All About ‘DWTS’ Pros Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov’s Relationship

Dancing with the Stars pros Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov have dance to thank for their relationship.

After meeting in 2009, the professional dancers got married in 2014 and welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Nikita, in 2023. Throughout their relationship, they have competed in dance competitions around the world and performed on television.

They both appeared on season 2 of World of Dance in 2018, and joined the season 28 cast of Dancing with the Stars the following year (though Daniella didn’t become a DWTS pro until season 29.) In November 2020, they launched their own virtual wedding dance company to share their passion and expertise with others around the world.

The key to their decade-long marriage? Making time for themselves, Daniella told PEOPLE in July 2024. “I think that also keeps the spark alive because if you’re in a good place in your own body, then you’re in a good place in your relationship, if you’re not and you’re looking for comfort in someone else, I mean that works too, but for us we’re stronger when we’re stronger by ourselves, and then we’re stronger together.”

Here’s everything to know about Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov’s relationship.

Daniella and Pasha met through dance

In 2009, Daniella and Pasha became dance partners and have not stopped dancing together since. While based in New York, they traveled the world competing in dance competitions, even winning the reputable Professional Rising Star Latin Champions at the Blackpool Competition.

They competed and represented the U.S. in three world championships for Latin, Ballroom and 10-Dance. In total, they have won 10 national titles and 10 world championships.

They got married in 2014

Daniella and Pasha got engaged on Jan. 1, 2013, and married on July 18, 2014, in New Jersey.

They celebrated their 10-year anniversary at Six Flags Magic Mountain after spending the morning with their daughter.

In an Instagram post on their anniversary, the husband and wife shared sweet sentiments. Daniella wrote, “To many more years of turning our dreams into realities and growing our family. I love you. You’re my favorite 🖤,” while Pasha said, “Thank you for making me the happiest person on earth and for loving me unconditionally.”

Daniella and Pasha help each other choreograph dances for Dancing with the Stars

Daniella and Pasha were both cast on DWTS in 2018, which they found out about three days before the Good Morning America announcement. Daniella was cast as a member of the troupe before becoming a pro in 2020.

In 2023, Daniella and Pasha were in the finale together for the first time with their partners, Jason Mraz and Ariana Madix. Daniella told PEOPLE of her husband at the semi-finals that year, “He helps me, I help him, and it has always been a team effort from the get-go.”

In April 2024, the couple appeared on Victoria Garrick Browne’s podcast Real Pod, where they spoke about the similarities of acting and ballroom dance and the level of closeness it takes to portray a powerful story. Daniella joked about the time Pasha attended her rehearsals during season 30 and instructed her partner, NBA player Iman Shumpert, to be nose-to-nose with her. Shumpert jokingly responded with, “Bro, thats your wife!”

They own a virtual wedding dance school

In between world competitions, Daniella and Pasha taught wedding dance lessons to couples out of a studio in New York City. In 2020, the couple took their lessons worldwide, launching an online dance school called The Wedding Dance School.

“We carried this idea with us for YEARS before we had the chance to put it all together,” they wrote on the company’s website, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic allowed them the time to create the platform.

Daniella and Pasha share a daughter

Daniella and Pasha welcomed their daughter, Nikita Sofia, on May 30, 2023. Daniella learned she was pregnant on the day of Dancing with the Stars season 31 premiere in 2022. The couple officially announced they were expecting on Instagram in November 2022.

“We’ve wanted a family ever since we’ve gotten married and we’ve been married for eight and a half years, so we are more than ready to have a baby,” Karagach told PEOPLE. “We wanted to start planning this year and it just so happened that the timing was absolutely perfect.”

Shortly after giving birth to Nikita, Daniella competed on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars, alongside Pasha.

Following the season, Nikita joined her parents on tour. The family has traveled to many U.S. cities including Chicago and Nashville.

The dancers celebrated their daughter’s first birthday in May 2024 with an Alice in Wonderland—themed party at their home in Los Angeles.

They don’t view each other as competition on DWTS

During the season 32 finale in 2023, Daniella discussed with PEOPLE how it felt to make it that far in the competition alongside her husband. “To see him thrive this season … tops everything for me, so honestly, it’s just going to be the best experience for us both.” (Both Daniella and Pasha ended the season as runners-up.)

The next year, when Pasha and his partner Tori Spelling were eliminated from season 33, Daniella could not hide her frustration after hearing the results. She joked about it later, sharing a clip of the show on Tiktok writing, “POV: your husband gets eliminated on DWTS and you don’t have a filter.”