Paralympian Ezra Frech Navigates ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Mariah Carey Night

Ezra Frech, a Paralympian gold medalist, is preparing for Mariah Carey Night on Dancing With the Stars with a rumba set to "Anytime You Need a Friend." The competition, now in its fourth week, presents Frech and his partner, Daniella Karagach, with a slower-paced dance that Frech finds uniquely challenging.

Frech, 21, addressed the fan anticipation for Mariah Carey's hit song "All I Want for Christmas Is You" to be performed during the themed night. "It's too early. I couldn't," Frech told Decider with a laugh, referencing the song's association with the holiday season. He noted that performing a Christmas song in early October might be premature for many viewers, potentially leading to a lack of appreciation.

Despite the absence of the iconic Christmas track, Frech expressed enthusiasm for "Anytime You Need a Friend," calling it a great song and a fitting choice for his performance. He highlighted that the rumba requires him to engage muscle groups in a way he hasn't experienced in previous dances on the show. "The rumba is a beautiful dance and it is definitely challenging, but I enjoy the adversity of learning how to [do it]," Frech stated. He described the initial learning curve for new dance styles as disorienting but emphasized his goal of continuous improvement with each rehearsal.

Frech, who is also the founder of Angel City Sports, shared his dedication to perfecting the routine. He stated that he is pouring his "heart and soul into every single second" of rehearsal to build confidence and comfort for the live performance. He believes that while this dance is different from what fans might expect, they will appreciate the effort and emotion he brings to it.

Viewers can watch Frech and Karagach perform their rumba on Dancing With the Stars live on Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+. Episodes are available the following day on Hulu.