Danielle Fishel put all of her trust in pro Pasha Pashkov keeping her in one piece while executing lifts on Dancing With the Stars season 34.
When asked whether she was “nervous” while in the air, Danielle, 44, exclusively told Us Weekly that she’s “never” nervous with Pasha, 39 — though her partner had a bit of doubt.
“There was a moment,” he interjected.
“Well, sure, when you almost dropped me on my nose during dress rehearsal,” Danielle replied after the Tuesday, October 21, episode, as Pasha confirmed the fall was “this close” to happening.
Danielle Fishel Saw a Surgeon Before Performing Through Injury on ‘DWTS’
Danielle explained she waited until the floor was inches from her face before putting her hand out to cushion her face — something Pasha asked her to not repeat during the live show.
“I was like, ‘I got you, no matter what happens during the live performance,’” Pasha said. “I was like, ‘Do not touch the floor. I got you. Worst case scenario, I’m paying for a nose job.’”
For Danielle, that was all she “needed to know.”
“The only reason I didn’t want to smack the floor is because I didn’t want the expense of a nose job,” Danielle quipped. “[But] once he took that off the table …”
Danielle Fishel Opens Up About ‘DWTS’ Training After Breast Cancer Battle
Danielle and Pasha wowed judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli with their Argentine tango to Cynthia Erivo’s “No Good Deed” in celebration of Wicked night — ultimately earning their first 9s of the season.
“I’m so happy,” Danielle gushed. “All I wanted a couple of weeks ago was just like an eight, and then last week we got an eight. And I never thought that we would jump eights to get to a nine, but we did. And I just, I mean, that shock on my face up there was real. I’m so happy.”
For Danielle, Pasha is the one keeping her motivated to earn her spot in the ballroom week after week.
“He works so hard, it never stops,” she said. “He gets in the car, he starts listening to the music for the next week. He has a morning off because we have an afternoon rehearsal, he’s back in the studio choreographing for the next week. He then shows up, he’s extremely focused, he’s very present. He never lets me be like, ‘I’m not sure I can do this.’ He’s like, ‘No, no, OK, enough. Let’s go.’ And he just keeps challenging me.”
Danielle Fishel Opens Up About ‘DWTS’ Training After Breast Cancer Battle
She continued, “If he’s willing to work this hard, I have to be willing to work that hard, plus, because I’m coming from such a deficit for what he knows. So I just give it all to him.”
Sometimes giving it all includes getting some bruises along the way. Danielle noted that there’s a new injury “every day,” with her hip having a “gnarly bruise” right now.
“I bruise like a peach,” she explained. “Literally, for the first two days of learning this routine, I kept saying, ‘I’m just a sack of potatoes because I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing.’ And he’s literally just swinging me around.”
She continued, “Every day there’s something new. Sometimes it’s like a shoulder, sometimes it’s a neck, sometimes it’s a hip, and sometimes it’s a hamstring. I did not realize how much I underestimated what dancers put their bodies through. And I’m like, ‘All right, if they can do it, I guess I can do it too.’”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
Prove your DWTS fandom with Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv! Compete against other fans and Us editors in the Bracketology DWTS fantasy league this season to predict which pairs will make it to the finale for season 34. Get access to exclusive content, stats and a chance to win prizes. Join the league for free today!
