Jordan Chiles’ DWTS Partner Makes A Strong Admission Ahead Of Upcoming Season: “More Capable”

“Chat- we made it!!!! DWTS!!! p.s- when fifth harmony has a reunion!!!” announced Jordan Chiles via her Instagram. And the cherry on top for Gymnastics and pop fans was that Fifth Harmony (Ally Brooke, Normani, Lauren Jauregui, and Dinah Jane) made a surprise reunion this week. Chiles had donned a dance dress, a turquoise blue with a plunging V-neckline and sleeveless cut, covered in sequins and finished with fringe. But if you swipe the post, it’s not just her alone.

And it’s none other than So You Think You Can Dance fame Ezra Sosa, her DWTS partner. Stephen Nedoroscik vouched for him, commenting, “GOOD LUCK!!! You have a great partner by your side!” A post also went up on Sosa’s Instagram, a reel where one could see him and the Olympian flexing some dance moves, where he made a strong confession.

The header text on the reel read, “pov: I actually have a shot this year🤧.” Inside Gymnastics Magazine also took to their Instagram to report this. “💃🕺 Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles is partnered with Ezra Sosa this season on Dancing with the Stars, and the pro dancer could not be more thrilled. “POV: I actually have a shot this year” he posted over a vid of the couple together shortly after the announcement. Seems like a perfect partnership!” read the caption. But what about last year?

In the 2024 season of Dancing with the Stars, Sosa was teamed up with Anna Delvey (Anna Sorokin). In a press release, Disney-owned ABC called Sorokin “an artist, fashion icon and infamous NYC socialite,” as well as “a notorious ankle bracelet fashionista.” She was convicted in 2019 for fraud after posing as a wealthy heiress to swindle banks, hotels, and acquaintances. She was released from prison in 2021, then spent time in immigration detention, and has been under house arrest since being granted bail in 2022. And of course, there was a lot of controversy when it was announced that she would be on DWTS.

As a condition of joining Dancing with the Stars, she was required to wear an ankle monitor throughout the show. The New York Post called it a “new low for pop culture.” In her very first performance on the show, the ankle monitor had been bedazzled to complement her ombré outfit of blue, purple, pink, and yellow, complete with a bow on top. The glittering device got a dramatic reveal during her Cha-Cha to Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso earning her three sixes from the judges. But she eliminated in Week 2, on September 24, 2024, after receiving some of the lowest scores and votes.

Now, as the iHeartPodcast producer, Tara Soudbaksh commented, “From an ankle bracelet to an Olympic medal. Love your glow up 😂,” things are better for Ezra Sosa as Jordan Chiles joins him. While Sosa’s favorite memory from last season was his ability to teach a convicted felon how to dance, this time, he has someone who makes the crowd react in awe every time she dances on the gymnastics floor. Another thing that could work in his favor?

Contrary to the hate his partner received last year, the Olympian is loved by the fans.

On the DWTS carpet yesterday, she also took a shot, saying, “I’m so happy he gets this opportunity and a better experience in a better way, and that he just gets to really showcase who he is.” Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa recently shared a TikTok video set to Beyoncé’s “My House,” marking their first collaboration together. The fact that Ezra used music from Chiles’ Olympic routine speaks volumes about how far their chemistry would go.

Jordan Chiles on being called a competition

In an interview on September 4, Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa were told by the interviewer that a lot of people are seeing them as a competition. This received a very happy and upbeat reaction from the dancer. “Oh, so they threaten. Oh, okay. I am flattered.” The interview also reminded Jordan of her floor routine. Her response?

“I mean, I wouldn’t. Okay, my floor routine. Yeah, it does got some flips, some twirl, some, you know, I got that little hip… I do hit a step in there,” she exclaimed. In the 2025 season opener for UCLA gymnastics, Chiles debuted a new routine set to Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy.” The choreography was packed with air-guitar motions, leading to playful, crowd-engaging theatrics. One performance highlight included blowing kisses and strumming invisible strings. She executed her tumbling passes with flawless landings.

She added, “I mean, it feels cool and amazing that people think I’m a tough competition, but as many talented people that are here that have dance backgrounds and that, you know, they get to enjoy this moment. I feel like we’re all tough competitions against each other until we’re all like, ‘Okay, we can all be loose and really have fun.’ So, amen to that.” 

Joining Chiles and Sosa in season 34 are: Hilaria Baldwin with Gleb Savchenko, Dylan Efron with Daniella Karagach, Danielle Fishel with Pasha Pashkov, Elaine Hendrix with Alan Bersten, Corey Feldman with Jenna Johnson, Andy Richter with Emma Slater, Lauren Jauregui with Brandon Armstrong, Scott Hoying with Rylee Arnold, Baron Davis with Britt Stewart, Robert Irwin with Witney Carson, Alix Earle with Val Chmerkovskiy, Jen Affleck with Jan Ravnik, and Whitney Leavitt with Mark Ballas.

Commencing on September 16, we cannot wait to see how gymnastics gets merged with dance routines this time. But who are you rooting for?