Lindsay Arnold gave fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse at Olympian Stephen Nedoroscik‘s first Dancing With the Stars performance.
Lindsay, 30, is not competing on season 33, which premieres Tuesday, September 17, but she traveled to Los Angeles to support her sister Rylee Arnold before the first episode. “Get ready to vote tomorrow for our team ,” Lindsay captioned a TikTok video uploaded Monday, September 16, as she documented a “camera blocking day” with Rylee, 19, and the other competitors.
Lindsay filmed her journey to the studio and showed off the cast trailers before making her way to the DWTS ballroom. “This is the first time Stephen sees the stage, it was really cool to witness that moment,” Lindsay gushed.
Rylee and the Olympic gymnast, 25, warmed up backstage before it was their turn to rehearse. While not much of the duo’s choreography was shown in Lindsay’s clip, fans got a look at one key detail — a huge Rubik’s Cube hanging from the ceiling. Colorful squares of lights on the floor and in the background also made the stage look like the 3D puzzle.
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Nedoroscik stole America’s heart during the 2024 Paris Olympics, helping the U.S. men’s gymnastics team win its first medal since 2008. Team USA took home bronze following Nedoroscik’s impressive performance on the pommel horse, and he earned an individual bronze medal in the apparatus final.
Throughout his Olympic journey, Nedoroscik went viral for his Rubik’s Cube skills. When he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in August, Nedoroscik solved the puzzle in 15.42 seconds.
While watching Rylee and Nedoroscik rehearse, Lindsay joked that she was embracing “full dance mom vibes,” adding in her TikTok, “I’m just so excited to be here and such a proud big sis. … They actually just have the best energy ever.”
The season 33 cast was officially revealed earlier this month, and Rylee couldn’t be happier with the partner she got.
“He is just so kind, has such a good soul and immediately came into it,” she exclusively told Us Weekly on September 4. “He was competitive, he wanted to work hard, he wanted to dance and get good at what we were doing. I’m so grateful he’s my partner.”
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Nedoroscik is equally excited about Rylee, who made her DWTS debut as a pro last year. “She is an amazing dancer,” he told Us. “I didn’t know who I was gonna get, and I was looking at all the pros. I was like, ‘I really hope I get Rylee.’ So, I was so excited I got Rylee.”
Lindsay, meanwhile, first appeared as a pro dancer in 2013 and competed on 10 seasons, winning the mirrorball in season 15 with Jordan Fisher. Lindsay confirmed in August that she wouldn’t be back in the ballroom this season, but Rylee is hopeful she’ll get to compete against her sister someday.
“I think there is probably a future with Dancing With the Stars and Lindsay,” she told Us this month, noting that she tried “so hard” to convince Lindsay to return. “It’s sad, but I think it should happen eventually.”
Dancing With the Stars season 33 premieres on ABC Tuesday, September 17, at 8 p.m. ET.