Why Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov Are Stepping Back from the Dwts Tour
Touring with a live arena production is an entirely different beast than performing on broadcast television. While the ABC dance competition films weekly inside a controlled studio lot in Hollywood, the accompanying winter tour pushes performers through dozens of stops over two grueling months. Dancers travel overnight by sleeper bus, navigate freezing venues, and run physical sets that demand up to eight live shows every seven days.
Karagach explained across social updates and entertainment outlets that the physical grind was not the primary catalyst, her daughter was. Their daughter, Nikita, was born in May 2023. While infant travel was manageable during earlier runs, traveling with an active toddler on a moving tour bus fundamentally altered their daily routine. Long soundchecks, chaotic backstage dressing rooms, and irregular sleep patterns forced the couple to reevaluate their immediate calendar.
By electing to take a tour hiatus, Karagach and Pashkov join a growing list of seasoned DWTS pro dancers who draw a firm boundary between the televised tournament and its promotional offshoots. The road production generates significant box-office revenue, but the daily human toll falls directly on the performers.
