Ezra Frech has spent the past few weeks turning Dancing With the Stars into a platform for disability representation. After topping the leaderboard three weeks in a row on Season 35, the Paralympic gold medalist is using his time on the ABC competition show to inspire people who share his experience.
Frech, 21, was born with congenital limb difference. He founded Angel City Sports, and he competes in adaptive sports himself. On the show, he has taken on the tango, foxtrot, and cha-cha, and videos of his performances have gone viral, showing kids and adults with disabilities watching him dance.
The attention has followed him off the floor. Frech spoke with DECIDER ahead of Mariah Carey Night about the response, his motivation, and why he believes representation matters.
Frech’s Motivation for Dancing
Frech says his secret to success is simple: he knows why he is doing it. “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,” he told DECIDER.
He dances for himself and his partner, Daniella Karagach, but he also dances for anyone who looks like him in the world. The videos that have gone viral show that message reaching people directly. Frech sees children with hand differences jumping up and down, girls in wheelchairs, and people who have recently lost a leg. He believes his performance might motivate them just 5 percent more to get out of bed and pursue something.
“Maybe that motivates them just 5 percent more to get out of bed and go pursue something,” he said.
The Viral Clips From Ellen
Frech has noticed that old interviews keep resurfacing online. He mentioned a clip from Ellen, where he appeared as a child. “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,” he said.
He described the experience of seeing those clips again. “All of the videos people make and all of the edits and it’s surreal,” he said.
Talking to Nine-Year-Old Ezra
DECIDER asked Frech what he would say to nine-year-old Ezra if he could talk to him. Frech responded with a laugh about the butterfly effect. “I almost don’t know if I would say anything,” he said. “But I would definitely tell him that he’s on the right path and keep dreaming big.”
He added that he never anticipated he would be on Dancing With the Stars. “Sometimes you never know where life is gonna take you,” he said.
Dealing With Doubt
The show challenges Frech in every way. He says the moments of doubt are eased by the people he is 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,” he said.
Frech acknowledges that the dancing looks effortless on screen, but he knows it is not. “It’s a tremendous challenge on my body, but one that is worth it ten-fold to move the needle on the cause that I say is my life’s true purpose,” he said.
The Ballroom Crowd
Frech has felt the support from audiences in person. “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,” he said.
He admits the scale of the show is hard to grasp until you are in it. “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,’” he said. “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.”
Seeing How the Show Runs
Frech has learned how the production operates behind the scenes. He noted that the camera operators are professionals in their own right. “The camera operators are legit professional athletes in their own right,” he said.
He praised the quality of the team. “Literally everyone on the show is the best at what they do and that’s what makes it so successful,” he said.
The Daniella Karagach Partnership
Frech credits much of his success to his partnership with Daniella Karagach. He said the connection came quickly. “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,” he said.
Karagach serves multiple roles for Frech. “Like, this is your teacher, your coach, your therapist, your sensei, your whatever, and they become your best friend in many ways,” he said.
Frech feels lucky with the pairing. “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,” he said. “I feel like we’ve known each other our whole lives.”
The Big Picture
Frech sees his time on Dancing With the Stars as part of a larger mission. He wants to change how disability is represented on television. He believes representation is important, and he sees disability as “kind of that last frontier.”
His performances have reached people directly. The videos that circulate show the impact. He sees the response as proof that the message lands.
Frech has felt the support from audiences in person and online.
Key Facts
- Season: Dancing With the Stars Season 35
- Leaderboard streak: Three weeks in a row
- Frech’s age: 21
- Paralympic status: Gold medalist
- Founding organization: Angel City Sports
- Partner: Daniella Karagach
- Next night: Mariah Carey Night
Frech’s approach is straightforward. He dances for a purpose, and he knows it. The leaderboard reflects that commitment.
The show has given him a platform. He has used it to push for better disability representation. The response has been viral and personal.
Frech’s message is simple: representation matters, and he is doing his part to provide it.
Source material: “‘Dancing With the Stars’ Frontrunner Ezra Frech Reacts To Videos Of Him As a Kid Going Viral and Shares What His Secret To Topping the Leaderboard Is: “I Know That I’m Dancing For A Bigger Purpose”,” Decider.
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