Rylee Arnold Reveals the Promise She Made to Herself Before Moving to L.A. (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Disney/Eric McCandless

Disney/Eric McCandless

Rylee Arnoldmoved to Los Angeles to follow her dream of being onDancing with the Stars, but there’s one thing she was sure of keeping the same throughout the process.

PEOPLE caught up with the 19-year-old professional dancer who, inher second season as a competitor, has made her first finals alongside Olympic gymnastStephen Nedoroscikfollowing thehighly anticipated season 33 semifinalsof the reality dancing competition on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

While speaking about adjusting to being vulnerable in front of cameras, she shares that she’s always been one to “connect to people who are vulnerable and who are just themselves,” and she wanted to stay true to this after joining the show.

Rylee Arnold on ‘Dancing with the Stars’.Disney/Eric McCandless

“I think one of my biggest lessons before going into L.A. and being in this whole scene and being a pro onDancing with the Starswas to always stay true to yourself, always be yourself, never try to be somebody different because you lose yourself in the process of it,” the Utah native tells PEOPLE.“So I always just want to be myself, fully showcase that to people so they know that it’s okay to cry and it’s okay to have hard days because it’s you and that’s who you are, and you want to express yourself the best you can,” she continues.

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Rylee Arnold on ‘Dancing With the Stars’.Getty

Getty

While theDancing with the Starsproadds that making the finals this season is just “surreal” and gives her a feeling that she “can’t even put into words,” she shares with PEOPLE while reflecting on her journey that she would tell her younger self “just to keep pushing forward, stay confident, stay in your lane, and just keep working hard and doing your thing.”

“And you’re not going to believe me when I tell you this, but you’re going to be in the finals when you’re 19 years old, it’s just so crazy,” she adds.

“Im the luckiest to have Steve on this journey with me and I know for a fact we were paired together for a reason cause I truly have made a lifelong friend out of him and it has been the most happy, fulfilling and most amazing season I could ever ask for🥹 So Steve THANK YOU!!!! WE DID IT!!!!!! 😭😭😭 now let’s go kill the finale!!!!🥳✨🪩🫶🏼” she wrote.

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The season 33Dancing with the Starsfinale airs on Tuesday, Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with the episode available to stream the next day on Hulu.

source: people.com