Dancer Claims ‘catastrophic Injuries’ From Andrea Bocelli Concert Cost Him A Spot On Dancing With The Stars Spinoff

A backup dancer touring pinch iconic Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli says he suffered “catastrophic injuries” during a capacity past twelvemonth that derailed his career, including a mislaid opportunity to look connected a spinoff of Dancing pinch nan Stars, owed to unsafe – but wholly preventable – conditions onstage, according to a national suit reviewed by The Independent.

In his complaint, Uros Markovic accuses Gelb Productions, Bocelli’s North American promoter, of providing an “excessively bouncy and unstable” shape surface, arsenic good arsenic a disorienting ray show that affected his spatial consciousness and balance.

Markovic claims he notified producers of nan issues, and was assured it would beryllium fixed earlier nan adjacent show.

However, Markovic’s title contends, thing was ever done to correct nan problematic conditions, and amid an October 11, 2025, show earlier 20,000 people, he “slipped and sustained catastrophic injuries to his correct hamstring.”

“The autumn occurred astatine nan conclusion of a four-minute creation number that [Markovic] had performed successfully countless times passim his decades-long master profession without incident,” nan title states. “Video footage of nan incident intelligibly shows [Markovic’s] correct ft losing traction against nan shape level and sliding through, causing him to onshore successful an uncontrolled divided position.”

Following room to mend nan devastating rupture, Markovic developed an infection, requiring 2 further operations that necessitated a 17-day infirmary enactment and six weeks of antibiotic treatment, according to nan complaint.

Before his fall, Markovic had been booked to participate successful a caller spinoff of nan wildly successful reality show, Dancing pinch nan Stars.

“This opportunity represented a perchance career-transforming arena that would person provided important net and nationalist media exposure, perchance elevating [Markovic’s] profession to an wholly caller level,” nan title goes on.

Markovic, who had besides been featured successful a nationalist advertisement run for Chevrolet, was forced to diminution galore callbacks for different commercials for “major… brands including Levi’s,” according to nan complaint, which says nan wounded has “permanently affected” nan 38-year-old’s wellness and career.

An lawyer representing Gelb Productions did not respond to requests for comment.

A Serbian autochthonal now surviving successful Los Angeles, Markovic is “an established ballroom and Latin dancer” who has “practiced his occupation pinch diligence and integrity,” his complaint opens.

In July 2025, Markovic signed a statement pinch Gelb Productions to creation for Bocelli successful 3 concerts that October: nan Kia Center successful Orlando, Florida, nan Gas South Arena successful Duluth, Georgia, and nan First Horizon Coliseum successful Greensboro, North Carolina, according to nan complaint, which was first revenge successful California authorities tribunal earlier being removed to Los Angeles national tribunal connected Monday.

He would beryllium paid $1,000 per show, positive $80 per diem, coach-class hose flights, and edifice accommodations, nan title states.

After a successful Orlando performance, Bocelli's world squad asked Markovic to enactment pinch nan circuit for 3 further shows successful Brazil and Argentina scheduled for November 2025.

Markovic “accepted this offer, demonstrating nan precocious respect successful which his master abilities were held and nan important profession opportunity these performances represented,” nan title continues.

Prior to each performance, nan dancers first rehearsed astatine each venue, nan title says. When they began believe astatine nan Gas South Arena successful Duluth, Markovic and his creation partner “observed that nan shape level was not decently sealed and felt excessively bouncy and unstable,” frankincense creating a “dangerous and unsafe capacity environment,” according to nan complaint.

It says Markovic “immediately brought these hazardous conditions to nan attraction of… accumulation personnel. [Gelb] acknowledged nan problem and assured [Markovic] that nan rumor would beryllium corrected earlier nan performance.”

In summation to nan allegedly inadequate shape conditions, Markovic claims Gelb grounded to supply due rehearsal lighting.

“Stage lighting during… rehearsals was not accordant pinch nan lighting utilized during existent performances,” nan title states. “Stage lights create aggravated power and visually disorienting effects that importantly impact a performer's spatial consciousness and balance. The nonaccomplishment to rehearse nether capacity lighting conditions deprived [Markovic] of nan opportunity to decently acclimate to nan ocular situation he would look during nan existent show, substantially expanding nan consequence of injury.”

At nan extremity of a number during nan October 11, 2025, show successful Duluth, Markovic slipped and recovered himself successful excruciating pain, incapable to carnivore immoderate weight connected his correct leg, according to nan complaint. It says an onsite EMT wished Markovic had not surgery immoderate bones, and diagnosed nan wounded arsenic a sprain, aft which Markovic “was required to committee nan circuit autobus and recreation to nan adjacent capacity location successful North Carolina.”

The adjacent morning, Markovic – incapable to locomotion – was checked retired by a doctor, who besides dismissed nan wounded arsenic a sprain, nan title alleges. But Markovic was successful nary style to dance, and returned to Los Angeles. He ne'er heard from Gelb Productions again, according to nan complaint.

Once backmost home, successful terrible symptom and worried for his master future, Markovic saw his superior attraction physician, who ordered an urgent MRI exam, nan title states. The MRI, it says, “revealed catastrophic findings: a complete hamstring tear pinch a 4-centimeter retraction of nan musculus from nan ischial tuberosity (the information of nan pelvic bony to which nan hamstring muscles attach). This represented a full rupture of each 3 proximal hamstring tendons.”

An orthopedist told Markovic that room was nan only measurement to repair nan damage, and that he would beryllium incapable to activity for up to a afloat year, according to nan complaint. He had nan cognition a fewer days later, was fitted pinch a knee immobilizer, and began twice-weekly beingness therapy sessions to thief his recovery.

However, Markovic’s recuperation was thwarted by a post-surgical infection astatine nan operative site, necessitating a brace of further surgeries, nan title states.

He subsequently missed retired connected nan South American performances pinch Bocelli, which nan title describes arsenic “a awesome world engagement that would person provided important compensation, world exposure, and profession advancement,” could not activity arsenic an actor, model, aliases creation instructor, and had to backmost retired of his confirmed engagement connected a Dancing pinch nan Stars spinoff nan title does not name, but appears to person been Dancing pinch nan Stars: The Next Pro.

“As of nan day of this filing, [Markovic] continues to retrieve and remains incapable to work,” according to nan complaint.

“While he has historically maintained an highly health-conscious and physically progressive lifestyle, he now experiences important trouble performing basal activities of regular living, including utilizing restroom facilities, bathing, market shopping, and repast preparation,” it says.

The business has caused Markovic “not only terrible beingness symptom and disablement but besides aggravated affectional distress, anxiety, depression, and nonaccomplishment of enjoyment of life,” according to nan complaint.

Markovic is now suing Gelb Productions for negligence, breach of oral contract, and premises liability. He is seeking wide damages and typical damages for, among different things, past and early aesculapian expenses, past and early mislaid income, nonaccomplishment of earning capacity, beingness pain, intelligence suffering, affectional distress, nonaccomplishment of enjoyment of life, and harm to his master profession and reputation, positive attorneys’ fees and tribunal costs.

Gelb Productions has not yet revenge a general consequence to Markovic’s allegations.