Natalie Jolley was unexpectedly eliminated from 'Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro.' Notably, she has been a ballroom dancer and participated in various competitions.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleDancing with the Stars spin-off, The Next Pro, has received a positive response from the audience. The format is a little different, where 12 dancers undergo training together and participate in an audition process to decide who is going to join the main show.
The reality series recently started trending when one of the contestants, Natalie Jolley, had to leave the show after being injured by Stephani Sosa during a rehearsal. Notably, Stephani became emotional while she recalled her experience in a confessional. Stephani’s unexpected exit has left the audience in shock. Furthermore, viewers have been curious to know more about Sosa.
Natalie Jolley is an international ballroom dancer, instructor, and content creator best known for her success in American Smooth and for competing alongside her partner, Parley Ford. She is an 8-time U.S. National Champion and a World Under-21 Smooth Champion, with titles earned across the United States and internationally.
Jolley began dancing at age 2, training first in ballet and jazz. She came to the United States when she was 5 years old. At the age of 7, she discovered ballroom dance and went on to train in Ballroom, Latin, and Smooth throughout her youth. She started competing as a teenager and steadily built a record in both national and international events.
She and Parley Ford began dancing together in the early 2020s. Their partnership gained visibility on the U.S. amateur circuit in 2021 and 2022. Their first major national recognition as a couple came at the U.S. National Championships in 2022. Natalie is also active on Instagram with more than 24,000 followers.
Natalie Jolley was injured when the contestants were preparing a group number led by guest judge Britt Stewart. During practice, Stephani Sosa swung her arm and accidentally struck Natalie Jolley in the face. Jolley immediately pulled back, covering her face and crying as the other dancers looked on. Stewart went to her and Jolley said she felt lightheaded.
When she lowered her hands, her eye was visibly swollen shut. Another dancer commented that it appeared to be a black eye. Production halted rehearsal and brought in medical staff. Jolley told them the pain was severe and she was struggling to breathe through her nose. An ambulance was called to the set. A crew member was heard telling her to try to breathe slowly while they administered pain relief. Sosa became emotional while recalling the experience and said:
“I just hate being the one that caused that. Like, I just feel horrible. I know she’s worked really hard to be here, and I hope she’s okay.”
The cast returned to rehearsal without Jolley. Stewart surprised them by having them perform the routine for judges Mark and Shirley Ballas on the spot. The performance was uneven. Ballas and Mark singled out Tristen Sanders, 28, and Nina Mayster, 28, as the weakest, but instead of eliminating them, Stewart named both as team captains for the showcase.
While Sanders’ team had Sosa, Selena Hamilton, and Erik Linder, Mayster’s team included Adele Zaikman, Allen Genkin, and AJ Pritchard. The judges then placed Hamilton and Sanders in the bottom two. But when it came time for an elimination, Shirley Ballas revealed neither would be going home. She explained that because Jolley had not been medically cleared to compete following her injury, Jolley was the one eliminated.
Host Robert Irwin asked Sanders about Jolley, and he said it was clearly an accident and he felt bad she couldn’t continue. Zaikman was also heard quietly calling the situation harsh. Jolley then joined the group on stage for a farewell, expressing disappointment with the fact that she could not continue anymore in the competition and thanked everyone.
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