Paralympian Ezra Frech and pro partner Daniella Karagach nailed their “blade stand” during Dancing With the Stars’ Dedication Night episode, but it took some time to get it right.
“I mean, it took some practice, and even there are still moments where we’d be in the air and be like, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa,’” Frech, 21, exclusively told Us after the Tuesday, October 20, episode. “One time when she was standing on [my prosthetic leg], I didn’t have it put on properly, and it was starting to come off as I was in the air.”
He continued, “I was like, ‘Wait, get off. Wait, get off. Wait, get off. Get off, get off, get off.’ Because when she stands on my prosthetic, she’s having to put a lot of force back into it in order to stay in that position as we lean forward. I didn’t put it on properly, and I was like, ‘Wait, it’s coming off! Wait, don’t hurt yourself. Step off real quick.’”
Frech dedicated his contemporary dance to his mom, Bahar Soomekh, who joined him and Karagach, 33, on stage for their performance to “Bloodline” by Mon Rovia.
“Can I say, I loved when they did that move,” Soomekh told Us of Karagach balancing on Frech’s prosthetic in the routine. “She was on top of him like an angel. She looked like she was floating over him. I mean, how epic was that?”
Frech added, “Yeah, I can do the stand, but if the person standing on it doesn’t look beautiful like her, then there’s no impact there.”
The number ultimately received a combined score of 37 out of 40 — and the first perfect 10 of the season — from judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli and guest judge Kym Johnson. Frech and Karagach, along with the rest of the remaining season 35 cast, were ultimately safe from elimination.
“The confidence and the security in myself and in the fact that I’m different, it comes from her,” Frech, who was born without most of his left leg and hand, reflected to Us of his mom. “So to get to share a moment like that with her on a stage that now becoming more and more comfortable with — I’m falling in love with the ballroom, I’m falling in love with this process — so to share a little bit of that with my mom, the reason that I’m even in this position is is very special. That was a lot of fun. We’re gonna remember that for the rest of our lives, getting to share a moment together on Dancing With the Stars.”
Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
