Italian television star and model Elisabetta Canalis made major entertainment headlines when she was eliminated from Dancing With the Stars during season 13 of the hit ABC competition series. Already well known across Europe for her television career and internationally recognized for her past relationship with George Clooney, Canalis entered the ballroom hoping to show American audiences a different side of her personality. However, despite improving performances and growing fan support, her journey on the show ended much earlier than many expected.
At the time, Elisabetta Canalis was trying to establish herself more strongly in the United States entertainment industry. She had already built a successful career in Italy as a presenter, actress, and model, with major television appearances including Striscia la Notizia, Festivalbar, and hosting roles on MTV Italia. In 2011, she also co-hosted the prestigious Sanremo Music Festival, which further strengthened her celebrity status in Europe. Her appearance on Dancing With the Stars was seen as a major step toward introducing herself to American prime-time television viewers.
She joined season 13 of Dancing With the Stars partnered with professional dancer Valentin Chmerkovskiy, commonly known as Val Chmerkovskiy. Their pairing immediately attracted attention because of Canalis’ elegance, strong visual presence, and international fame. Still, ballroom dancing proved more difficult than expected. In her first week, she performed a cha-cha to Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night” and received a score of just 15 out of 30 from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, and Bruno Tonioli. It was one of the lower scores of the night, placing her near the bottom of the leaderboard.
Even though her debut was not strong, she survived the first elimination round while former NBA player Metta World Peace became the first contestant sent home. This gave Canalis another chance to prove herself, and many viewers believed she could recover. During rehearsals, she openly admitted that dancing was not easy for her and showed visible frustration with her own progress. That honesty actually helped her connect with audiences, who appreciated that she was pushing herself outside her comfort zone.
In week two, Canalis returned with a much stronger quickstep performance. The judges noticed clear improvement and awarded her and Chmerkovskiy a total score of 21 points, a major jump from the previous week. Judge Len Goodman commented that while it was not perfect, it was definitely better than her first performance. The improvement gave fans hope that she would continue deeper into the competition, especially since she was no longer at the very bottom of the scoreboard.
However, Dancing With the Stars depends not only on judges’ scores but also on public votes. When the audience vote was combined with the judges’ panel, Canalis found herself in danger alongside actor David Arquette. Despite being tied competitively with stronger performances than some expected, she was announced as the celebrity leaving the show on September 27, 2011. She became the second contestant eliminated from season 13. ABC News reported that even though her quickstep had earned praise, the viewer vote ultimately pushed her out of the competition.
After the elimination announcement, Canalis handled the moment with grace and positivity. She thanked the audience and described the experience as a gift, saying it had been a great opportunity for her. Rather than showing disappointment publicly, she smiled and expressed gratitude toward the show, the team, and the fans who supported her. Her calm reaction earned praise from viewers who felt she handled the early exit with maturity and class.
Soon after leaving the ballroom, she appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with Val Chmerkovskiy, where she reflected on the elimination. She joked that one reason she may have been sent home was because she forgot to vote for herself enough times, explaining humorously that her phone battery had died while she was at a restaurant. She laughed and admitted, “It’s my fault,” turning the disappointing result into a lighthearted moment that made her even more relatable to viewers.
During that same period, Canalis was also dealing with media attention surrounding her recent breakup from George Clooney. Many introductions and interviews focused heavily on her being Clooney’s ex-girlfriend rather than her own career accomplishments. She admitted she did not particularly like being introduced through that relationship and wanted American audiences to know her for her own work and personality. This added another layer of pressure to her Dancing With the Stars experience, as she was trying to establish an identity beyond celebrity gossip headlines.
Even though her run on the show was short, her appearance helped boost her profile in the U.S. entertainment world. She later appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, continued modeling work, and remained active in both American and Italian media. Her Dancing With the Stars stint became one part of a much larger international career that included acting, hosting, and fashion campaigns. According to biographical records, she officially placed 11th in the competition, with her highest score being the quickstep that earned 21 points.
For many fans, Elisabetta Canalis’ elimination felt earlier than expected because she had clearly shown improvement and potential. But Dancing With the Stars has always been unpredictable, especially when audience voting becomes the deciding factor. Her exit proved that even strong celebrity visibility and better performances do not always guarantee survival in the ballroom.
Years later, the moment remains one of the memorable early eliminations in the show’s history. It highlighted both the challenge of adapting to live competition and the difficulty international celebrities often face when trying to connect with a new audience. For Elisabetta Canalis, the experience may have been brief, but it added another important chapter to a career already filled with reinvention, resilience, and global attention.
While she did not take home the mirrorball trophy, she left with something equally valuable—greater visibility, stronger public respect, and proof that she was willing to step far outside her comfort zone. Sometimes, even a short stay on Dancing With the Stars can leave a lasting impression, and for Elisabetta Canalis, that is exactly what happened.
