‘DWTS’: Maura Higgins Chips Mark Ballas’ Tooth During Rehearsal

Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) Season 35 contestant Maura Higgins and her dance partner, Mark Ballas, had an accident during rehearsal, but reportedly, Mark took it well and didn’t make a huge fuss. Read on for more details.

An Elbow To The Mouth

Maura Higgins revealed that she accidentally chipped Ballas’ tooth when she elbowed him in the mouth during practice.

People broke the news in an exclusive, noting that Ballas “reassured fans that the chipped tooth wasn’t a big deal, joking his teeth weren’t great to begin with.”

Entertainment Weekly also reported on the incident, writing that Maura Higgins “broke Mark Ballas’ tooth in ‘DWTS’ rehearsals” while they were working on their routine.

How Did They Perform After The Accident?

The Things pointed out that Maura and Mark had a strong start to the season. They topped the Week 1 leaderboard with 21 out of 30 for their foxtrot.

However, their dance didn’t go perfectly this week and they fell to a score of 19 out of 30 for their cha-cha to “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire. The judges gave them a 6, 6, and 7.

Although the score dropped a bit, they managed to stay safe. With three couples hitting 21 points, the competition got tighter.

What The Judges Said

Derek Hough gave them a 6. He called the performance “elegant” but mentioned she was “a little too back-weighted” and “stiff on the bottom half.” He added that her hips were “in the wrong position” during part of the dance.

Carrie Ann Inaba gave her a 6 as well. She told Higgins to “not put too much pressure on yourself.” Inaba said she could tell Higgins was “focused on technique.”

That matched Higgins’ account of becoming frustrated during rehearsals while struggling to nail the spin.

Bruno Tonioli gave a 7. He kept his feedback brief and said, “Bravo, you!”

Behind The Scenes

Higgins hasn’t posted specifically about the broken tooth on her Instagram account yet.

Neither has Mark Ballas, but he did post a behind-the-scenes video showing them talking about her nerves.

He wrote a short caption for the clip, saying, “It’s only a cha cha.”

Fans Respond

In the comments section Dancing with the Stars fans showed a lot of support for the former The Traitors contestants. One of them wrote, “My favorites! You both killed it. Love this duo!”

Here are a few more responses from the discussion:

• “you killed it maura!! love this duo!!”
• “Even with the nerves, she’s so captivating to watch. Keep it up Maura!”
• “Go Maura! I love to see you getting more confident in the dance room! Keep it up! You are shining!”
• “Y’all killed it!!!! Maura is a fabulous performer!!! She’s meant to be on stage!!!!”
• “Maura breaking America is one of the best things to happen this year. She’s gonna take over entertainment.”

Getting hit in the mouth and continuing to dance is certainly one way to show dedication, and Mark Ballas certainly proved he’s a professional.

What do you think about Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas on this season of Dancing with the Stars? Join the discussion in the comments, and check back here for more reality TV news and updates.