Despite the mishap, Higgins and Ballas still took the ballroom floor for Week 2. They performed a cha-cha to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” and earned 19 out of 30 points from the judges, giving them the second-highest score of the night.
Their performance demonstrated that the rehearsal accident had not stopped the pair from delivering a strong routine. Higgins had already exceeded expectations during the Season 35 premiere, when she and Ballas earned 21 out of 30 for their foxtrot to “Black Velvet.”
For Higgins and Ballas, the chipped-tooth story has become an unexpected behind-the-scenes memory from their Season 35 journey. What began as a frustrating attempt to master a spin ended with an injury, a few jokes and another successful performance, with Ballas’ “I got more teeth” reaction giving the unusual rehearsal story its most memorable punchline.
Compiled with information from various sources.
