Daniella Karagach’s Brave Battle on Dancing with the Stars
Daniella Karagach, a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars, revealed that she danced with two fractured heels during the last season of the show. The 31-year-old dancer shared her courageous story exclusively with Us Weekly, discussing the challenges she faced while competing on the popular dance competition series.
Karagach, who welcomed her first child, daughter Nikita, with husband Pasha Pashkov, months before the show’s premiere, faced numerous injuries throughout the season. Despite being injured every two weeks, Karagach was determined to return to the ballroom and dance with her partner, Jason Mraz.
One of the most significant challenges Karagach faced was during the freestyle dance in the finale. She explained that the routine required her to perform a high-energy Lindy hop, which involved landing multiple times on her own without any support. As a result, she developed stress fractures in her heels due to her fragile joints.
Daniella Karagach. Disney/Eric McCandless
Karagach revealed that she received shots from a doctor to alleviate the pain before the live finale. Despite the excruciating pain, she managed to perform the entire show, but later discovered that she had fractured her heels. The injury forced her to take a six-week break from dancing.
Jason Mraz and Daniella Karagach. Disney/Christopher Willard
Karagach’s determination to push through her injuries is a testament to her passion for dance. Now that she has made a full recovery, she and her husband, Pasha Pashkov, are celebrating their 10-year anniversary by seeking thrills at Six Flags amusement park.
“We’re literally going to go to Six Flags and ride some roller-coasters,” Karagach shared, noting that they used to be big amusement park enthusiasts until their daughter arrived. “We had our baby, and now all of a sudden, I have this fear of God forbid something happens to me on this roller-coaster.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi