Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas discovered just how physical “Dancing With the Stars” rehearsals can become when one difficult move ended with Ballas suffering a chipped tooth just days before their Week 2 performance.
The accident happened while Higgins was struggling to master a spin for their cha-cha. She explained that spinning had gone smoothly during their premiere-week foxtrot, but this particular move became a major frustration during rehearsals.
The pair apparently spent hours trying to perfect that single turn. As Higgins became increasingly frustrated with herself, one attempt went badly wrong when her elbow came up and accidentally struck Ballas directly in the mouth.
The impact was hard enough that Higgins said even her elbow hurt. Ballas immediately realized his tooth had taken the worst of it, and Higgins noticed his eyes watering after the collision.
Higgins was horrified by what she had done and immediately apologized. Ballas, however, didn’t appear interested in making his partner feel worse about an accident that happened during an intense rehearsal.
Instead, the three-time Mirrorball champion responded with humor. He reassured Higgins that he was fine and joked that he still had plenty of other teeth. He also reminded her that taking the occasional elbow to the face wasn’t exactly new territory for him.
Higgins later revealed the mishap on live television after she and Ballas finished their Week 2 routine. While talking with Julianne Hough, she admitted that rehearsals had been particularly difficult before casually dropping the surprising news that she had chipped her partner’s tooth.
She even joked that perhaps boxing could be her next career move. Ballas again laughed off the injury instead of treating it as a serious problem, keeping the unexpectedly painful story lighthearted.
Their teasing continued after the show. When Higgins talked about how sore she was from rehearsals, she reminded Ballas that his face was probably hurting too because of the accidental hit. She then jokingly accused him of being dramatic about his damaged tooth.
Despite everything that happened in rehearsal, the accident didn’t prevent them from performing. Higgins and Ballas took the ballroom floor for a cha-cha to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” during Viral Hits Night.
Their routine earned 19 out of 30, with Carrie Ann Inaba and Derek Hough each giving them a 6 while Bruno Tonioli awarded a 7. It followed their stronger opening-week foxtrot as Higgins continued adjusting to the demands of ballroom competition.
For Higgins, the rehearsal mishap showed just how difficult learning these routines can become behind the scenes. But Ballas’ reaction may have been the most memorable part: after taking an elbow hard enough to chip his tooth, the veteran pro brushed it off, made Higgins laugh and went straight back to preparing her for the ballroom.
