Rylee Arnold dances gracefully even in heels, balancing her way through the “Dancing With The Stars” ballroom, but how about her personal life?
The pro ballroom dancer has opened up about how she navigates her growing career, everyday life, and her health challenges. She disclosed her initial fear that her dance world had to stand still after receiving her type 1 diabetes diagnosis as a teenager.
Rylee Arnold started on “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors” at age 13 in 2018 and made it to the finals. She joined the franchise’s main competition series at 18, marking one of the youngest-ever ballroom pro-dancers on the show.
Arnold reflected on her journey as a professional dancer, marked by a major health challenge that arose in her early teens. The “DWTS” pro revealed that after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 15, she feared she would have to quit dancing.
The 21-year-old pro shared that she initially feared that she would have to give up a part of her life she really enjoyed and commit herself fully to managing her health. Arnold also acknowledged that it was “honestly really hard in the beginning” to balance her health and the physical demands of dancing, especially since she was a teenager at the time.
She shared that adjusting to a life with diabetes was no easy feat, recalling times when she felt “embarrassed to give [herself] a shot in front of friends at school or at dance.” But she had to dust off the shame she felt with the realization that prioritizing her health meant a long and beautiful life.
Being on “Dancing with the Stars” helped Arnold find structure and balance in her life as a dancer and in her health. “Just balancing that and learning how to balance my life was really, really important. But ever since I got on [DWTS], I feel like I’ve really focused on balancing that and having that healthy balance,” the dancer told US Weekly.
The Ballroom Dancer Learned To Understand Her Body
Arnold shared that she is at a point where she understands how to manage her illness. She noted that understanding does not come at once; in her case, it took about six years to adjust and understand how she reacts to things.
The dancer, being one of many millions of people living with type 1 diabetes in the world, does not go through her health hurdles alone. She disclosed that she has learned a lot from the shared journeys of others on social media like TikTok and Instagram.
Arnold noted that although everyone’s body system differs, many people have similar shared experiences, and getting to see and hear from them has helped her tremendously.
Last year, Arnold stepped away from the “Dancing with the Stars” tour to prioritize her health. “Making the decision to step away from the tour this last year was really hard, and because it was because of my health, it made me really sad,” she recalled, adding that as hard as the decision was, it was something she needed to do.
Rylee Arnold On How ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Is Capturing The Younger Demographic
In recent seasons, the popular dance show has seen growing interest among younger generations. Much of this change was attributed to the show casting social media stars like Charli D’Amelio and to Gen-Z dancers like Arnold being pros.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Arnold shared how an active TikTok presence by stars and pros helped bring younger people to the show. She added that when she started posting behind-the-scenes and day-in-the-life TikToks, they were just for fun and a platform to talk about her experience on the show.
The ballroom dancer also praises D’Amelio for helping the show gain visibility among the younger generation in season 31. Being a social media star, she “brought all of her fans and the people that love her to come and watch the show, and then they stuck around because it was super fun and exciting to watch.”
The dynamic shifted from what her sister, Lindsay, who was also a pro on the show, had told her. “I remember when my sister was on [the pro cast], she always told me, ‘It’s always the old ladies watching Dancing with the Stars,’” Arnold recalled.
Last season, “DWTS” also introduced TikTok Night, where dancers performed to viral TikTok songs in various styles.
The Young Pro-Dancer Got The ‘Best Piece Of Advice’ From Her Sister
Lindsay joined the dance franchise as a young dancer in 2013 at the age of 19. She began as a pro in season 16, moved to the dance troupe, and returned to pro until season 30, when she said goodbye to the show to focus on raising her family.
With her younger sister walking in her footsteps, the mother of three offered advice that got her through everything. Arnold shared that the best advice she’s ever been given is “to always just remain true to yourself.”
“Always just be yourself, authentically you, because if people don’t like you for you, then you’re not where you need to be,” Arnold told PEOPLE last year at the “DWTS” Season 34 Post Cast Reveal red carpet.
Lindsay, who is a 10-time competitor and one-time “Dancing with the Stars” winner, reportedly encouraged her sister to be the happiest version of herself, and those wise words “got her through everything.”
Rylee Arnold Found Love Off The Dance Floor
The professional dancer revealed how she met her current boyfriend, college football tight end Walker Lyons. She revealed that they connected through her Uber driver, who happened to be his aunt.
According to Arnold, she opted for an Uber that fateful day at her mom’s suggestion due to heavy LA traffic. Getting into the ride, she chatted with the driver, who then told her about her “nephew playing USC football,” suggesting they might get along.
The Blast reported that the dancer did not think too much about it after checking Lyons out on Instagram and admitting he was cute. She was focused on her dance life and reluctant to pursue a romantic relationship at the time, but fate had other plans.
She eventually followed him, and they started talking. After a while, the footballer asked Arnold out on a date, and the rest is history.
Shout-out to Rylee Arnold for finding her balance amid chasing her dreams!
