Danielle Fishel‘s Boy Meets World-themed jive had some Dancing With the Stars fans in tears at home — but judge Carrie Ann Inaba wasn’t totally swayed by the nostalgia.
In one of the most anticipated Dedication Night performances, Fishel, 44, and partner Pasha Pashkov were joined on stage by her former costar William Daniels (a.k.a. Mr. Feeny). Fishel and Pashkov, 39, brought viewers back to the ’90s with big smiles as they danced to the sitcom’s iconic theme song.
While guest judge Kym Johnson-Herjavec praised Fishel’s “effortless” movement, Inaba, 57, claimed the pair’s dances are starting to all look the same. As expected, Inaba’s comments were met with boos throughout the ballroom — but Fishel is taking the critique in stride.
“I absolutely understand what Carrie Ann was saying, and it’s the reason I did not take any offense to it,” she exclusively told Us Weekly after the taping on Tuesday, October 14. “I appreciate it.”
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Fishel looked back at each of her and Pashkov’s routines since season 34 began in September. “If you think about the dances that we have done, a tango would normally be a more serious dance, but it was our first week. I was thrilled to be here,” she teased. “I had a big smile on my face through a tango, when maybe you wouldn’t normally do that. Then I had a cha-cha with a big smile on my face. Then we had a quickstep and I had a big smile on my face.”
Daniels’ involvement on Tuesday made that smile appear once again. “She’s not wrong,” Fishel said of the criticism. (Her jive earned 29 points out of a possible 40.)
With all of the remaining couples returning for Wicked Night on October 21, Fishel and Pashkov are ready to change things up.
“I’m really excited to give [Carrie Ann] a different style and to show her a different side of me,” Fishel told Us. “So I’m thankful for the feedback and I appreciate it.”
Fishel starred on Boy Meets World from 1993 to 2000. In footage from rehearsal shown on Tuesday, she admitted it was “intimidating” to step on set for the first time when she was 12. Daniels, however, was an encouraging presence.
“[He] treated me like I all deserved all the respect in the world as a fellow actor,” Fishel recalled.
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Unlike some of the other competitors’ special guests, Daniels stayed seated during his DWTS cameo. Fishel told Us that it didn’t matter how he was incorporated into the dance as long as he got his moment to shine.
“I really looked at this dedication dance as being a way for me to channel the love and respect that hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of people feel for Bill and just to give him this kind of a platform,” she explained. “And I feel like whether he lifted his hand or did a twirl, it didn’t matter. I think he felt the love.”
Daniels wasn’t the only Boy Meets World alum in the ballroom. Several of Fishel’s other costars, including Will Friedle, were on hand to show their support.
“It was very emotional,” Fishel told Us about what was going through her mind during her performance. “[But] I was counting. … I’d love to say I have room in my head when dancing to think about other things, but it just counts.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
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