Pod Meets World – Danielle’s Final Dance! (Week 8)

Podcast: Pod Meets World
Date: November 5, 2025
Host: Danielle Fishel (with contributions from her dance partner, Pasha)
Episode Summary by [Your Name]

Episode Overview

In this heartfelt episode, Danielle Fishel reflects on her journey on Dancing with the Stars following her elimination in Week 8. As she recounts her experiences—from early rehearsals to forming close bonds with cast members and her emotional last dance—Danielle offers listeners a candid look behind the scenes. The episode covers the challenges and triumphs of her time on the show, valuable life lessons, her strategy as team captain, overcoming self-doubt, and expressing gratitude to her support system.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Danielle’s Elimination and Emotional State

• Danielle opens up about her feelings after being eliminated from Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), describing a mix of sadness and pride.
• Reflects on the routine changes her participation brought to her daily life and expresses apprehension about the abrupt change post-elimination.

Quote:
"I'm obviously very sad to be leaving the competition. I'm sad to have my day-to-day life so drastically change now... I have literally woken up every single day and looked forward to rehearsal." (03:17)

2. Her Partnership with Pasha

• Describes her "dreamlike partnership" with Pasha, her professional dance partner, highlighting their instant rapport and mutual respect.
• Shares affection for Pasha’s family, especially his wife Dani and their daughter Kiki.

Quote:
"You have no idea what you're in for when... you throw yourself into something so wholeheartedly... It couldn't have gone any better." (05:21–06:18)

3. The Contemporary Dance & Its Meaning

• Explains the theme for her final contemporary dance—societal and internal pressures on women.
• She shares that the dance was inspired by her own experiences and recent cancer diagnosis, emphasizing the importance of living life authentically.

Quote:
"Our story is about the impossible standards placed on women, both from society and from ourselves... The only cure for it is to live life your way, living out your dreams. Because... life is short, and we never know when we're living our last day or dancing our last dance." (07:11)

• Expresses disappointment that her story was not included in the show's introduction package, yet feels no regret about her own performance or efforts.

4. Reflections on Team Dance and Collaboration

• Discusses the challenges of coordinating a group dance with only seven hours of practice.
• Highlights Whitney's leadership in keeping the group in sync and the camaraderie among contestants and pros.

Quote:
"Whitney is the first person to say, I can do this... How can I help? What can I do?" (14:35)

5. Self-Doubt and Body Image

• Danielle candidly addresses the mental and emotional struggles she experienced, particularly during contemporary week.
• Talks about self-criticism, comparison to other dancers, and how stress led to disordered eating patterns.
• Credits supportive cast members like Whitney and Mark Ballas for their encouragement.

Memorable Moment:
Mark Ballas' pep talk during a rehearsal meltdown:
"Mark literally, like, grabbed me by the shoulders... 'Danielle, take a deep breath. Tune out all the noise... You have got this.'" (25:50)

6. Team Captain Strategy – The "Alliance"

• Shares behind-the-scenes strategy with Dylan for team selection, including Excel spreadsheets and gameplay to ensure their dream team.
• Narrates the suspenseful team-pick process and her satisfaction at forming a close-knit team.

Quote:
"We had become really very much best friends on this little ballroom competition show... Dylan put together an Excel spreadsheet with all the different possibilities..." (38:36)

7. On Elimination and Leadership Responsibility

• As team captain, Danielle is relieved that she was the one to go home rather than another team member, reflecting her sense of responsibility and protective leadership style.
• Touches on her philosophy as a director: taking responsibility for mistakes, and giving credit to the team for successes.

Quote:
"If someone from the winning team was going to go home, I'm so happy it was me, 100%... Even as a director, my overall feeling is always that everything that happens on a set is my responsibility." (30:58)

8. Highlights from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night

• Recaps "killer" performances by others, notably Alex and Val’s Paso Doble to "Living on a Prayer," and shares an amusing behind-the-scenes anecdote about Flavor Flav’s scoring mishap.

Quote:
"I was standing up in the skybox, just listening to the song, watching the performances, and I was like, man, this is a banger of a night." (28:16)

9. Thoughts on Scoring

• Expresses confusion and mild frustration with the DWTS scoring process; suggests use of half-points might help reflect nuances in performances.

10. Gratitude and Looking Forward

• Gives thanks to her husband Jensen Karp, Pasha, the DWTS production staff, pros, and fellow contestants.
• Announces her intention to continue the podcast through the remainder of the DWTS season with behind-the-scenes interviews.

Quote:
"It's really been the experience of a lifetime... I'm still going to keep this podcast going until the season ends. I'm still going to bring you some great guests." (44:19)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the dance’s message:
  "We are somehow always too much and never enough at the same time. And the only cure for it is to live life your way, living out your dreams." – Danielle (07:11)

• On partnership:
  "I am so lucky. Just so, so, so lucky that Pasha was my partner. He was truly the best." – Danielle (06:18)

• On leadership:
  "As the director, my overall feeling is always that everything that happens on a set is my responsibility... when anything goes right, I always look for someone to give the credit to." – Danielle (30:58)

• On team building:
  "Dylan put together an Excel spreadsheet with all the different possibilities... by the time we went through the spreadsheet, I had written to him in one text: 'Dream team: Whitney, you, me, Jordan.' And he was like, that's the team." – Danielle (38:36)

• Mark Ballas’ pep talk:
  "Stop. Stop. Don't pay attention to anybody else. Just look at me right now... take a deep breath. Tune out all the noise." – Mark Ballas (paraphrased by Danielle) (25:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Elimination reflections & partnership with Pasha: 03:14–06:49
• The contemporary dance theme & behind the scenes: 07:11–13:00
• Team dance week & Whitney’s leadership: 13:00–15:52
• Struggling with contemporary, self-doubt & Mark Ballas' advice: 22:17–27:57
• Recap of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame night & scoring anecdotes: 28:16–30:58
• Team captain strategy & alliance with Dylan: 37:38–44:17
• Gratitude, future podcast plans, and closing remarks: 44:19–48:41

Episode Tone and Style

Authentic, emotional, candid, and grateful. Danielle shares both the highs and lows, balances humor with vulnerability, and voices sincere appreciation for her DWTS journey.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at Danielle Fishel’s DWTS journey—from her emotional goodbye to the details of dance strategy and teamwork. Besides recounting the technical aspects, Danielle’s openness about the mental and emotional challenges of competition, coupled with her leadership style and gratitude, make for an inspirational listen whether or not you followed the season.