Melissa Rycroft Braves Neck Injury To Perform On Dancing With The Stars
Oct. 22 2012, Published 12:00 p.m. ET
Melissa Rycroft was back on the dancefloor for Dancing with the Stars: All Stars Monday after suffering a herniated disc in her neck that left her hospitalized Sunday.
Melissa's dance partner Tony Dovolani said her "sneaker kinda got stuck, and her neck cracked" in rehearsals, though the 29-year-old Dallas native said her doctors gave her the go-ahead to get back in the ballroom.
Only four of the eight remaining celebs danced Monday (to accommodate the heavily-watched presidential debate); each had to perform a song that marked a guilty pleasure, while the other four participated in a freestyle team dance.
The Dallas Cowboys cheerleader-turned-ABC reality star was part of a freestyle team led by Derek Hough (and also including celebs Shawn Johnson, Sabrina Bryan and Apolo Anton Ohno) doing a dance set to Carly Rae Jepsen’s summer smash Call Me Maybe.
The group, decked out in cheerleader-football players outfits, received 29.5/30 from judges Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli for the dance. Melissa admitted her neck was "really numb" following the routine.
In the individual dances, Gilles Marini wowed the judges dancing the rumba to Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You. The reason it was his guilty pleasure?
It was playing "the first time I had a great time with ladies," the French hunk revealed.
“That was not a dance, that was master class theater,” Bruno told the actor. “Gripping, thrilling, one of the best performances I’ve seen.”
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Carrie Ann was so excited she shouted, “Let the baby-making begin," and Len called the routine a "blockbuster" presentation. Gilles was the leader of the night with 29.5/30 points.
Elsewhere Monday, Emmitt Smith got 29 for his samba to Copacabana, Kirstie Alley got 25.5 for her quickstep to Mrs. Robinson, and Kelly Monaco got 24.5 for her samba to Want U Back.
As we previously reported, Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars, the show's 15th season overall, is the first to bring back former competitors.
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Dancing with the Stars: All Stars continues Tuesday on ABC at 8/7c.