After coming in at the top of the leaderboard three weeks in a row on Dancing With the Stars Season 35, some viewers at home may be wondering: What is Ezra Frech‘s secret sauce to success? Well, according to him, it’s all about his motivation.
Chatting with DECIDER ahead of Mariah Carey Night, the Paralympic gold medalist explained that on top of going out each week and dancing for himself and his partner, Daniella Karagach, it has everything to do with inspiring anyone and everyone who looks like him in the world. Born with congenital limb difference, the 21-year-old is using his time on the ABC competition show to bring awareness to disability representation and to show people around the world just how much is possible.
“I feel like I’m really connected to my purpose — what I feel I was put on this earth to do — and that’s getting the opportunity to be the disability representation that I think we need as a society. We know the importance of representation and disability is kind of that last frontier. It’s those videos that I see on social media of a little kid with a hand difference jumping up and down and watching me dance, or a little girl in a wheelchair, or someone who recently lost a leg and is watching me dance…. Maybe that motivates them just 5 percent more to get out of bed and go pursue something,” he explains.
Since his debut on the show, videos and social media posts have gone mega viral as they show kids and adults with disabilities watching the Angel City Sports founder take on the tango, foxtrot, and cha-cha, seemingly with ease. And while Frech manages to make it look effortless, that is certainly not the case, as he says it’s a tremendous challenge on his body, but one that is worth it ten-fold to move the needle on the cause that he says is his life’s true purpose.
Frech says, “Regardless of what I feel on a day-to-day basis, I know that I’m dancing for a bigger purpose this season, and that’s the most motivating part of all of it.”
Check out DECIDER’s full interview with Frech below.
DECIDER: Ezra, you are absolutely killing it this season. How are you feeling?
EZRA FRECH: Thank you so much. Yeah, it’s been amazing. It’s been quite surreal the last month or so, but it’s so much fun and I’m enjoying every second of it.
I have to ask: I’ve seen some clips of your interview from Ellen making the rounds on social media. What do you think of those popping back up?
It’s so sweet. It’s funny how so many things, interviews I forgot that I did when I was younger I’m now reminded of, because everyone reposts them. But yeah, the Ellen show was a great experience. I was nine years old, I think. I went back when I about 16 and had the best time. It’s crazy to see the clips. All of the videos people make and all of the edits and it’s surreal.
What do you think you would say to nine-year-old Ezra if you could talk to him?
I almost don’t know if I would say anything. I don’t want to mess with the butterfly effect [laughs]. But I would definitely tell him that he’s on the right path and keep dreaming big. I mean, I definitely would have never anticipated I’d be on Dancing with the Stars and sometimes you never know where life is gonna take you.
You seem like such a positive person; this is a show that challenges you in every way. How do you deal with those moments of doubt and negativity?
That’s a good question. I think it’s the people I’m dancing for. I feel like I’m really connected to my purpose — what I feel I was put on this earth to do — and that’s getting the opportunity to be the disability representation that I think we need as a society. We know the importance of representation and disability is kind of that last frontier. It’s those videos that I see on social media of a little kid with a hand difference jumping up and down and watching me dance, or a little girl in a wheelchair, or someone who recently lost a leg and is watching me dance. Maybe that motivates them just 5 percent more to get out of bed and go pursue something. Regardless of what I feel on a day-to-day basis, I know that I’m dancing for a bigger purpose this season, and that’s the most motivating part of all of it.
Obviously, you’ve had so much support. What does it mean to see, not only from random strangers online, but also all of the people in the ballroom?
It’s crazy. First off, there’s something about the acoustics in there and the way that people are so excited to be there. They’re all just die-hard fans. And so that makes it so loud and so awesome. You never really understand the scale of the show. Of course I know it’s massive and I know it touches culture all over America and it’s such a beautiful show, but when you’re actually in it, I’m not backstage thinking like, “Wow, you six million, 10 million people are gonna see this dance I’m about to do.” Even going out in public has changed. The scale of the show is massive and sometimes you forget when you’re so focused on actually dancing.
Production is such a well-oiled machine, too. What surprised you most about seeing how the sausage is made?
The camera operators are legit professional athletes in their own right […] But literally everyone on the show is the best at what they do and that’s what makes it so successful.
And then you also have Dani on your side; What is it about this partnership that just clicked?
Not that I was stressed, but you never know how you’re gonna interact with somebody. And then this person is primarily responsible for your experience. Like, this is your teacher, your coach, your therapist, your sensei, your whatever, and they become your best friend in many ways. They become one of the closest people to you because you guys spend so much time together. I just couldn’t be happier with the fact that I got someone not only as gifted and talented and successful as a dancer and as a choreographer as Dani, but just as a human being on a human-being level. I feel like we’ve known each other our whole lives. Could it be the fact that we had to face a lot of challenges right away and that maybe bonded us? Yes. Could it the fact sometimes you meet people and you just have a soul connection? Yeah. That’s what it feels like with her. I can’t even imagine this experience with anyone other than her right now.
You touched a lot on the challenges; is there anything about this process that you’ve found surprisingly easy?
Dani’s a really good teacher; her teaching style and my learning style are very similar and so we sort of speak each other’s language, which makes the stuff that she’s saying to me like easy for me to understand […] Her and I are so in sync. We’ll say the same things at the same times, like we’ll pull out inside jokes and say it to each other at the exact time. We’re just in a really good place and when that type of communication is on point, then it makes the learning curve much easier.
Well, you’ve got Mariah Carey Night this week. Be honest, was there any part of you that wanted your song to be “All I Want For Christmas Is You?”
It’s too early. I see all these TikToks of people being like, “Where is ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You,’” I’m like, “Guys, it is the beginning of October.” If someone did that song, everyone would be like, “It’s not even Christmas yet and then no one does it and everyone’s like, “Why isn’t anyone doing it?”
You can’t win, honestly. But what can you tease for this week?
I’m really excited about this night and I’m excited about our song in particular. I love this song, so if I wasn’t going to get “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which, you know, it’s too early for, I am glad I got “Anytime You Need a Friend.” The rumba is a beautiful dance and it is definitely challenging. But I enjoy the adversity of learning how to — mean, just these movements are unique, right? if you’re not a ballroom dancer, you’re never moving your body in this way. The first day of every new dance, I feel like what the actual heck is going on right now? And then the second day I feel a little bit better. And then each time we step in the rehearsal studio, my goal is always, I just want to improve a little bit, a little, and so I’m putting my heart and soul into every single second that we are rehearsing so that by the time show day rolls around, I’m more confident and comfortable. I don’t know what I’m allowed to say, but I love this dance, let’s just say that. I really like this dance. And it’s slower, it’s like our first few weeks were really punchy and powerful, like all out. And this is all out, but in a different way. I think the fans will like it, but you never know.
Jumping ahead, I’ve got to ask you: people are really on board with the idea of a Karagach-Pashkov household throwdown this season. I know you and Amber are close. Have you guys started to have conversations about what it could look like if all four of you are in that finale?
Listen, we’re competing against each other, of course, but that’s my teammate. Amber and Pasha, I love them dearly. It feels like I have a teammate in this, if that makes sense. Like I see Amber and Pasha as an extension of us and an extension our team. I mean, what an amazing opportunity that would be to get to be in the finale with Amber. I have so much respect for her as a person, as an athlete. I feel like we’re kind of in it together, if that makes sense.
And then you have the bromance with Connor [Wood], too. How did that develop?
It was just the first day and we met and we just hit it off. We had a blast and we were just cracking jokes and making each other laugh. And we have a lot of mutual friends, we actually like share a lot of the same team. Connor and I have, over time, just become really close. And he came to my non-profit’s gala, a lot of the cast came to my non-profit’s gala. He was there the whole night, so supportive. He is a quality, quality human being and an amazing guy and so freaking funny. How can you not want to be around someone like Connor?
There are so many weeks ahead; is there one you’re looking forward to most?
Honestly, it’s tough because each week there’s gonna be something that’s really exciting that I’m gonna enjoy. And so if I say, “Oh, I’m really excited for this week,” then it would be disingenuous because there’s something in that other week that I would be really excited about. I’m definitely excited for Super Bowl Night and of course I’m excited for Halloween. All of the themes are so cool and so fun, and get to throw a flavor and a twist on each week, I’m just excited to get to continue to lean in in whatever week it is, whatever dance style we have.
I’ll end here: What would it mean for you to win the Mirrorball Trophy?
Winning the Mirrorball, of course, would be a dream come true and it would mean a lot given everything we’re putting into this, and the fact that I want to just represent the disabled community. It would be special but it’s a long ways away right now. There’s so much that’s out of my control and I just gotta stay present, stay focused on the day-to-day. And the reality is this: if Dani and I leave no stone unturned, we work as hard as possible, we put our hearts and our souls into every dance, every week, regardless of the result, we can walk away happy, I can walk away content. And it’s not like track and field; there’s not a clear winner and a clear loser. With dance, there is so much that’s up for interpretation and you don’t know how fans are gonna react, you don’t how the judges are going to react. You don’t know what’s gonna resonate with people right when you walk off the dance floor. And so controlling the things that we can control, which is our work, our process, the sacrifice, the commitment, and the desire to pour our hearts into something, that’s what we can control, and that’s what I’ll continue to control. And regardless of what happens, I’ll walk away content knowing that Dani and I gave it everything we had.
You can watch Frech on Dancing With the Stars LIVE Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+, and catch episodes the next day on Hulu. To vote for Frech, text “Ezra” to 21523 during the live show.
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