Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold have been lighting up the stage on the thirty-third season of Dancing with the Stars these past few weeks! Their incredible energy and undeniable chemistry have fans buzzing, with many considering them serious contenders for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

But just when it looked like they were on the path to victory, Rylee dropped a bombshell—she announced she was dealing with an ankle sprain. Thankfully, the show decided to push the episode back a week, giving the 19-year-old a little time to recover. Still, fans were sweating bullets, worried this injury might throw a wrench in their third performance and lead to elimination.

Fast forward to Monday, October 7, and Dancing with the Stars returned with a brand-new episode featuring the theme of Soul Train night. The 11 remaining couples grooved to classics. But fear not! Stephen and Rylee nailed their performance, scoring a perfect 30 from the judges. It turns out Rylee’s ankle sprain didn’t hold her back—maybe thanks to one very adorable little healer!

In an Instagram story shared by the dancer, her niece, Sage, was seen holding her injured foot with her hands. Her mother, Lindsay Arnold, asked her if she could heal her aunt’s foot. She said, “Sage, can you use your doctor’s powers to make it better?”. To which the child adorably replied, “Wait, I need my spell books out!” It was a wholesome conversation between Rylee Arnold and her niece, who also had a video call with her, as seen in an Instagram story. Maybe her love and sincere desire to heal her aunt spurred her and the gymnast into such a great performance. If that’s the case, Rylee should look to bring her every time she performs. But the dancer seemed to be genuinely worried about her foot before the performance.

In another Instagram story, Rylee was seen applying spray on her foot in preparation for her performance. She captioned it, saying, “Making sure the ankle is good for the quickstep😂😂😂” The 19-year-old took all precautions so that she could evoke the quickness of the dance she was about to perform.

Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold wowed fans with a quickstep-inspired routine, a dance style that’s all the rage in the UK, grooving to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition.” They scored 30 with a mix of eights and sevens from the judges (8, 8, 7, 7). Derek loved the energy and tricks but pointed out some issues with Stephen’s frame. Meanwhile, Bruno and Carrie Ann urged him to work on his timing, noting that he sometimes got ahead of the beat.

Despite the critiques, the judges highlighted both the highs and areas for improvement in their performance. And one thing was crystal clear: Rylee showcased incredible perseverance, bouncing back from her injury to deliver a stunning show. She showed why she’s considered one of the veterans in the show and has been taking part in it for quite some time. Her influence has also rubbed off on Stephen whose dancing seems more polished than before. But it’s not just dancing, Rylee is helping Stephen with it. She is also helping with his social media.

Stephen Nedoroscik talks about how Rylee Arnold has upped his social media game

Ever since Stephen Nedoroscik nailed that unforgettable Pommel horse routine at the Paris Olympics, he’s become a household name. As the mastermind behind Team USA’s bronze medal win, people couldn’t get enough of his Clark Kent/Superman vibes, which totally went viral on the internet. But off the mat, in this age of social media stardom, Stephen’s newfound fame comes with its own set of challenges, and he admits it can be a bit overwhelming since he’s still getting the hang of it. Luckily, Rylee Arnold is here to save the day!

During an appearance on the Lightweight podcast with Joe Vulpis, Stephen raved about Rylee’s social media prowess, saying, “Rylee is just so phenomenal at social media… more than half the stuff I’ve posted has literally just been during our water breaks.” Rylee is a social media superstar, boasting a massive following of over 800K followers on Instagram thanks to her clever and engaging posts. It’s clear she’s not just a mentor to him on the dance floor.

Stephen went on to add, “(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.” He also said that their social media engagement is really important as it gets people to rally around them for support, which is needed for a victory in the show. It’s clear that Stephen and Rylee have figured out their partnership, and with this kind of synergy, who knows what amazing things they’ll achieve together in the competition!