DWTS’ Pasha Pashkov Defends Judges Against Scoring Criticism

Pasha Pashkov isn’t trying to make a song and dance.

As a longtime fan of Dancing With the Stars, I was really intrigued when Carrie Ann Inaba brought up a point about Pasha and Danielle’s dances starting to feel a little repetitive. It definitely got people talking! But then, Pasha himself stepped in to defend the judges, and I thought that was a really classy move. It’s always interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes and how everyone feels about the scoring.

He admitted he might not be completely objective as a competitor, speaking to TopMob News after the October 21st episode. He believes judging is the most difficult part of the show, explaining that offering casual opinions online is very different from making a public decision with millions watching and potentially facing criticism for it.

That’s why he believes Carrie Ann, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli have the most difficult role, and he understands they’re simply doing their best.

As for Danielle, she’s glad the judges aren’t ones to mince words.

“I really value the honest feedback,” the former Boy Meets World star said. “When Carrie Ann pointed out that our dances were looking too similar last week, we left and immediately agreed to focus on giving her something different the following week.”

Their Argentine tango on the *Wickedthemed episode of October 21st was a significant change from their usual, more energetic performances.

But as Pasha revealed, it was all part of the plan.

We went into the season with a plan. We intentionally scheduled performances like this for later in the season during our weekly planning. I was hoping that plan would pay off, but first we needed to qualify. If we did, we’d have some special routines ready to go.

The 39-year-old hinted that he and his partner have more interesting looks planned, but he didn’t share any details, playfully saying he didn’t want to give everything away.

In the meantime, Danielle is leaning on her new dancing community during the lows of the process.

It becomes challenging, and you start to doubt your own decisions. Criticism can get to you, especially if you pay too much attention to what people say online. It’s good to be reminded of the real purpose behind our work, how difficult it is, and that we’re actually succeeding despite those challenges.

She added, “Whenever it’s over, it’s over, but in the meantime, you are doing it.”

For more on this season’s celebrities vying for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, read on.