Paralympic athlete Ezra Frech is quickly becoming a fan-favorite on “Dancing With the Stars” season 35. He and his partner Daniella Karagach continue impressing the judges and viewers week after week.
But things looked a little shakier in the rehearsal room ahead of week three. As Ezra and Daniella prepare to perform their Foxtrot for “Yacht Rock Night,” they’re vulnerably opening up about the challenges they faced.
Daniella Karagach & Ezra Frech Are Struggling With the Foxtrot
As DWTS season 35 continues, the top 13 couples are preparing for “Yacht Rock Night” on September 29. Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach will perform the Foxtrot to “Just the Two of Us” by Bill Withers and Grover Washington Jr.
While fans eagerly anticipate another exciting routine, the couple admits this Foxtrot has been difficult to nail.
“Ezra Frech & Daniella Karagach talk preparing for their #DWTS week 3 foxtrot and the challenges it presents as a slower dance, 🪩” the official ExtraTV Instagram account shared this morning, giving the competitors a chance to discuss the process.
“We have a Foxtrot [this] week and it’s definitely different,” Daniella tells host Derek Hough. “It’s harder because it’s slower so there’s no momentum to carry, you know, the next step. So you always have to control, kind of, each and every single step you take.”
“It’s easier to mask stability when you’re at speed,” Ezra chimed in. “But when it’s slower and each step has to be really controlled, that’s where some of that instability can shine through.”
The athlete added that they’re doing everything in their power to ensure that the motion looks fluid and controlled.
“I’m having to put energy in and then very strategically flex my muscles to control the release of the energy so that I don’t bounce back and forth,” Ezra explained. He added that he’s still learning week after week, even when they get high praise from judges.
The Athlete Explains How Momentum Makes a Difference
Ultimately, Ezra Frech’s prosthetic leg is designed to be bouncy. While speaking to ExtraTV, he added that it’s a matter of looking controlled and not bouncy on a medical device that is designed for just that.
“It’s like riding a bicycle slow,” Derek Hough added, drawing on his experience from coaching Amy Purdy. “When you start going, it feels a lot easier.”
“Momentum can mask instability,” Ezra reiterated. “Without momentum, that’s the challenge.”
“Also he can’t control the knee,” Daniella chimed in. “So what happens in Tango, when you’re doing a fast dance, you can kind of flick out your leg fast and sharp to make it look sharper. Here in Foxtrot, you can’t do that. So you have to almost carry your leg outside. Like, his prosthetic has to almost go outside of his body in order to keep the leg straight.”
After their week two performance on “Viral Night,” Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach quickly became top contenders in the competition. They earned a 21/30 for their Cha-cha-cha to “Low” by Flo Rida, one of the highest scores of the night.
Viewers immediately fell in love with the pair, excited to see what they come up with next.
“Yacht Rock Night” kicks off at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29, on ABC. Keep voting for Ezra and Daniella to keep them moving forward.
