There Was a Fall on DWTS Disney Night: Dancer Diego Pasillas Speaks on Whether It Was Purposeful
A stumble during the opener
Disney Night on Dancing With the Stars featured a large opening performance, including a Newsies segment. In the middle of the polished choreography, a dancer went down and quickly got back up.
The recovery looked deliberate to some viewers, prompting discussion online about whether the tumble had been part of the routine. Pasillas later confirmed that it was an actual fall.
Pasillas explains what happened
On Instagram, Pasillas wrote, “You guys. I just ate it on national television.” He showed what the intended move looked like, reenacted the fall and added, “the show must go on.” His fellow cast members responded with encouragement and jokes about the recovery. Hailey Bills praised the way he got up, while Val Chmerkovskiy joked about Pasillas’s airborne moves.
A last-minute schedule change
Pro dancer Adele Zaikman had to miss Disney Night because she was sick. The Sun reported that her absence required producers and dancers to revise multiple performances. Zaikman had been scheduled for three dances, and rehearsals reportedly became more chaotic after she dropped out. The article describes the routine as having limited practice time and being put together at short notice.
Key points
- Diego Pasillas said his fall during the Disney Night opener was not planned.
- The tumble drew online debate because Pasillas recovered quickly.
- Adele Zaikman missed the show because she was sick.
- Her absence led to changes across multiple performances.