A DWTS contestant was forced to skip the show’s Halloween performance episode after she was hospitalized with an injury.
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While at the hospital, Elaine Hendrix revealed she suffered a rib injury during her Halloween rehearsal just hours before she and her dance partner, Alan Bersten, were set to perform.
The duo was set to perform an Argentine Tango to 2WEI and Bri Bryant’s “Bad to the Bone.” However, during a rehearsal confessional, Hendrix admitted she was “feeling bad to the bone.”
As the rehearsal continued, the Parent Trap star stated, “I’m making sure that I’m not doing anything really damaging to myself.”
Despite Bersten offering to change the choreography, Hendrix wanted to keep trying. That was when things took a turn.
“Elaine and I were dancing, and all of a sudden, Elaine kind of froze and said she can’t move and she can’t breathe,” Bersten recalled. “And something happened with her rib.”
The rehearsal clip showed Hendrix telling her dance partner and the DWTS that she felt her muscle was “twisted” under her ribs.
“She’s in so much pain that I don’t know if we’re gonna dance tonight,” Bersten continued. “It’s just a lot of unknowns right now. I just hope this isn’t the end of Elaine’s dream to dance again.”
The DWTS Had to Judge the Duo Based on a Video of Their Last Full Rehearsal
Meanwhile, DWTS host Alfonso Ribeiro revealed doctors cleared Hendrix to dance again despite the injury. However, to stay on the show, Hendrix could not be eliminated. DWTS aired the contestant and her partner’s last full rehearsal.
After the clip aired, the judges critiqued the dance as Bersten stood alone on stage.
“It’s really hard, because we have to judge that,” judge Derek Hough said. “But I know Elaine, tonight, she would have gone up 10 years. She is a born performer. With that said, even in that rehearsal, still so, so impressive. Unfortunately, we have to judge that particular video. But still, we love you, Elaine.”
Guest judge and former DWTS pro, Cheryl Burke, started her critique by declaring she’s a huge fan of Hendrix.
“I feel like in previous weeks you guys have been underrated a little bit. Your partnership is beautiful to watch,” she said. “As far as moving forward, which I’m happy to hear that she can, it’s important to work on the transitions right. That’s even more important than the tricks themselves. But great work.”
Meanwhile, judge Bruno Tonioli praised Bersten’s choreography and said the dance added a “layer of sultriness and passion.”
Judge Carrie Ann Inaba shared she was “heartbroken” to hear Hendrix was unable to perform. “After last week’s success, that momentum just would have taken her to another level,” she added.
Hendrix admitted in an Instagram post that she was devastated to miss the competition. “With your support, I’ll be back in the ballroom next week. I want nothing more,” she noted.