Former DWTS Pro Says Partner Quit the Show

Heavy/ABC Anna Trebunskaya recalls her season 1 partner quitting the show.

In a new interview, former “Dancing With the Stars” pro Anna Trebunskaya recalled the season where her celeb partner quit the show.

While chatting with Cheryl Burke on the February 26, 2024, episode of the “Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans” podcast, Trebunskaya shared some details about Thomas Calabro dropping out of the competition — before the season even started.

“I was a fierce competitor. Like, competitions was my life,” Trebunskaya said of her decision to give “Dancing With the Stars” a shot. She moved to Los Angeles with her then-partner, Jonathan Roberts, who was also hired to be a pro on the show.

When Burke asked Trebunskaya what happened on season 1, the ballroom pro explained to the best of her ability.

“That’s a good question. It was the first season. Nobody knew what was going on, you know. They didn’t know how it was going to be. So, I honestly don’t know why he quit. He didn’t tell me and I haven’t spoken to him since. Ever,” she said.

Here’s what you need to know:

Anna Trebunskaya Thinks That Thomas Calabro Was ‘Nervous’

When taking her best guess about why Calabro left the show before the premiere, Trebunskaya said he was “nervous.”

“I think he felt like it was going to be making fun of him,” Trebunskaya said.

Trebunskaya was brought on for season 2, paired with NFLer Jerry Rice. The two made it to the finals, finishing the competition in second place. It was actually Burke and her partner Drew Lachey that won the Mirrorball Trophy that year.

Trebunskaya didn’t compete on seasons 3 or 4, but returned for season 5. She had a few more seasons under her belt, though she never won a Mirrorball Trophy. She came close again on season 10 with Olympic figure skater, Evan Lysacek. The two finished behind champs Derek Hough and Nicole Scherzinger.

She competed alongside model Albert Reed, actor Steve Guttenberg, UFC fighter, Chuck Liddell, quarterback Kurt Warner, boxer Sugar Rae Leonard, TV personality Carson Kressley, and actors Jack Wagner and Gary Busey.

Trebunskaya also competed on the All-Stars season, paired with Lachey. The two finished in 11th place.

Thomas Calabro Thinks He Would Have Won ‘Dancing With the Stars’

Calabro may have missed his chance to compete on the show, but he previously admitted that he’d be open to giving it a shot. Moreover, he actually thinks he would do quite well in the competition.

“I was actually set to be on the first season [of] Dancing with the Stars,” he told People magazine in 2012.

“And then through a little contractual snafu, I had to back out. I would have won. I love dancing so much that when they first approached me, I was like, ‘Free dancing lessons? Oh, come on!’ I was a crazy disco man [in the past],” he added.

Of course, if Calabro ever did join an upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars,” he wouldn’t be paired with Trebunskaya, since she’s no longer a part of the show.

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