Sep 27, 2026 · 60 min
Amber Glenn trades triple axels for ballroom pressure
Danielle with… Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov
Amber Glenn’s move from elite figure skating to partnered dance reveals how a perfectionist athlete adapts when competition demands speed, collaboration, and imperfection.
- 1Amber Glenn treats Dancing with the Stars as a new kind of athletic challenge, balancing skating instincts with partnered ballroom technique.
- 2Rapid rehearsals and public scores force Glenn to replace mistake-by-mistake analysis with a weekly focus on progress.
- 3Glenn and Pasha Pashkov describe a cast culture built on practical help, playful social media, and shared competitive pressure.
Don't miss
Amber Glenn explains how her skating background, including triple axels, can become material for ballroom choreography.
The brief
Danielle Fishel introduces Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov, whose partnership pairs an elite solo skater with a ballroom professional on Dancing with the Stars.
Glenn explains why the opportunity was an easy yes after the Winter Games, even as secrecy, a two-night premiere, and public expectations raised the stakes.
The show's rapid rehearsal schedule clashes with Glenn's athlete's instinct to dissect every mistake, pushing the pair toward a more forgiving definition of progress.
Behind the scores, contestants trade help for blisters and injuries, share social-media jokes, and build a supportive community despite staggered rehearsal schedules.
Glenn and Pashkov show how skating can shape ballroom choreography, with triple axels and future musical callbacks pointing toward a distinctly personal dance vocabulary.