Bryan Recounts Dangerous 'DWTS' Rehearsal Mishap

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Sabrina Bryan may have registered the night's highest score on Dancing with the Stars Monday night, but the actress was nearly unable to participate in this week's show after a close encounter with serious injury during a dress rehearsal.

"I have extremely short legs so I didn't know if I could get up the stairs," Bryan recounted of the pre-show mishap. "When we did the fall, I barely got up, then we lost our balance...One step hit my hip; the second step hit my ribs; and then the third step hit my arm."


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Although she experienced some swelling in her arm, Bryan revealed that she could have been much more seriously injured if her dancing partner Louis Van Amstel had not tried to protect her during the fall. At first unaware of the severity of her injury, she immediately feared the worst.

"It's the All-Stars season. I know we're not wanting to go home yet, so everything flashes in your head, like, 'I broke my arm! It's in pieces!...The judges don't even get to score this dance! It's already over for us!' Everything flies through your head, but [Louis] was so calm."


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Despite the frightening rehearsal accident, Bryan revealed that she felt calmer and much more prepared for this week's dance after shaking off the Week 1 jitters. That preparation led Bryan to top Gilles Marini by half a point for the week's highest score (26 out of 30).

"Last week was all jitters and so much commotion and just excitement. This week I felt so calm," the Cheetah Girls actress said. "I felt good; I felt confident, and I just knew we had it. I knew we were going to do a good job."


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While Bryan basked in her high marks from the judges, Bristol Palin was on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum after receiving the night's lowest score. The Season 11 alum wasn't thrilled about the gloomy scores, but realized that there isn't too much she can do about it.

"I think the judges' scores are just going to be what they're going to be. There's no real arguing with them," said Palin, the eldest daughter of politician Sarah Palin. "I...belong in the bottom of the leader board no matter who's in the competition, but it is what it is and I had a blast."


Dancing with the Stars
continues tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC.