Dancing with the Stars' Rylee Arnold weighs in on speculation that she won’t return to the pro roster

Dancing with the Stars alum Rylee Arnold recently addressed rumors that claimed she would not join the pro dancers for a potential season 35. 

In an episode of Julianne Hough’s The Morning After Show podcast, uploaded to YouTube on November 20, 2025, Rylee broke her silence on the speculation surrounding her future with the show, saying that nobody knows who will be cast on the show until summertime. 

Dismissing the rumors as “noise,” Rylee expressed she would gladly accept offers to join the pro roster in the coming seasons of Dancing with the Stars. 

Moreover, she mentioned that the speculation surrounding her participation was “super hard” to hear, implying that they were not true. 

Rylee became part of the pro dancers’ crew back in season 32 and has often been targeted by netizens, who have questioned her skills and ability to teach the partner she has been coupled with. 

Season 34, in particular, was significantly harder for Rylee, as she had to contend with online backlash for her performances with Pentatonix singer Scott Hoying.

Netizens not only questioned her capabilities but also claimed she was going to lose her spot in the coming seasons. 

Rylee Arnold prefers focusing on her journey on Dancing with the Stars rather than comparing herself to fellow choreographers

While speaking about her journey on season 34, Rylee said that she felt pressure with each dance, knowing she couldn’t leave any room for error. 

Despite her efforts, Rylee and her partner, Scott, were eliminated during Wicked Night, which was aired on October 21, 2025. 

In a TikTok video, posted the following day, Rylee admitted that the elimination gave her a “heavy heart,” as she was upset her journey with Scott was over. 

She also expressed her gratitude to Scott for helping her grow and learn during their time on the show. 

While Rylee spoke about her elimination positively, she was aware of the online narrative that was making rounds on the internet about her skills and participation. 

While speaking with Julianne, she said:

“There’s been a lot of things this year [and] people saying that I’m not coming back next season… or people saying I don’t know how to teach or do these things. I’m trying to understand that [is] just noise.”

Speaking about the backlash, she clarified that no one actually knows who will return for a new season until summertime, implying that the rumors about her exit were baseless. 

Rylee expressed her desire to continue her journey with Dancing with the Stars, criticizing netizens for circulating unreliable news. 

Replying to the questions about her skills, Rylee said that she was giving herself grace because she knew she still had much to learn. 

“I am in my own position, and there are so many pros [who] have been here way longer than I have. Of course, they know more than I do, they have experience way more than I have, which is so normal,” she said. 

The 20-year-old continued, clarifying that she preferred focusing on improving herself rather than comparing herself to the other choreographers. 

To her, being part of Dancing with the Stars was a dream come true. Thus, she wanted to be grateful for that instead of chasing illogical standards. 

That said, Rylee admitted that the backlash took a toll on her this season, which is her third with the ABC series. Regardless, she mentioned that it “fueled” her, making her stronger for the future. 

Rylee’s sister, Lindsay, also posted a TikTok on September 18, slamming the netizens for the negativity online directed at the pros and the judges. 

“Obviously, my sister Rylee, I would go to bat for her ‘till the day I die. But I care about all those people. That’s my family, my friends. I’m coming here to say that the job of being a pro is one of the hardest ever. All of you thinking you have any idea what it takes to be a pro makes me want to laugh,” she said. 

Rylee first appeared as a pro on Dancing with the Stars: Juniors, where she finished as one of the three runners-up paired with Miles Brown. 

She then entered the main version in season 32 with Harry Jowsey, and returned in season 33 with Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, finishing in fourth place. 

Stay tuned for more updates.