Ahead of the final, former pro Brandon Armstrong and Chandler Kinney offer “completely honest” advice

The Dancing with the stars The final week is here and Lindsay Arnold is preparing for the big moment – only now is she sitting in the audience watching her little sister Rylee Arnold and her former colleagues. While Soaps.com confirmed that she is “on a break” and not yet retired, viewers last saw Arnold filming the ballroom in season 30 in fall 2021 Bachelor Candidate Matt James. Still, she is the dance competition show’s biggest cheerleader.

The TikTok drama that brought the aging show back to life could be the biggest change Arnold has seen since she first joined the series as a professional in 2013. “I think it’s so cool how the show (and) the professionals have adapted to what our world is about right now,” she says enthusiastically. “I think that’s what contributes to the success of the (Dancing with the stars) and why it still exists and why everyone is talking about it this season.”

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Rylee and fellow pro Ezra Sosa helped usher in this new chapter Dancing with the stars with their Gen-Z take on the long-running series – and it works. Arnold describes her 19-year-old sister as “genuine” and “staying true to herself” despite the sudden fame. “She copes really well with the stress,” admits Dancer. “That’s the key, honestly. As a professional, the most important thing is to navigate through all the madness, stay calm and get the job done. And she did that really well.”

While Rylee hopes to compete for the mirror ball trophy with her partner, Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, Arnold is also keeping an eye on his longtime boyfriend Brandon Armstrong and actress Chandler Kinney. They received criticism on social media from viewers who think Kinney had too much dance training, while judge Carrie Ann Inaba expressed concerns that the professional didn’t push the Disney star enough.

“To be completely honest, I think they just need to put their heads down and do exactly what they’re doing,” she advises Armstrong and Kinney. “The truth is that apart from the professionals and celebrities, no one knows what goes on behind the scenes or in the rehearsal room. So just keep your head down, focus on your work and do your best. And the rest is really out of your hands.”

These words of wisdom earned Arnold her mirror ball trophy with Broadway star Jordan Fisher in 2017 and took her from ballroom to motherhood. As the mother of two daughters, Sage, 4, and June, 18 months, she has some rising stars in the family. Sage is an internet sensation and “the one who can actually control a phone and sit there and talk,” while June is the “little spitfire kid.”

Arnold made them both do it Dancing with the stars I want to watch her aunt compete for the last two seasons, but Sage enjoys the experience the most. This means she has to pack lots of snacks for her preschooler, who is quite the fashionista these days!

“Let me just walk through Sage’s purse – this is 100% what would be in it (during a day). Dancing with the stars visit),” she reveals. “Definitely one of my lip glosses because she steals those every day, she would have a 100 percent Juicy Juice, she would have a random Elsa glove because she always has one of those on hand, and she has a little roll camera with her She loves taking photos with her, so this is exactly what would be in Sage’s bag.”

For Arnold, good nutrition is about “fueling your body so it can feel good and do the things it loves to do.” For Sage, that means gymnastics and dancing, while June enjoys her “active” toddler life . Arnold’s busy schedule still leaves the door open for a return to the ballroom because there is one more thing she would like to do Dancing with the stars.

Arnold says, “The only thing I think would be cool that I didn’t even think was possible would be to compete alongside my little sister.” Let’s hope that’s on the producers’ list for Season 34 – one big and small sister professional competition.

Don’t miss the full interview with Lindsay Arnold and the reality show she wants to do next in the video above and find out which is the former Dancing with the stars You can find the previous pros in the gallery below.