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On November 12, Rylee Arnold had two challenges in front of her at DWTS. Along with her dance partner, she had to perform a Viennese Waltz, emulating Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas’s steps in Season 31. Here’s a fun fact: since her childhood, Arnold has been idolizing the iconic dancer. Therefore, filling in her idol’s shoes seemed to be a tough job for her. Additionally, the duo had another barrier waiting on the path.
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During the landmark 500th episode of DWTS, the judges sprung an instant challenge on the teams. They would just have a few minutes to prepare for the routine. And guess how Rylee Arnold and Stephen Nedoroscik thwarted the challenges? For the Viennese Waltz performance, the duo received 29 out of 30 and, in the instant challenge round, they collected 25 out of 30.
Meanwhile, the scores earned them a third-place finish, keeping them alive in the contest. The entire journey finds a fitting mirror when she says, “Every day, I move my body and work on my skills to continue to push myself to be the best dancer I can be!” That is what has been her go-to formula in the battle against the disease.
Rylee Arnold was down, but not out
On World Diabetes Day, Rylee Arnold wasn’t just about raising awareness—she came ready to fight the fight. Along with an inspiring Instagram post, she sat down with Women’s Health to talk about her journey, her grit, and the early days when diabetes threw her life (and dance moves) into chaos.
“I was 15 years old and in the middle of my dance season when I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes,” Rylee shared, recalling the moment her world flipped. It hit right in the middle of her budding dance career, and as she admitted, it wasn’t just an internal battle—it showed on the dance floor. “When I was dancing, I was always told, ‘You look like you’re out there and you’re not trying.’ I was, but my body just wouldn’t do the things that it needed to do.” Despite pushing herself to stay fit, diabetes had other plans.
Things got so bad she ended up in the hospital with severe stomach issues. But Rylee took those tough lessons in stride. Since then, she’s been keeping her blood sugar in check, her determination sky-high, and her feet dancing toward greatness. “I didn’t want my diagnosis to stop me,” Rylee Arnold was firm with her priorities. And judging by her fiery performances in Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars, it’s safe to say she’s more than keeping up.
