Danielle Fishel, beloved for her role as Topanga Lawrence on “Boy Meets World,” has been captivating audiences on Season 34 of “Dancing with the Stars.”
In Week 3, she and her partner, Pasha Pashkov, delivered a graceful Foxtrot to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” during “TikTok Night.” Their performance was a testament to Danielle’s resilience and passion for dance.
Rewind: An Injury in Week 2
As the competition intensified back in Week 2, Danielle faced a significant setback: a torn hamstring tendon. Despite medical advice to rest, she chose to continue dancing, determined to pursue the iconic Mirrorball Trophy.
“I had a meeting with a surgeon, and I don’t need surgery, so it’s just a matter of rehabbing it and taking care of it,” she told People, noting that her pro-partner (Pashkov) is planning to “choreograph around that right leg for a week” allowing for the injury to get “a little bit of a rest.”
“I’ll be fine,” Danielle continued. “I was only going to leave here because of an injury if they brought me out on a stretcher.” Talk about commitment. Her dedication paid off when she and Pasha scored 19/30 for their Cha Cha, advancing to this week’s round.
A Community Rallying Behind Danielle Fishel
Danielle’s journey has garnered support from fans and fellow contestants alike. After revealing her injury, she shared a video on Instagram showcasing the bruising on her leg, accompanied by a lighthearted lip-sync to Destiny’s Child’s “Cater 2 U.”
“I promise my leg feels better than it looks 😂 @dancingwiththestars” she captioned the post, which received an outpouring of love, encouragement, and hilarious comments.
One comment simply exclaimed, “OMG,” while another person couldn’t get over her style: “Hair is still amaze 😍.” Many sent messages of support for her injury. “Sending all the love to that knee!!!! 😍😍😍” and “that looks bad,” were commented. And one person even related to it saying, “This reminds me of when I tore my ACL 😭.” And of course, admiration and excitement shone through. “Gonna build a time machine to rescue Topanga! 🙏” and “You got my vote!!!!” were also posted.
Judges’ Comments and Scores
It seems Danielle Fishel’s Foxtrot didn’t just wow the audience; it impressed the judges, too.
“You’re just so pleasant and refreshing. There’s a simplicity and a greatness when you dance that’s so appealing,” Derek Hough said, giving her one note. “When you use your arms… use it from your ribcage and extend the tension of your ribcage so your whole body moves.” He awarded a 7/10.
“I love a good student. That was lovely,” Bruno Tonioli remarked. “The TikTok did not take away to the style of the dance. It was incorporated beautifully.” He continued the trend with a 7/10.
“I thought that was really beautiful. You’re very uplifting and I think the world needs that right now. We need to be uplifted.” Carrie Ann Inaba said. “You could work a little bit on the body contact… just a hair there that I think would help you in the long run.” She also gave a 7/10.
They got pretty good feedback and a Week 3 score of 21/30, placing her firmly near the middle of the group overall.
And the results are in…
Danielle Fishel has made it through Week 3 and will return to the “Dancing with the Stars” ballroom for “Disney Night” in honor of the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration, next Tuesday (October 7, 2025) at 8:00pm ET on ABC (and Disney+).
As Danielle continues her dance journey, her performances serve as a testament to her resilience and passion for dance. We’re all eagerly anticipating her next routine, confident that she will continue to inspire with each step.
