Daniella Karagach and Ezra Frech may have been paired together for Dancing With the Stars, but their partnership has grown into something that extends well beyond rehearsals and Tuesday-night performances.
The Paralympic gold medalist has become such a familiar presence around Daniella’s family that her 3-year-old daughter, Nikita, has already developed her own special way of describing him.
According to Daniella, Nikita thinks Ezra is “Superman.”
The adorable nickname came about after Nikita spent time with Ezra and became fascinated by him. Daniella recalled watching the two sitting together on the couch while her daughter gently touched Ezra’s prosthetic leg and decided that there was only one reasonable explanation for him: he must be a superhero.
“She thought he is Superman,” Daniella recalled of the interaction, adding that her daughter has become completely taken with her DWTS partner.
And it apparently wasn’t just a one-time comment.
Daniella explained that Nikita continues to refer to Ezra as being “like Superman,” while Daniella happily agrees with her daughter’s assessment. She also described Nikita and Ezra as essentially becoming little best friends.
The affection appears to go both ways. When the subject came up, Ezra described Nikita as extremely cute, showing just how comfortable he has become around Daniella’s family during their time together on the show.
Ezra has also developed a close relationship with Daniella’s husband and fellow DWTS professional Pasha Pashkov, as well as Pasha’s celebrity partner Amber Glenn.
The 21-year-old said having Pasha and Amber around the studio gives him something resembling teammates and a familiar “home base” amid the pressure of the competition.
That family-like atmosphere has developed while Ezra and Daniella have been establishing themselves as one of Season 35’s most closely watched partnerships. During Yacht Rock Night, they earned 21 out of 30 for their foxtrot, continuing a strong opening stretch in the ballroom.
Daniella has also spoken about how rewarding it has been to watch viewers respond positively to Ezra’s progress. She said seeing people recognize his growth — and even attempt their dances themselves — has been one of the biggest compliments they could receive.
But for Daniella, one of the sweetest signs of how thoroughly Ezra has become part of their DWTS world may have nothing to do with scores or judges.
At home, he already has a much bigger title waiting for him. As far as little Nikita is concerned, her mom isn’t simply dancing with a Paralympic champion — she’s dancing with Superman.
