‘DWTS’ Pro Pasha Pashkov Calls Carrie Ann Inaba’s Criticism on Dedication Night ‘Unfair’: ‘I Was Not Happy’
Key Takeaways
- Judge Carrie Ann Inaba criticized Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov's jive for lacking dance variety, leading to audience boos.
- Pasha Pashkov felt Inaba's comment was unfair because the two most recent dances (quickstep and jive) were structurally similar.
- Danielle Fishel acknowledged the critique but defended her earlier performances based on the emotional context required for the competition's start.
- Pro dancer Alan Bersten was shocked and angry after receiving a score of 29/40 for Elaine Hendrix's foxtrot, feeling it undervalued her hard work.
- Bersten briefly walked out of the skybox in frustration after the score but reassured Hendrix of her strong performance.
While "Dancing With the Stars" dedication night was generally positive, professional dancers voiced unhappiness with the judges' critiques. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba told Danielle Fishel and Pasha Pashkov that their dances lacked variety, which prompted boos from the audience and left Pashkov feeling the comment was unfair, especially since their recent dances (quickstep and jive) were inherently similar. Fishel understood Inaba's point but explained her initial performances prioritized emotional context, such as smiling after her serious breast cancer-themed tango, and she is looking forward to their upcoming Argentine Tango. Separately, pro dancer Alan Bersten was shocked and visibly upset after he and partner Elaine Hendrix received a score of 29 for their foxtrot, walking out of the skybox in anger before reassuring Hendrix of her performance quality. Bersten respects the judges but felt the low scores didn't reflect Hendrix's intense daily effort.
