‘Dancing With The Stars’ Gets Hit With COVID, Daniella Karagach Will Not Perform in Week 2
Photo by ABC/Eric McCandless Reading Time: 3 minutes
The long-awaited season 31 premiere of Dancing With The Stars debuted last week featuring the usual mix of pleasant surprises and works in progress on the dance floor. Amid the success of the first episode, news broke out revealing that some production team members were positive for Covid-19.
Four Production Team Members, Daniella Karagach Test Positive for Covid-19
The DWTS season 31 live premiere went absolutely great for the show’s first live stream on Disney+. Soon after the episode’s conclusion, it was reported that several members of the production team tested positive for COVID-19 after the show.
The ongoing pandemic threatened to ruin all of the fun, since four individuals got infected with the virus. The DWTS spokesperson stated that all four infected people are crew members that work in “completely different departments.”
“[They] do not have in-person contact with each other,” the spokesperson clarified.
Contact tracing was immediately conducted putting all those in close contact under increased testing. Fortunately, no other person in close contact with the four employees tested positive for the virus. Disinfecting the entire set of the show was done as an added precaution and most employees have started working from home.
Earlier today it was revealed that mirrorball champion Daniella Karagach would not appear alongside her partner tonight, due to a positive COVID-19 test. Newest DWTS troupe member Alexis Warr will perform in her place.
The show will continue to premiere weekly, since Dancing With the Stars received the green light from the Department of Public Health. The exciting Elvis night is still coming up with implemented strict safety protocols.
What Fans Should Expect on DWTS’s Elvis Night
This week, the theme of the show pays tribute to the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley. Contestants will pair Elvis’s songs with different dance styles, which sound promising and thrilling at the same time.
Despite the minor outbreak, the contestants are excited to put on their dancing shoes once again to take the stage. The upcoming show will be divided into three parts, each representing a phase of Presley’s career. From the artist’s early days in rock, his acting phase, and his time in Las Vegas
Different dance styles will be featured in episode two including Quickstep, Rumba, Viennese Waltz, Jive, and more. Performing on the DWTS stage will be Wayne Brady and Witney Carson dancing jive to “Burning Love.” Selma Blair and Sasha Farber will also perform a jive to “Jailhouse Rock.”
Quickstep routines will include Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas with “Bossa Nova Baby,” Shangela and Gleb Savchenko with “Shake, Rattle, and Roll,” and Jordin Sparks and Brandon Armstrong with “Hound Dog.” Setting the stage on fire with Foxtrot will be Heidi D’Amelio and Artem Chigvintsev with “Suspicious Minds.” Also doing the Foxtrot is Jessie James Decker and Alan Bersten with “Trouble.”
The competition for the Mirrorball Trophy continues as the remaining 15 pairs take to the DWTS stage on Monday. New episodes can then be streamed live at 8 p.m. ET on Disney+.
