Actress, Melissa Gilbert, was rushed to an Emergency Room due to an injury sustained on the Dancing with the Stars set on Monday, April 9, and is reported to have been dizzy and faint after hitting her head. She later tweeted that her diagnosis was as a ‘mild concussion and whiplash,’ and she looked forward to returning home to rest.

However, it’s doubtful that the effervescent star will be off her feet very long, as her career shows the trademark of a maverick who always perseveres. The forty-seven year old performer has had a long and distinguished career in the entertainment industry, which began as a child actor in the television series, Little House on the Prairie. From 1974 to 1982, she won the hearts of millions of viewers in her role as Laura Ingalls, a launching pad which would lead to other television appearances as a child and teenage star.

As an adult performer, some of her credits include roles in Choices (1986), A Family of Strangers (1993 and the series, Little House: A New Beginning (1982). Gilbert was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild in 2001, and served for a second 2-year term in 2003.

This year, she signed on to the show Dancing with the Stars, and partnered with the dashing Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who’d first performed on the show during its second season. The two seem to be well-suited as partners, both having similar traits of perseverance.

Maksim was born in Odessa, and overcame the difficulties faced from immigration, financial problems and havingn to learn a new language. One of his greatest challenges, however, resulted from a skiing incident in which he broke his leg. Doctors told him he'd never be a dancer, and a performer's career seemed out of the question. However, Maksim's determination to overcome his injury would eventually lead to success in many areas. He began to make his mark as a professional ballroom dancer and would take off from there.

Chmerkovsky currently owns dance studios in New York and New Jersey, one of which is known as Rising Stars Dance Academy. His other locations were established in Ridgefield, N.J, Glen Head, N.Y. and the Soho area of Manhattan.

Gilbert and Chmerkovskiy seem to have found the right chemistry and their dance numbers have often mesmerized the DWTS judges as well as the audiences. They have the moves that make dance competitions exhilarating, just to watch.

Fans will certainly be pleased when Melissa’s back on the dance floor, knowing there are many exciting shows ahead.