Performing a freestyle on Coldplay’s Viva la Vida, Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold earned their first perfect score of Dancing With the Stars. However, it wasn’t enough as the pair finished fourth on the show’s 33rd season finale. But the catch is this won’t be the end of his association with DWTS though, as he will be a part of the show’s tour next year. But for now, he bids goodbye to his no. 1 dance partner, Rylee Arnold.

On the finale, Judge Bruno Tonioli picked a quick-step dance for Rylee and Stephen to kick off the night in the redemption round. They scored a near-perfect 29 out of 30. The song? The iconic American hit sitcom series, Friends theme song, I’ll Be There For You by the Rembrandts! “You were riding in top gear: fast, smooth, clear in your timing, you turned it into a Rolex,” Tonioli said. Coincidence? Could be. Could be not.

The routine for next round which saw them get a perfect score was quite predictable. The couple chose a gymnastics free style dance, a combination of gymnastics flips, circles, handstands and dance. Near perfect score for the night, you’d think but, considering how the previous week saw no eliminations happening with scores being carried over to the finale combined with fans’ votes, Arnold and Nedoroscik ranked fourth. A three-hour show passed in a blink of an eye but Nedoroscik couldn’t help but feel grateful as the night rolled by.

Sharing a dramatic snap of the two from the dance floor, one where Arnold is seen slowly losing the grasp of his hands, Stephen penned, “The perfect way to end this unforgettable journey. I’m a Pommel Horse specialist. I had never danced, performed with emotion, or had to be delicate.

“Rylee, I feel so lucky to have had you by my side. Your positivity, kindness, and determination made every second of this experience worthwhile. Looking back on our first rehearsals, when I was timid, to now ending the show with a perfect score, it is unbelievable what you have taught me. 

“Thank you for not only being the best dance partner, but also an indispensable friend 🫶🏻. Cheers to all the kick ball pains, quahs, “just kidding”s, car rides, and burps.” Nedoroscik had quite the learning curve in his DWTS journey going from near elimination a few times to putting up a remarkable performance in the season finale.

A rehearsal video before the finale showed how much they supported each other and why it mattered to them to get to the finale. “I’m just so grateful that I got you as my partner, as someone who literally wouldn’t even dance at a party… She took the stiff electrical engineer gymnast and turned him into a dancer, so I owe all my success to Rylee. Me and Rylee’s partnership feels like the underdog story. Dude who’s barely known a year ago, who never danced. Rylee’s 19 years old, second season, and we just made it to the finale,” Nedoroscik said.

Arnold was also on DWTS last year but didn’t get to the finale. However, that changed this season when the Olympic bronze medalist teamed up with her. In the rehearsal video, Arnold said, “I just think you are such a powerful and inspirational person. You are my best friend, and it’s just so cool to have that.”

A freestyle routine of 30 points, put them in a strong position in the finale. During their performance, Nedoroscik was joined by gymnastics teammates as they wowed the judges. But combined with scores from their previous performances and the fans’ votes, Nedoroscik and Arnold ranked fourth.

The competition was won by Joey Graziadei and Jenna Johnson, but for Nedoroscik and Arnold, the journey was still special. Two weeks ago in an interview with Access Hollywood, Rylee Arnold called meeting Stephen Nedoroscik the best part of her season, crediting his inspiring outlook on life for changing her perspective. “He really just changed me in a lot of ways,” she said. Stephen quickly returned the compliment, saying Rylee was the perfect coach for him. “I don’t think anyone else could’ve taught me as well. She’s so patient, and I’m grateful for everything she did,” he said.

Their relationship that began with just dance partners quickly turned into more than—it felt like family. Both faced their own personal struggles: Arnold managed her Type 1 diabetes, while Nedoroscik pushed through strabismus and coloboma. But instead of letting those challenges weigh them down, they leaned on each other and grew stronger, both on and off the dance floor. Arnold and Nedoroscik also used to hang out with the gymnast’s girlfriend, Tess McCracken.

“Oh yes, we do game nights. Tess is the best. We get along so well too, so it’s so fun.” She also noted, “We enjoy so many fun game nights together and I drive up to the studio every day and it’s just been so fun getting to know Stephen,” Arnold revealed a few weeks ago. After their final performance, Rylee shared this sweet picture of them hugging, with the caption “gonna miss you” and hearts.

For Stephen, dance was brand new, but his gymnastics background gave him a solid start. With Rylee’s guidance, he quickly found his groove and became a star on the show. Though he departs with a bittersweet feeling, this isn’t the last we will see of him with DWTS.

Stephen Nedoroscik will be part of the DWTS Tour

After their final performance, Rylee shared this sweet picture of them hugging, with the caption “gonna miss you” and hearts. Stephen Nedoroscik will be a part of the Dancing with the Stars: Live! 2025” tour and will serve as the co-host when it stops at the Bryce Jordan Center on Jan. 23, 2025. So he’s definitely not going anywhere.

It will mean we will get to see Nedoroscik be associated with his new-found love and who knows with Rylee Arnold around, we may see the pommel horse guy shake a leg once more on the dance floor. These two have a bond that’s solid as a rock, and that’s what’s going to stick with us long after the season’s over.