When Dwight Howard signed on for Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars, the internet basically had one question: how on earth is a 6-foot-10 NBA giant going to tango with a professional dancer who barely clears five feet? It sounded like a recipe for a viral blooper reel. But then the show announced his pro, and things got real.
Daniella Karagach was the name.
If you follow the show, you know Daniella isn't just any pro. She’s the girl who took Iman Shumpert—another NBA player, though slightly shorter—all the way to a Mirrorball Trophy. She's basically the specialist for "impossibly tall athletes." But Dwight was a different beast. Standing at 6'10", he wasn't just tall; he was massive. Daniella, meanwhile, stands at 5'3". That is a 19-inch difference. You can’t just "ignore" that when you’re trying to maintain a standard ballroom frame.
The Partnership That Defied Physics
Honestly, the chemistry between Dwight Howard and his partner was the biggest surprise of the season. People expected it to be awkward. Instead, it was kind of... majestic? Daniella didn't try to make Dwight dance like a 5-foot-7 Latin specialist. She leaned into his size. She turned him into a literal human jungle gym.
✨ Don't miss: Why The Police Still Matter: The Real Story Behind Rock's Most Volatile Trio
In their debut, they performed a Salsa to "This Is How We Do It." It was electric. Dwight wasn't just shuffling his feet; he was hitting the rhythm, and when he lifted Daniella, she looked like she was flying. Because he’s so strong, the lifts were effortless. He’d toss her into the air, and she’d stay there for what felt like an eternity.
But it wasn't all highlights and high scores.
Dwight Howard Dancing With the Stars Partner: What Really Happened in Rehearsals
Behind the scenes, things were a bit more stressful than the glitzy Tuesday night broadcasts let on. Because Dwight is still active in the sports world and has various business commitments, their practice schedule was often a mess. During "Hair Metal Night," they actually had to travel, which left them with about two days to learn a Cha Cha.
If you’ve ever tried to learn a Cha Cha in 48 hours, you know it’s a nightmare. For a guy whose feet are the size of small boats, it’s nearly impossible.
Carrie Ann Inaba, one of the longtime judges, didn't hold back. She told Dwight his performance was "hard to watch" and that he was trying to "trick" the audience with his big personality and facial expressions instead of focusing on the footwork. The audience booed her so loud the speakers probably rattled. But was she wrong? Not entirely.
Technical Struggles vs. Showmanship
Daniella is a technician. She grew up in the world of competitive ballroom—she’s a seven-time U.S. champion. For her, the "frame" is everything. In a traditional dance, the man’s arm should be at a specific level for the woman to rest her hand. With Dwight, his arm was literally above her head.
They had to reinvent the rules:
- Modified Frames: Daniella often had to hold Dwight’s forearm or bicep instead of his hand.
- Side-by-Side Focus: They spent more time dancing apart than in a traditional hold to avoid looking like a "climbing a tree" situation.
- The "Yeet" Factor: Fans on Reddit jokingly called their freestyle potential the "Yeet" dance, because they were sure Daniella would spend 90% of the time in the rafters.
That Emotional Halloween Breakthrough
The turning point for the pair came during Halloween Nightmares Night. They performed a Contemporary routine to "Ring Around the Rosie." It was dark, creepy, and surprisingly emotional. Dwight wasn't just the "funny basketball guy" anymore.
When the scores came up, they got their first 10. Dwight actually broke down in tears. It was one of those raw moments that Dancing with the Stars lives for. It showed that he wasn't just there for a paycheck or to rehab his image; he actually cared about the craft. Daniella looked equally stunned. Even with the height gap, they had managed to create something that felt grounded and real.
Why They Didn’t Win (And Why Fans Are Split)
Despite the high scores, Dwight and Daniella were eliminated before the finals.
👉 See also: Why To Be Young Gifted and Black Lyrics Still Hit So Hard Fifty Years Later
The internet, as usual, had thoughts. Some fans felt Dwight was "uncoachable" toward the end, pointing to rumors that he wasn't putting in the hours. Others blamed the judges for being too harsh on a guy who was clearly working with a physical disadvantage.
There was a bit of a "vibe shift" in the later weeks. You could see the exhaustion on Daniella’s face during some of the "Instant Dance" challenges. Dancing with a man that large is physically taxing for the pro, too. Every lift, every lead, and every save requires twice the energy when your partner has 100 pounds on you.
What We Learned from Season 33
- Height isn't a dealbreaker: If you have a choreographer like Daniella Karagach, you can make a 6'10" man look graceful.
- Athleticism doesn't equal dance skill: Having "good hips" on the court is great, but the precision required for a Jive or a Paso Doble is a different universe.
- The "Pro" matters more than the "Star": Daniella’s ability to highlight Dwight’s strengths while masking his clumsy footwork is why they lasted as long as they did.
If you’re looking to improve your own movement or just want to appreciate the technicality of what they did, look at the "Ring Around the Rosie" performance again. Notice how Daniella uses Dwight’s height to create vertical space that other couples simply couldn't reach.
For Dwight, the journey ended without a trophy, but he left with a lot more respect from the ballroom community than he started with. And for Daniella? She once again proved she’s the "Giant Slayer" of the DWTS pro roster.
💡 You might also like: Eternal Sunshine Lyrics Jhene Aiko: The Heartbreaking Truth Behind the Song
To really appreciate the difficulty of what Dwight Howard and his partner pulled off, try standing on a chair and having someone five feet tall try to lead you in a waltz. It’s a miracle they didn’t trip every single week.
Next steps for fans: Go back and watch the Season 30 highlights of Daniella and Iman Shumpert. It’s the perfect companion piece to Dwight’s season. You’ll see the evolution of how she handles "the big man" and why she’s likely to get the tallest celebrity every single year from now on.