Johannesburg - Liesl Laurie and her partner Ryan Hammond elegantly waltzed their way into the Top 11 on Dancing with the Stars South Africa on Sunday – despite Liesl suffering an injury!
Liesl injured herself practising the choreography for her Sunday night performance. She was in so much pain, the medical team whisked her off for X-rays.
It was an emotional moment when a doctor confirmed that one of her ribs was cracked.
But the 27-year-old star was so determined to continue dancing that Ryan adjusted their dance moves so she could perform despite her injury.
And their new dance was a massive success! Liesl looked breathtaking in a classical outfit as she glided elegantly on the dancefloor – and you’d never have guessed she was actually dancing through the pain.
The four judges, Bryan Watson, Debbie Turner, Tebogo Kgobokoe and Jason Gilikson, were full of praise after Liesl and Ryan’s stellar performance.
"The first rule to becoming a dancer is that the show must always go on," Bryan told her. Debbie wholeheartedly agreed.
At the end of the night, Liesl and Ryan got the ninth spot and are now part of the Top 11 remaining couples on the show. “This was a tough one...” the former Miss SA wrote afterwards on Instagram.
“Changes, cracked rib and many, many tears but we made it. Can safely add #DWTSSA Top 11 to my CV," she added happily.
Liesl's supporters flooded her post with comments, praising the brunette beauty and her Idols judge beau, ProVerb was also by her side.
Dancing with the Stars airs Sunday at 17:00 on M-Net (DStv channel 101).