As a former professional dancer on Dancing With the Stars, Lindsay Arnold Cusick says it’s a “full circle moment” taking in the show’s buzziness, particularly because some of that virality can be traced back to her kinship.
“As someone who started as a fan of Dancing With the Stars, literally 10-year-old Lindsay in her living room, watching every episode, voting, calling in for my favorite competitors, to then competing on the show for almost 10 years, to now being a fan again in a new way because I’m supporting my baby sister and all of my friends, it’s actually magical,” the mirrorball champion tells The Hollywood Reporter.
Lindsay was part of the pro dancer slate for 10 seasons, winning the series in 2017 alongside Jordan Fischer. During their run, they set the record for the most perfect scores in a single season, remaining as one of the most dynamic winning DWTS duos.
As a mother of three and a businesswoman, Lindsay is always on the move. Fitness and wellness are an important part of her lifestyle; she is a dancer founder of the at-home workout program The Movement Club, after all. That’s also why Ka’Chava has become a key element in her daily routine, as the protein-packed shake “just fits seamlessly into my day,” she says.
“I’m very passionate about moving my body, but I’m also extremely passionate about fueling my body. Through all my phases of life, whether that’s my time on Dancing With the Stars, pregnancy, postpartum, being a mom and now running businesses and running my kids all over the place, I need to make sure I’m fueling my body,” she says. “That’s why I love that Ka’Chava is a really seamless way to fit so many incredible things into my day and give my body so much of what it needs, but in a really simple form.”
As a personal trainer, Lindsay says she’s often asked, “How do you stay consistent with the things you want to have in your routine?” Her answer: “It truly is finding things that are actually attainable to fit into your life,” additionally explaining that Ka’Chava is “a super easy and effective way” to maximize her goals.
“What I love about Ka’Chava is it’s protein and then so much more. Not only are you getting 25 grams of protein, you’re getting vitamins and minerals, fiber, superfood, so many things in one drink,” Lindsay adds.
Lindsay danced her last season as a DWTS pro in 2021 for season 30, but it wasn’t long before her younger sister kept the Arnold name alive in the ballroom. Rylee Arnold made her pro debut one year after her elder sister’s exit in 2022 with season 31, ushering in a new era of the show, one boosted by social media.
“I think it is so incredible,” the dancer says of the show’s resurgence. “It just shows how incredible Dancing With the Stars is at adapting. Of course, I think bringing in this younger set of pros like Rylee was such a refreshing, fun way to ignite this newer audience. … I could not be more happy and proud that I had a part in this show as well.”
Eagle-eyed fans may have noticed Lindsay popping up more frequently in the DWTS universe over the past year. She attended the first DWTS Con this summer, and hosted a TikTok Live during the second premiere episode of season 35.
The show is no stranger to inviting former pros back for modern seasons; Sharna Burgess is back in the ballroom after a five-year hiatus, and Mark Ballas took year-long breaks in between seasons before returning last year for season 34.
Would Lindsay ever return to DWTS as a pro? “This is my answer, and I feel like it’s the best I can give: Never say never.”
“My career has taken so many turns that I never would have expected,” she adds, continuing, “So never say never is always my answer. But I will say that I am in such a wonderful, beautiful space right now, that [returning] is not really the plan as of now.”
It’s the exact answer her sister Rylee gave THR when asked if Lindsay would return earlier this year. If the Arnolds ever took on DWTS as pros in the same season, they’d become the first sister duo to do so. Many brother doubles and sister-brother pairs have been showcased, but not two sisters, which Lindsay says “would actually be crazy.”
DWTS Con was the first time Lindsay and Rylee “really ever performed [together] in that setting, and it was so special,” the former dancer says.
“When I think about [being on DWTS with Rylee], I’m like, Oh my gosh, it’d be so much fun. And it’s not really a matter of, do I think it would be fun? It’s more just would my life as a mom of three with my kids and a million things work in that setting? We don’t know,” Lindsay says. “It could, and maybe one day it will feel like it’s the right thing to do.”
One thing Lindsay is certain about is the wisdom she gained from her DWTS tenure that has lent itself to her professional career and personal life.
“One of the biggest things that I’ve learned [from DWTS] that has helped me across the board is adaptability,” she says. “Being able to adapt to different personalities of the partners that I had on the show has helped me immensely when it comes to different businesses, and probably the place it helped me the most is in motherhood.”
As for what’s next, Lindsay has a full slate with The Movement Club. She has no plans to stop moving forward anytime soon.
“It’s been so much fun to see where my career has taken me since stepping away from Dancing With the Stars. I always knew that I wanted to continue moving my body and finding what that means for me as a mom, going through pregnancies and all the things,” she says. “It’s been so fun finding this passion of movement in a different form.”
