It’s been just a few days since the Dancing with the Stars tour was rocked by a devastating car accident in Iowa, and the professional dancers have already found the strength to get back on stage. The Dancing with the Stars: Live! Light Up The Night tour officially resumed on February 4th with a performance at the Coronado Performing Arts Center in Rockford, Illinois. As one attendee told E! News, “They made an announcement at the start that the performance would be a little different, but honestly, you could hardly tell. The dancers were amazing, and the energy was still electric.”
Tragedy Strikes During Iowa Tour Stop
On February 5th, a DWTS spokesperson confirmed that one of the tour buses carrying the cast and crew was involved in a multi-car pileup on an Iowa highway. This tragic accident claimed the life of one driver. Thankfully, none of the Dancing With the Stars family members were seriously injured, though a few sustained minor cuts and bruises. According to the statement, “One of the tour buses transporting the cast and crew of Dancing with the Stars: Live! Light Up The Night was involved in a multi-car accident this afternoon due to bad weather while en route to Ames, IA. All cast and crew members are fine, with some recovering from minor injuries.”
An aerial shot of the DWTS tour bus crash. (Photo Credit: Splash)
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Monday’s Show Canceled Due to Safety Concerns
Following the accident, the DWTS team made the difficult decision to cancel Monday’s performance at Stephens Auditorium in Ames, IA. In a statement, the team emphasized the importance of safety and health for everyone involved. “Given this unforeseen accident, and the fact that the safety and health of our cast and crew is of the utmost importance, tonight’s show at Stephens Auditorium in Ames, IA has been canceled,” the statement read. The cast also extended their heartfelt wishes to everyone involved, saying, “To anyone involved in the accident, the entire cast sends their best wishes for a speedy recovery, and their deepest apologies to all of the fans who have been waiting to see the show tonight.”
Season 25 DWTS champion Jordan Fisher took to Twitter to express his gratitude for the safety of the crew. “Thanking God for the safety of our crew,” he wrote. “Thanks for the prayers and well-wishes.”
Firsthand Accounts From the Cast
Pro dancer Emma Slater also shared her perspective on the incident via Instagram, revealing that she and her DWTS co-star and fiancé, Sasha Farber, were on the bus involved in the crash but were not injured. “We took this picture last night after being involved in the I-80 road accident in Iowa, on our ride out. Thinking of everyone who was involved,” she wrote. “Just wanted to let people who were asking know that we are ok and are so grateful that none of us on the tour bus was hurt. Everyone was checked out and we’re back with our group.”
She went on to express her gratitude and solidarity with those less fortunate. “It’s difficult to feel overly positive when there are so many people less fortunate than us. My heart truly goes out to all who were involved and most definitely to all the service men and women who were on the scene almost immediately helping out everyone trapped in their vehicles,” she added. “And lastly, thank you to our bus driver Billy who undoubtedly saved us yesterday. It’s definitely a day we won’t forget.”
Hours before the accident, Season 25’s third-place finisher, Frankie Muniz, shared a haunting tweet that now seems eerily prescient. He wrote, “Riding on the bus on our way to the show tonight in Ames, IA, looking out the window at the snow-covered ground in this crazy blizzard listening to unreleased songs of a band I was in eight years ago.” Fans were relieved to hear that the Dancing With the Stars cast and crew are safe and sound.
