Stephen Nedoroscik has traded in his pommel horse skills for a pair of dancing shoes, ready to cha-cha his way into Dancing With The Stars season 33! Known as the Clark Kent of gymnastics, Stephen broke Team USA’s 15-year medal drought and now finds himself in a whole new arena—this time, with pro dancer Rylee Arnold by his side. But it’s not just dance moves they’re working on—these two have been spending plenty of time together, and Stephen is stepping into another unfamiliar world: social media.

America’s favorite “Pommel Horse Guy” stole the show with his laid-back swagger at the Paris Olympics, but let’s be honest—going viral was probably never on his gymnastics scorecard! Now, navigating the online universe is another kind of twist for Stephen. Enter his partner-in-dance (and social media sensei), Rylee Arnold. With her huge following, she’s not just teaching him to nail the tango—she’s also showing him how to conquer the content creation game.

Rylee Arnold fine-tunes Stephen Nedoroscik’s dance moves—and his socials—into pure gold

Planning to give her partner an added edge over other competitors, Rylee Arnold has taken responsibility for Stephen Nedoroscik’s social media affairs. Since her debut in DWTS Junior, Rylee has been known for her clever TikToks and Instagram reels. And now, coming to the third week of DWTS, her digital dominance is turning out to be a huge asset to Nedoroscik. And Nedoroscik himself did not shy away from acknowledging that Rylee’s expertise is a game changer for him.

Stephen Nedoroscik sat for a candid conversation in the Lightweight Podcast with Joe Vulpis. Reflecting on how they have been uplifting his social media game, he stated, “Rylee is just so phenomenal at social media… more than half the stuff I’ve posted has literally just been during our water breaks”. Nedoroscik further added how effortlessly Rylee plans their social media presence. Stephen explained, “(Rylee) She’s like, “I have an idea for a TikTok or an Instagram reel.” And they’re typically like, so easy…he’s just good at those trends…I have no idea how she finds the audios that she does for these videos”.

On the other hand, before his DWTS debut, the gymnast was more likely to scroll through memes and chess videos than follow the latest TikTok trends. But now as it appears, with Rylee’s guidance, he’s quickly adapted. “I’m on Pesto TikTok right now,” he joked, referring to a viral baby penguin account he enjoys. As Nedoroscik juggles the intense dance rehearsals and fast-paced turnaround of the show, Rylee’s support goes beyond the technical choreography.

“This show isn’t just about the dance. It’s about being personable and putting stuff out online to get people to rally behind you,” Nedoroscik explained. Although fans have continued to pour love and support for their ‘Pommel Horse Guy’, Stephen Nedoroscik’s journey to the 3rd week of DWTS has not been easy.

Nedoroscik’s hidden struggle behind the Superman cape 

Although he is referred to as the Clark Kent of the gymnastics world, transforming into a superhero wasn’t an easy task. Before receiving endless praise for the Paso Doble performance in the Superman suit, Stephen had to struggle hard to grab the dance routine during their rehearsal sessions. 

Despite effortlessly executing gravity-defying stunts, one step from the dance routine turned out to be tough for him, where he had to rip his shirt off in DC comics’s Superman-style. Referring to how Rylee guided him, Nedoroscik said, “So, I start walking down, and Riley’s like, “Go, go!” She’s telling me to walk, and I was like, “Oh, she’s told me to stop.” Then I was like, “Yeah, right.” And then I was like, “Okay, wait, no, she’s saying go.” However, the expectation could not be stopped. “Then I kind of hit a little jog to the stairs, tripped, tripped down the stairs.”

Moreover, the Superman suit? Yeah, it caused some serious wardrobe malfunctions and discomfort. But with Rylee’s expert guidance and Stephen’s heart full of determination, the duo still nailed their performance on D-day. With just two rehearsals to pull everything together, the pressure was intense—but they’re handling it like pros, keeping their eyes firmly on that shiny Mirrorball Trophy!