Danielle Fishel is determined to carve out her own unique path on *Dancing With the Stars*. That's precisely why the *Boy Meets World* alum didn't fully heed the advice handed down by two-time *DWTS* competitor Sabrina Bryan during the season 34 premiere on September 16.
"Her best piece of advice that I didn't quite follow," Danielle revealed exclusively to E! News' Will Marfuggi after the show, "was to steer clear of watching the packages." Explaining that the video packages, which air just before the dance routines, can occasionally "tug at your heartstrings," the 44-year-old actress shared that Sabrina had urged her to avoid watching them prior to stepping onto the stage in order to maintain laser focus on her performance.
"She advised, 'Don't get caught up in the package. Just zero in on your partner,'" Danielle recounted. "But I couldn't help but think, 'I wonder what's in my package?'" (For more exclusive interviews with the *DWTS* cast, be sure to tune into E! News tonight, September 17, at 11 p.m.)
Despite succumbing to her curiosity, Danielle and her professional partner, Pasha Pashkov, managed to impress the judges, earning a score of 12 out of 20 for their tango to Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)." Surprisingly, the actress discovered that watching the video package "didn't throw me off my game at all" because her mind was firmly fixed on her routine from the very beginning.
"That's my number one priority," she emphasized. "I'm making progress every week. I know where I stood three weeks ago, and I've definitely seen improvement since then." Danielle added, "With Pasha's expert guidance, I'm only going to keep growing, and I'm really excited about that journey."
But that doesn't mean Danielle is underestimating the challenge of winning the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. After all, she's "extremely, extremely nervous" about her fellow competitors. "I don't mean to downplay any other seasons," she joked, "but I can't recall ever watching a premiere episode of *Dancing with the Stars* and thinking, 'Wow, every single person here is just better than the next.'"
Danielle humorously admitted that Robert Irwin is her main rival, noting that she and Pasha have been "huddled away" in a different part of the studio every time he performs with his pro partner, Witney Carson. "I still have no idea how amazing his routine was," she said of the animal conservationist's performance, which earned him an impressive 15 out of 20 score. "But I'm definitely going to go home and watch it."
