Dancing With the Stars’ Pasha Pashkov Defends Judges Against Scoring Criticism

“I so appreciate the direct feedback,” the Boy Meets World alum said. “Last week, Carrie Ann saying that our dances look the same, we walked out of here and we said, ‘All right, next week, we will give her what she asked for.’”

And indeed, the pair’s Argentine tango during the special Wicked-themed episode on Oct. 21 was a notable departure from their previous, more upbeat styles.

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

“We had a strategy from the beginning of the season,” he said. “When we're planning our weeks, we wanted to keep dances like this for this part of the season. However, I said, ‘Hopefully the strategy works, because first we need to get make it that far. But if we do, then we have something up our sleeves.’”

And while the 39-year-old teased the pair have “a few more exciting styles coming up,” he held back the specifics, adding coyly, “Can’t reveal too many things.”

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

“It gets hard and you start to second guess yourself,” the 44-year-old said. “And you let critiques go to your head, and maybe you read too many comments. It's nice to be reminded of what we're really doing and how hard this is and that we're accomplishing it.”

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.