Rylee Arnold Felt 'All the Emotions' During 'DWTS' 500th Episode Special

Stephen Nedoroscik and Rylee Arnold

Rylee Arnold was overcome with emotion after performing with partner Stephen Nedoroscik on the 500th episode of Dancing With the Stars.

“Honestly, [it was] just love for Stephen and feeling so proud of him,” the 19-year-old exclusively told Us Weekly following the Tuesday, November 12, episode.

Rylee and Stephen, 26, earned a total of 29 points — two 10s and a nine — for their take on Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas‘ memorable Viennese waltz to “Glimpse of Us” by Joji from season 31. When listening to the judges’ feedback, Rylee grew noticeably emotional.

“For me, this is so crazy that I get to be a part of this 500th episode when it’s been my favorite show ever since I was a little girl,” she told Us. “It’s just so surreal getting to be here and to perform in this episode, and all the emotions just hit me. It was kind of like a hard two weeks getting prepared for this one, because it was a dance that we really wanted to master, so it’s just like that relief and just gratefulness.”

'DWTS' 500th Episode Recap: Who Went Home, Instant Dance Round Results

For the instant dance round, Rylee and Stephen were challenged to perform a jive to Olivia Rodrigo‘s “Love Is Embarrassing.” Both the song and dance style were a mystery to the duo until just minutes before their performance.

Rylee owned up to making a minor mistake during the routine, and the judges commented on Stephen’s trouble with tempo. In the end, the twosome earned 25 points — two eights and a nine — for their instant dance.

Rylee Arnold and Stephen Nedoroscik

“It feels amazing,” Stephen gushed to Us after the pair were saved from elimination. “Me and Rylee have just been putting in so much work in these dances. … You never know what’s going to happen with the dance, and I’m just so proud that me and Rylee were able to go out there and just have a phenomenal dance tonight. It was just amazing.”

The 500th episode was sentimental for Rylee, who has now made it to her first semifinals as a DWTS pro. She first competed with reality star Harry Jowsey on season 32 last year, but DWTS was a big part of Rylee’s life long before she stepped foot in the ABC ballroom.

During Tuesday’s episode, Rylee revealed she was born just three days after the DWTS premiere in 2005. She also grew up watching her sister Lindsay Arnold compete on 10 seasons. Lindsay, 30, secured a mirrorball trophy win with Jordan Fisher in 2017 and did not return as a pro this season, but she’s been having fun watching her younger sibling shine.

How Lindsay Arnold Reacted to Seeing Sister Rylee's 1st 10 on 'DWTS'

“Genuinely I feel like I’m in it with Rylee because I’m like, ‘Send me every video, call me after rehearsal, tell me everything.’ I feel like I’m so in it,” Lindsay exclusively told Us in September. “It’s funny, because I feel like I even get a little bit more stressed and worried and into it than I ever did for myself because it’s like it’s my little baby sister.”

Lindsay was in the audience on Tuesday for the 500th episode — her season 25 quickstep was reimagined by Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten — and Rylee couldn’t be happier to share the special moment with her sister.

“It is so amazing having Lindsay here,” she told reporters after the show. “She doubles, triples as my mother, my sister and my mentor. She’s there for me through every step of the way, making sure that I feel good and confident in everything that I do. Honestly, I would not be here without Lindsay. I would not be able to do the things I do without Lindsay, so it was really, really special to have her be here.”

Dancing With the Stars airs simultaneously on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

With reporting by Carly Konsker