Stephen Nedoroscik has been on the Dancing with the Stars for quite some time now. The competition has reached week seven, but Rylee Arnold and Stephen have managed to escape elimination so far. The two had perhaps the best week of them all when they took their contemporary routine set to the stage and danced to the rhythm of “I Ran (So Far Away)” by Hidden Citizens. But that’s not the only great thing about week 7!

The duo went on to earn their first perfect 10! But what was a whole lot more impressive about this performance was that after a barrage of criticism on timing and musicality, Stephen got on stage with no glasses in the dark. As someone with two eye conditions, strabismus and coloboma, Nedoroscik has faced challenges with his vision that require him to wear glasses. However, instead of letting his challenges hold him back, he embraced them. This put the duo in a position of advantage going into week eight! But as week eight approaches, so does the fear of elimination.

For week 8, Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold are taking on the Viennese waltz, dancing to Joji’s emotional tunes. As the rehearsals went on full heat, they had a surprise awaiting. The Dancing with the Stars veteran and legend Mark Ballas visited the duo. The visit from Mark is no ordinary moment! It comes right after Stephen went on to say, “I’m a very cowardly and scared dancer.” 

Mark Ballas, as the world already knows, has taken the world by storm 19 times before! And won three seasons. So whatever input he brings for Stephen and Ryelee is bound to change the course of the competition. And the announcement has the fandom going bonkers as many predict a possible smooth entry into the “semi-finals,” whilst others believe it brings in the much-needed “male perspective.”

With the visit to Stephen Nedoroscik came excitement from the fandom for week 8!

The DWTS fandom was all happy and enthusiastic as the pictures of Mark with Rylee and Stephen followed socials. One fan even went on to write, “I’ve always enjoyed Mark’s dances, especially his ones with Lindsey. This makes me even more excited for Stephen and Rylee’s dance this week. Correct me if I’m wrong, but he also worked with a gymnast before, right, so he might have known a little bit about how to coach Stephen.” The fandom is not wrong here!

Mark’s performance with Lindsey Stirling was one for the ages. The Mark-Stirling duo went on to finish as runner-up in season 25. Ballas has a proven track record of leading partners to golden wins. He has, after all, won with partners including ​​Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson, and Charli D’Amelio! So, the possibility of him doing the same as a mentor for Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold is very high.

Another fan summing up the emotions went on to write, “It’s great that Stephen is getting notes from a male perspective, and especially from the legend himself, Mark Ballas!” Let’s give Mark credit where it is due. Mark holds some DWTS records that include most partners to score a ‘9’ on premiere night—five, to be exact! He’s also the only male pro to place in the finals twice without winning and shares the title for the most second-place finishes. If that wasn’t enough, he has also been in the finals 11 times. Now, that is a true legend. While some appreciate Ballas’ track record at DWTS, others are excited about the possibility that this collaboration brings.

As another fan rightly puts it, “TBH, Mark coming in almost locks Stephen into the semi-finals in my eyes.” It is not the first time that the fandom has pointed out the need for a fresh set of eyes. And this comes from the history of flaws during performances! The fandom, as well as the judges over the weeks, have pointed out issues with timing multiple times.

The issue has been so evident that even DWTS legend Cheryl Burke pointed it out on the podcast, saying, “There are some issues with his eyesight and whatever… that wouldn’t mean that you’re off time to the music when you still have ears.” Mark Ballas might just be the remedy that fixes this issue! Not just because of his mentorship but also because of the song and style of dance chosen by Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold!

As another fan rightly puts it, “And it’s a slower dance too, which gives him room to breathe and focus on the frame/technical stuff.” Right on, fandom! In the upcoming week, Nedoroscik and Arnold will be performing “Glimpse of Us” by Joji. In a DWTS Instagram story, they went on to reveal another interesting aspect of the performance.

As Rylee herself puts it, “And we’re recreating Charli and Mark.” That’s right, folks! Rylee Arnold and Stephen Nedoroscik are recreating Mark Ballas’ performance from DWTS Season 31. Mark, alongside Charli D’Amelio, went on to perform the same song and did the Viennese waltz during their week 9 performance. So, truly, who is better to mentor a duo than the man behind the OG dance?

As another fan rightly sums it up, “I love everything about this.” But it’s not just the fandom that is excited. Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold are equally looking forward to it. Stephen even went on to say, “We want to go out there and show improvement and just deliver the best Viennese waltz we can deliver.” The competition is heating up, and all eyes will be on this dynamic duo as they take on their next challenge. They are so close to tasting victory; the only question is, will Stephen get his timing right? Or will it all crumble moments before the finale?