The chemistry between Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold, since the first episode of Dancing With The Star (DWTS), has been indeed eye-catching. But amidst the showers of praise from the fans also came the rains of speculation! Is there anything brewing between the two that is the secret of the chemistry? As Stephen had said in the Lightweights Podcast with Joe Vulpis just a week back, he and Rylee are more than just a coach and student. But no need to sniff anything else. Because Stephen had also come out clearly about the bond Rylee shared not only with him but also with her long-time partner Tess McCracken!

“We are friends, and like, Riley has come over to my place, and like, me, Tess, my girlfriend, and Riley will just like play Face 10 with one another or like Codenames. I did teach Tess how to cube like years ago. She’s since forgotten. I taught Riley one algorithm, and she’s very proud of herself for being able to do it,” Stephen had said on that occasion. And if this wasn’t testament enough, just hear what Stephen had to say about his girlfriend days back.

When DWTS was set to happen, Stephen moved to LA. But guess what? He brought along his world with him. “My girlfriend is staying out here in L.A. with me,” Stephen said in a candid moment with People. “We have our kitty as well, so it’s like we brought the entire house with us, and she’s just overwhelmingly supportive. I’m really appreciative of her.” An entire house, yes!

Tess and Stephen have been together since their days at Penn State. And Tess has been through the thick and thin with Stephen. May it be on the Olympic podium or the DWTS stage, she is always there. While the spirals of speculations assumed that the new dance partner and personal relationship might just be a problem, Stephen, Rylee, and Tess seem to have found a way to make it all work! As Rylee Arnold puts it, “Oh yes, we do game nights. Tess is the best. We get along so well too, so it’s so fun.”

In a shoutout to Stephen, Rylee said, “We enjoy so many fun game nights together, and I drive up to the studio every day. It’s just been so fun getting to know Stephen. We really are having so much fun together.” The trio is nothing short of solid! With Rylee fitting right in, they have turned unwanted assumptions into a unique dynamic of their own. On the other hand, Stephen and Tess’ eight-year-old relationship has another level of commitment.

Not only during the DWTS, but Tess was also there when Stephen was performing in the Paris Olympics as well. While we don’t know how she feels watching Stephen on the DWTS stage, the Olympics were truly nerve-wracking for Tess.

A gymnast herself, Tess is well aware of the nuances of the sport. She knows how a fraction of a second can make or break a routine. So, revealing her nervousness during Stephen’s routines, she had said E! News in August, “It is the most stressful thing I’ve ever done. I wear a Fitbit, and my heart rate easily goes over 140 beats a minute when he goes. Even before he goes, just thinking about the fact that he’s about to go, it starts climbing.” But even then, she is all in for it. Do you know why? Tess’ reply may put all the ongoing speculations to rest.

“We’re each other’s person. We don’t get tired of each other. We don’t feel like we need like that break. I think that has really helped over the last eight years—just keep us solid. And it’s been a great time,” Tess had said. Seems like it is almost impossible for anyone to enter this rock-solid bond between the two! Interestingly, Rylee also came up with her own dating update just days back. However, that is intriguing to say the least.

On October 4, Rylee posted a TikTok Video about the man he is dating. But she kept his identity under wraps. However, the specifics of the date are as detailed as it can be! “We walked around, we talked and it was so pretty outside. It was just such a vibe, He was so easy to talk to and we have so many similarities, which was so fun to talk about. He is so sweet and humble and all the amazing qualities, so I’m really curious to see how this all pans out,” the 19-year-old said in the video. Seemed like it panned out well. Why?

Guess what, the two went on a second date the following night, as revealed by Rylee! Rylee also stated that her ‘mystery man’ also has an equally busy schedule. So, the two sync really well. All that being said, it is evident that all that the trio has is smiles, game nights, and killer routines. Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee put on one of their latest routines on Week 4 recently!

What happened on week 4 of DWTS?

Week four of Dancing With the Stars kicked the ballroom right out the window. And Hair Metal Night took over. The world saw a complete makeover of many athletes. But what Stephen had was a transformation with a leather suit combined with an ’80s mullet wig. “I’m gonna unleash my rock star alter ego and ace every step,” Nedoroscik said. They performed to Whitesnake’s Here I Go Again. And boy-oh-boy, did they go again and rocked it!

The duo nailed the routine! Stephen Nedoroscik came in with incredible footwork and, of course, his gymnastics charm worked. The judges went on to score the performance a solid 32/40, with all four judges giving him an 8. Now, that is huge for someone who walked onto the floor the first week, not expecting even a single 7. And that score is despite treading the waters outside his comfort zone!

“I love a good student,” gushed judge Bruno Tonioli. “If you put the work in, everything is going to happen and go your way. Work hard, and you get there. You gave me beautiful lines and you even went for the heel leads. What more do you want?” he further added. On the other hand, Guest judge Gene Simmons of the legendary rock group Kiss was impressed with the character that Stephen  expressed through his dance. “If they gave out awards I’d give you a gold award,” Simmons said. “You’ve got so much personality in that body of yours,” she added.

Despite the hardships of leaving behind comfort zones, by the end of the night, Stephen Nedoroscik had a combined score of 62/80 over the two nights of competition combined with his Soul Train Night scores. The score has tied the duo to third place. That means it’s a game on for Stephen and Rylee in the next round! The next episode is all set to air on Tuesday, October 15.