Pod Meets World: Dancing with... Pasha Pashkov!

Host: Danielle Fishel
Guest: Pasha Pashkov
Released: September 5, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode introduces a special series, “Danielle with the Stars,” where Danielle Fishel (forever Topanga of Boy Meets World) chronicles her journey as a contestant on Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars. Her first guest is her professional dance partner, the renowned Pasha Pashkov. The conversation delves into their initial meeting, Pasha’s perspective as a pro, the unique process and pressure of joining the show, the physical and mental demands of the competition, their approach as a dance team, and fun stories from Pasha’s past experiences on DWTS.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meeting & Fan Nostalgia

• Danielle’s Introduction to Ballroom: Reflects on her lack of recent stage performance since her early Boy Meets World days.
• Pasha’s Research:
  • “My wife went crazy… she’s a huge fan, and she’s like, ‘every boy wanted to be with her. Every girl wanted to be her’…So I literally binged watched several episodes right away. So for me, I knew exactly who you were when you walked into the room.” (02:31)
  • The impact of Boy Meets World and its enduring nostalgia is openly embraced by Danielle:
  • “I feel so lucky that Topanga was the character I got to play. Even if I’m never known for anything else... what a massive blessing.” (03:54)

2. Behind the Scenes at DWTS

• New Season, New Faces:
  • Pasha explains that DWTS is fresh every year for the pros due to new partners and new competition:
    • “Every time, it’s a brand new experience…When we used to compete in ballroom dancing, you were the same partnership…but here, every year, it’s a brand new show for us.” (05:25)
• Song Choice Importance:
  • “Song choices are vital. If it is a song that is hard to dance [to], you just don’t feel like dancing to it.” (07:00)
• The “Secret Identity” Struggle:
  • Both share about the effort to keep their participation a secret amid heavy paparazzi speculation.
    • “In the past few seasons, the show... had a rebirth...Definitively more eyes on us...They see your ring and they know whose ring it is...” (08:10)

3. Physical and Mental Demands

• Early Rehearsal Pains:
  • Danielle details the aches and adjustments of daily rehearsals:
    • “The little fibers at the base of my skull, all the way down to the little tendons in between my toes... hurt.” (11:10)
  • Pasha shares,
    • “Dancing is different because you use these small little muscle groups you don’t really use...It’s a brand new workout.” (10:51)

4. Training Approach & Partner Dynamics

• Learning Choreography:
  • Pasha praises Danielle:
    • “You picked [the choreo] up and learned very fast...That’s a good sign.” (12:09)
• Teaching Philosophy:
  • Pasha’s focus:
    • “The leader is the frame, the follower is the picture. You present her, you make her shine.” (31:19)
  • Danielle’s goal:
    • “I wanted at least a full day for you to just nitpick me.” (12:59)

5. Adapting to Different Partners & Competition

• Handling Different Abilities:
  • On working with celebrities with no dance experience:
    • “When you come in with no dance experience, we can start fresh. There are no bad habits.” (19:18)
    • But some basics (rhythm, balance, coordination) are crucial.
• Dance Experience Debate:
  • Pasha weighs in:
    • “Everybody comes in already not really even, because everybody comes in with different skills from different fields...We have to remember at the end of the day, it’s not just the judges, it’s the audience who votes.” (21:35)

6. Show Memories and Notable Routines

• Favorite Moments:
  • On the “Tiger King” routine:
    • “That thing, Tiger King, was so huge...I would not change a thing.” (17:45)
  • All-time favorite:
    • “Top one was a foxtrot with Ariana in the semifinal...one of those where everything aligned and it felt good, looked good, and got a good score.” (18:22)

7. Personal Life & Support System

• DWTS Family:
  • Pasha’s connection to the DWTS community:
    • “Mark [Ballas] and I are very close. His mom was mine and Danny’s teacher...the Queen of Latin.” (23:45)
  • On being married to a fellow pro (Daniella):
    • “We choreograph everything together...We just truly support each other unconditionally.” (27:48)
• After Show Rituals:
  • “We eat burgers, pizza, pasta, ice cream. We’re foodies...It’s a reset to go into the next week.” (29:00)

8. Team Goals, Strengths, and Weaknesses

• Mutual Praise:
  • Pasha on Danielle:
    • “You’re in great shape, great flexibility, great balance. Super focused...your eyes are shining, big smile all the time.” (32:39)
  • Weaknesses?
    • “You said that your neck is stiff...every time you get tense, it goes into your shoulders. In dancing, we have to have long neck and good posture.” (33:23)
• Team Focus:
  • Pasha’s philosophy:
    • “Ourselves...the biggest thing is the distraction by the competition. Not keeping your eyes on your own paper are the biggest mistakes we can make.” (25:02)
• Goals for the Season:
  • “I want to create as many memorable dances as possible… and I hope we get to do a freestyle.” (34:29)

9. Lighthearted Moments

• The confusion with similar names backstage, the “beep” moment when Danielle almost spoils their dance style, and Pasha joking about never revealing his own weaknesses:
  • “Oh, a lot of them. But I’m not gonna...open an open book over here...Nah.” (32:09)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “Every boy wanted to be with her. Every girl wanted to be her.” – Pasha (02:31)
• “I feel so lucky that Topanga was the character I got to play. Even if I’m never known for anything else... what a massive blessing.” – Danielle (03:54)
• “This is my seventh season, for example. I got a chance to always redo… but for the celebs, there’s only one chance.” – Pasha (14:00)
• “Song choices are vital. If it is a song that is hard to dance [to], you just don’t feel like dancing to it.” – Pasha (07:00)
• “I want them to look back at it and say, ‘I had the best experience. I had a time of my life, and I will remember this as a positive experience no matter what.’” – Pasha (14:55)
• “When you come in with no dance experience, we can start fresh. There are no bad habits.” – Pasha (19:18)
• “Ourselves. The biggest thing is the distraction by the competition… Not keeping your eyes on your own paper are the biggest mistakes we can do.” – Pasha (25:02)
• “The leader is the frame and the follower is the picture. You present her, you make her shine.” – Pasha (31:19)
• “I want to create as many memorable dances as possible... and I hope we get to do a freestyle.” – Pasha (34:29)

Important Segments (Timestamps)

• Meeting & DWTS Casting: 01:22 – 03:54
• DWTS Partner Prep & Nostalgia: 03:54 – 06:23
• Secrecy & Paparazzi: 07:45 – 09:08
• Physical Toll & Training: 09:37 – 11:10
• First Week Impressions: 11:36 – 12:59
• Partner Challenges & Mindset: 14:00 – 15:16
• Notable Past Routines: 17:17 – 18:53
• Dance Experience Debate: 19:06 – 23:30
• Strategic Rivals: 24:28 – 25:02
• Married DWTS Pros: 27:43 – 28:47
• After Live Shows: 29:00 – 30:36
• Team Strengths & Weaknesses: 32:24 – 33:48
• Goals for the Season: 34:26 – 34:48

Summary

This episode is a lively, candid conversation between Danielle and Pasha as they kick off their journey together on Dancing with the Stars. The duo discusses everything from fan nostalgia to insider challenges, the strategy behind choreography, and the emotional and physical work behind the scenes. Pasha’s warmth and positive coaching style shine, while Danielle’s curiosity and openness establish a feeling of camaraderie and excitement for the upcoming season. The episode is filled with behind-the-curtain DWTS stories—perfect for fans of both Boy Meets World and Dancing with the Stars, as well as anyone interested in the realities of dance competition television.