Daniella Karagach's Husband Pasha Pashkov Served as an Extraordinary Mentor to Jason Mraz on 'Dancing With the Stars' (Exclusive)
Jason Mraz credits not only Daniella Karagach but also her husband Pasha Pashkov for his impressive second-place finish on 'Dancing With the Stars' season 32
Jason Mraz credited partner Daniella Karagach and her husband, Pasha Pashkov, for helping him secure the first runner-up position in season 32 of Dancing With the Stars. After the DWTS finale aired on ABC and Disney+ on Tuesday, December 5, Mraz, 46, exclusively told We that Pashkov had been a mentor to him. Reflecting on his experience as the last male celebrity, Mraz expressed gratitude for the support and guidance he received from his fellow male competitors, who became his friends and mentors. Mraz praised Pashkov for his guidance, sharing that he even joked about doing his best "Pasha Pashkov impersonation" before their Foxtrot performance.
Pashkov, 36, and his partner Ariana Madix came in third place. Karagach, 30, expressed her pride, stating, "He deserves it more than anyone, so I’m really proud of him."
Mraz also shared her excitement about working on the Foxtrot with Karagach, as it was outside of her specialty in Latin and Ballroom dancing.
"We were both novices at it, and that felt so unique to tackle that challenge together," he shared with Us of their final dance.
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Mraz's performance as Pashkov earned a flawless score of 30, but it wasn't sufficient to secure first place. Xochitl Gomez and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy claimed the Len Goodman Mirrorball trophy. "No need to apologize," Mraz commented on being the runner-up. "We may not have won, but we showed up and gave it our all. We were in it until the very end, and that's a victory in itself."
He continued, telling Us, “In my opinion, everyone who had the opportunity to dance in the finale tonight is a winner, as we have reached the limit of the competition. We are all going home tonight. I am incredibly proud of everyone and cherish the family we have formed here. In fact, I joked with some of the other celebrities that we may have spoiled the show because none of us were overly competitive. We were always supportive and cheering each other on.”
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The singer of "I Won't Give Up" couldn't contain his excitement about his fantastic experience on the show, telling Us that "dancing really shakes things up - your bones, muscles, fascia - it all comes flowing out."
"Everything you've been holding onto. Dancing is an incredible way not only to express yourself, but to grow," he continued. "Dancing every week is not just physical, but mental and emotional. It really gets to you. And being paired with this pro who taught me everything is something I'm incredibly thankful for."
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Mraz said Karagach will help him ahead of the Dancing With the Stars tour this summer, but for now, he plans to celebrate by going home to his cat and sleeping.
Reporting by Hannah Kahn
