Lindsay Arnold
American professional dancer (born 1994)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lindsay Arnold Cusick (née Arnold; born January 11, 1994) is an American professional dancer, choreographer, and businesswoman. Specialized in Latin and ballroom dance styles, she was a contestant on the ninth season of the reality competition series So You Think You Can Dance.
- Dancer
- choreographer
- media personality
- businesswoman
Lindsay Arnold | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 11, 1994 Provo, Utah, U.S. |
| Education | Timpview High School |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Height | 5 ft 5.5 in (166 cm)[1] |
| Spouse |
Samuel Cusick (m. 2015) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Rylee Arnold (sister) |
| Website | www |
Arnold joined Dancing with the Stars as a pro in 2013, as one of the youngest pros in history. She won its twenty-fifth season with singer-actor Jordan Fisher and set the record for the most perfect scores earned in a single season, with nine.
Early life
Lindsay Arnold was born on January 11, 1994, in Provo, Utah,[2][3] to Joshua Arnold, a physician assistant and former defensive back for the BYU Cougars,[4] and Melinda "Mindy" Arnold (née Peay), a physical therapist.[4][5] She is the oldest of four daughters; her sisters Jensen (b. 1997), Brynley (b. 2000), and Rylee (b. 2005), are also dancers.[6][5]
Arnold began dancing when she was four years old.[5] As her sisters followed in her footsteps and dance dominated their household, their mother opened The Vibe, a dance studio in Lindon, Utah that offered a "family environment" for them to perform in.[7] Arnold trained under head director Rick Robinson and other teachers in a variety of mediums, including ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, Latin and ballroom.[6] Most of her training, however, was with her main ballroom coach, Shirley Ballas.[6][8] After graduating from Timpview High School,[9] Arnold planned to study physical therapy at Utah Valley University on a full academic scholarship.[8]
Career
By the age of eight, Arnold found a ballroom partner and began entering dancesport competitions.[6] She placed first in the U.S Open Youth Latin Championships and the U.S. Open Junior Latin Championships, was a top three finalist in the World Junior Latin Team Match, and was a top five finalist at the World Cup Latin Junior Championships and U.S. Junior National 10 Dance Championships.[6]
2012: So You Think You Can Dance
Arnold auditioned for the ninth season of the dance competition series So You Think You Can Dance on February 23, 2012, in Salt Lake City. She was named one of the season's top twenty contestants and was first partnered with martial arts fusion dancer Cole Horibe.[10] As the season progressed, Arnold was paired with contemporary dancer Jakob Karr and ballet dancer Alex Wong.[11] She was ultimately eliminated alongside contemporary dancer Will Thomas on August 29, 2012, finishing within the top eight.[12] Arnold later performed on the series' accompanying tour from October to December 2012.[13]
2013–2021: Dancing with the Stars
Arnold became a professional dancer on season 16 of the reality television series Dancing with the Stars; becoming the second-youngest pro dancer in the show's history at the time.[14] She was partnered with professional boxer Victor Ortiz. They were eliminated during the sixth week of competition on April 23, 2013, finishing in eighth place.[15] Arnold was demoted to the dance troupe from season 17 through season 20.[16] She was promoted to pro for a second time for season 21 and was partnered with Legion of Honor recipient Alek Skarlatos.[17] They reached the finale and finished in third place on November 24, 2015.[18]
For season 22, Arnold was paired with Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men. They were eliminated during the semifinals alongside NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown and Sharna Burgess on May 16, 2016, finishing in fourth place.[19] In season 23, Arnold was partnered with NFL wide receiver Calvin Johnson. They reached the finale and finished in third place on November 22, 2016.[20]
The following season, Arnold was paired with former MLB catcher David Ross. They also reached the finale, but were named the runners-up on May 23, 2017, behind former NFL running back Rashad Jennings and Emma Slater.[21] In season 25, Arnold was paired with singer-actor Jordan Fisher. One of the highest-scoring couples in Dancing with the Stars history,[22] they won the competition on November 21, 2017,[23] while setting the record for the most perfect scores earned in a single season, with nine.[24]
For the Athletes season, Arnold was partnered with former NBA center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. They were eliminated during the second week of competition alongside Notre Dame basketball player Arike Ogunbowale and Gleb Savchenko on May 7, 2018, finishing in seventh place.[25] In season 27, Arnold was paired with former NFL linebacker DeMarcus Ware.[26] They were eliminated during the seventh week of competition alongside actor-singer John Schneider and Emma Slater on November 7, 2018, also finishing in seventh place.[27]
During season 28, Arnold was paired with former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. Despite consistently earning low scores and criticism from the judges,[28] home audience votes allowed the pair to stay in the competition until they were eliminated during the quarterfinals on November 11, 2019, finishing in sixth place.[29] Arnold returned to the show in season 30 and was partnered with The Bachelor star Matt James. They were eliminated by judges' votes during the fourth week of competition alongside actor Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess on October 12, 2021, finishing in twelfth place; Arnold's lowest placement to date.[30]
| Season | Partner | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Victor Ortiz | 8th |
| 21 | Alek Skarlatos | 3rd |
| 22 | Wanya Morris | 4th |
| 23 | Calvin Johnson Jr. | 3rd |
| 24 | David Ross | 2nd |
| 25 | Jordan Fisher | 1st |
| 26 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 8th |
| 27 | DeMarcus Ware | 7th |
| 28 | Sean Spicer | 6th |
| 30 | Matt James | 12th |
Performances
Season 16 with celebrity partner Victor Ortiz
| Week | Dance | Music | Judges' score | Total Score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||||
| 1 | Foxtrot | "Daylight" — Maroon 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Jive | "Runaway Baby" — Bruno Mars | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 | Bottom Two |
| 3 | Contemporary | "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" — John Mayer | 8 | 7 | 8 | 23 | Safe |
| 4 | Paso doble | "We Will Rock You" — Queen | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 | Bottom Two |
| 5 | Viennese waltz | "Never Tear Us Apart" — INXS | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 | Bottom Two |
| 6 | Rumba | "I Just Called to Say I Love You" — Stevie Wonder | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 | Eliminated |
| Team Paso doble | "Higher Ground" — Stevie Wonder | 7 | 8 | 7 | 22 | ||
Season 21 with celebrity partner Alek Skarlatos
Notes
- Alek and Lindsay also received a score of 8 from guest judge Alfonso Ribeiro.
- Week 5 was switch-up week. Alek danced a rumba with Emma Slater, while Lindsay danced a quickstep with Carlos PenaVega. Alek's scores with Emma went towards his overall score with Lindsay.
- Alek and Emma also received a score of 7 from guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
- Carlos and Lindsay also received a score of 9 from guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
- Alek and Lindsay also received a score of 7 from guest judge Olivia Newton-John.
- Alek and Lindsay did not receive any bonus points for losing the dance-off.
- Alek and Lindsay did not receive any bonus points for losing the dance-off.
Season 22 with celebrity partner Wanya Morris
| Week | Dance | Music | Judges' score | Total Score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||||
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha | "Motownphilly" — Boyz II Men | 8 | 7 | 8 | 23 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Salsa | "Echa Pa'lla (Manos Pa'rriba)" — Pitbull | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | Safe |
| 3 | Waltz | "The Star-Spangled Banner" — Boyz II Men | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | Safe |
| 4 | Samba | "Circle of Life (District 78 remix)" — District 78 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 35[a] | Safe |
| 5[b] | Tango | "Hold Back the River" — James Bay | 8 | 7 | 8 | 30[c] | No Elimination |
| Jive | "Hips" — Beans & Fatback | 8 | 7 | 7 | 29[d] | ||
| 6 | Jazz | "Bye Bye Bye" — NSYNC | 10 | 9 | 10 | 29 | Safe |
| 7 | Foxtrot | "I Say a Little Prayer" — Aretha Franklin | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 | Safe |
| Team Freestyle | "Super Bad" "Living in America" "I Got You (I Feel Good)" — James Brown |
9 | 9 | 10 | 28 | ||
| 8 | Jive | "Can You Do This" — Aloe Blacc | 8 | 8 | 9 | 25 | Safe |
| Samba | "Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora)" — Harry Belafonte | 10 | N/a | 10 | 29[e] | ||
| 9 (Semifinals) |
Paso doble | "Explosive" — David Garrett & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 | Eliminated |
| Charleston | "Shame on Me" — Avicii, feat. Sterling Fox & Audra Mae | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 | ||
Notes
- Week 5 was switch-up week. Wanyá danced a tango with Witney Carson, while Lindsay danced a jive with Von Miller. Wanyá's scores with Witney went towards his overall score with Lindsay.
- Wanyá and Witney also received a score of 7 from guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
- Von and Lindsay also received a score of 7 from guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
- Due to Len Goodman designing the team-up dance, he did not score it. Instead, the general public as able to give a score out of 10. They gave Wanyá and Lindsay a score of 9.
Season 23 with celebrity partner Calvin Johnson Jr.
| Week | Dance | Music | Judges' score | Total Score | Result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | J. Hough | Tonioli | |||||
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha | "That's What I Like" — Flo Rida, feat. Fitz | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 26 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Foxtrot | "As Days Go By" — Jesse Frederick | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 | Safe |
| 3 | Viennese waltz | "Woman's World" — BJ the Chicago Kid | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 32 | Safe |
| 4 | Charleston | "Bella Donna Twist" — Raphaël Beau | 8 | N/a | 7 | 8 | 23[a] | Safe |
| 5 | Jazz | "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" — Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell | 8 | N/a | 8 | 8 | 24[b] | No Elimination |
| 6 | Argentine tango | "Hotel California" — Eagles | 9 | N/a | 9 | 9 | 37[c] | Safe |
| 7 | Jive | "Good Golly, Miss Molly" — Little Richard | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 36 | Safe |
| Team Freestyle | "The Skye Boat Song" — Raya Yarbrough | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 38 | ||
| 8 | Quickstep | "Dr. Bones" — Cherry Poppin' Daddies | 10 | N/a | 10 | 10 | 30[d] | Safe |
| Jive Dance-off | "The Purple People Eater" — Sheb Wooley | Loser | 0[e] | |||||
| 9 | Waltz | "Memory" — Leona Lewis | 9 | N/a | 10 | 9 | 37[f] | Safe |
| Team-up Paso doble | "No Good" — Kaleo | 9 | N/a | 10 | 9 | 37[g] | ||
| 10 (Semifinals) |
Tango | "Seven Nation Army" — The White Stripes | 8 | N/a | 9 | 9 | 26[h] | Safe |
| Salsa | "Limbo" — Daddy Yankee | 10 | N/a | 10 | 10 | 30[i] | ||
| 11 (Finals) |
Viennese waltz | "I Am Your Man" — Ryan Shaw | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 35 | Safe |
| Freestyle | "I Want You Back" — The Jackson 5 "Please Mr. Postman" — The Marvelettes |
10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | ||
| Jive & Quickstep Fusion | "Tutti Frutti" — Little Richard | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | Third Place | |
Notes
- Due to Len Goodman's absence, scores were given on a 30 point scale.
- Due to Len Goodman's absence, scores were given on a 30 point scale.
- Due to Len Goodman's absence, scores were given on a 30 point scale.
- Calvin and Lindsay did not receive any bonus points for losing the dance-off.
- Calvin and Lindsay also received a score of 9 from guest judge Idina Menzel.
- The team-up dance also received a score of 9 from guest judge Idina Menzel.
- Due to Len Goodman's absence, scores were given on a 30 point scale.
- Due to Len Goodman's absence, scores were given on a 30 point scale.
Season 24 with celebrity partner David Ross
Notes
- David and Lindsay also received a score of 8 from guest judge Nick Carter.
- The team dance also received a score of 9 from guest judge Nick Carter.
- David and Lindsay also received a score of 8 from guest judge Mandy Moore.
- David and Lindsay did not receive any bonus points for losing the dance-off.
Season 25 with celebrity partner Jordan Fisher
Notes
- Jordan and Lindsay also received a score of 10 from guest judge Shania Twain.
- Jordan and Lindsay also received a score of 10 from guest judge Julianne Hough.
- Jordan and Lindsay also received a score of 10 from guest judge Julianne Hough.
Season 26 with celebrity partner Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
| Week | Dance | Music | Judges' score | Total Score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||||
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha | "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" — Stevie Wonder | 6 | 5 | 6 | 17 | Safe |
| 2 | Salsa | "La malanga" — Eddie Palmieri | 7 | 6 | 6 | 26[a] | Eliminated |
| Team Freestyle | "...Baby One More Time" — The Baseballs | 8 | 8 | 8 | 33[b] | ||
Notes
- Kareem and Lindsay also received a score of 7 from guest judge Rashad Jennings.
- The team dance also received a score of 9 from guest judge Rashad Jennings.
Season 27 with celebrity partner DeMarcus Ware
| Week | Dance | Music | Judges' score | Total Score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||||
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha | "Sweet Sensation" — Flo Rida | 8 | 7 | 8 | 23 | Safe |
| 2 | Foxtrot | "The Boy from New York City" — The Manhattan Transfer | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | No Elimination |
| Quickstep | "Ladies Man" — Boyz II Men | 8 | 7 | 8 | 23 | Safe | |
| 3 | Argentine tango | "Lux Aeterna" — Clint Mansell & Kronos Quartet | 9 | 8 | 9 | 26 | Safe |
| 4 | Paso doble | "Fire" — Barns Courtney | 7 | 7 | 8 | 22 | Safe |
| 5 | Charleston | "A Star Is Born" — Alan Menken & David Zippel | 9 | 8 | 9 | 26 | No Elimination |
| 6 | Salsa | "Under Your Spell" — Leo Soul | 8 | 9 | 9 | 26 | Safe |
| 7 | Viennese waltz | "Tennessee Whiskey" — Chris Stapleton | 9 | 9 | 9 | 27 | Eliminated |
| Team Freestyle | "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" — Luke Bryan | 9 | 8 | 9 | 26 | ||
Season 28 with celebrity partner Sean Spicer
| Week | Dance | Music | Judges' score | Total Score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||||
| 1 | Salsa | "Spice Up Your Life" — Spice Girls | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Tango | "Shut Up and Dance" — Walk the Moon | 6 | 5 | 5 | 16 | Safe |
| 3 | Cha-cha-cha | "Night Fever" — Bee Gees | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 | Safe |
| 4 | Paso doble | "Bamboléo" — Gipsy Kings | 5 | 5 | 5 | 21[a] | Safe |
| 5 | Quickstep | "You've Got a Friend in Me" — Randy Newman | 7 | 6 | 6 | 19 | No Elimination |
| 6 | Viennese waltz | "Somebody to Love" — Queen | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 | Safe |
| 7 | Jive | "Monster Mash" — Bobby Pickett | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 | Safe |
| Team Freestyle | "Sweet Dreams" — Beyoncé | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | ||
| 8[b] | Jazz | "Come Sail Away" — Styx | 7 | 7 | 6 | 20 | Safe |
| Cha-cha-cha Dance-off | "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" — C+C Music Factory | Loser | 0[c] | ||||
| 9[d] | Argentine tango | "Bills, Bills, Bills" — Destiny's Child | 7 | 6 | 6 | 26[e] | Eliminated |
| Foxtrot | "Story of My Life" — One Direction | 6 | 6 | 6 | 24[f] | ||
Notes
- Sean and Lindsay also received a score of 6 from guest judge Leah Remini.
- Due to Lindsay's absence, Sean danced with Jenna Johnson.
- Sean and Jenna did not receive any bonus points for losing the dance-off.
- Due to Lindsay's absence, Sean danced with Jenna Johnson.
- Sean and Jenna also received a score of 7 from guest judge Joey Fatone.
- Sean and Jenna also received a score of 6 from guest judge Joey Fatone.
Season 30 with celebrity partner Matt James
| Week | Dance | Music | Judges' score | Total Score | Result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | D. Hough | Tonioli | |||||
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha | "Give It to Me Baby" — Rick James | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 24 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Samba | "Levitating" — Dua Lipa | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 22 | Safe |
| 3 | Tango | "Scream & Shout" — Britney Spears with Will.i.am | 7 | 6 | N/a | 7 | 20[a] | Safe |
| 4 | Quickstep | "The Incredits" — Michael Giacchino | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 26 | No Elimination |
| Paso doble | "Jungle" — X Ambassadors & Jamie N Commons | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 31 | Eliminated | |
Notes
- Due to Derek Hough's absence, scores were given on a 30 point scale.
2018–present: Business ventures
In 2018, Arnold launched L.A.C, a namesake lifestyle brand of makeup, cosmetics, and accessories.[31] She later became a certified personal trainer and founded The Movement Club, an on-demand fitness and wellness program, in December 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.[32]
Personal life
Arnold is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She announced her engagement to her high school sweetheart, Samuel Cusick, in December 2014 during a trip to Tanzania. They married on June 18, 2015, in a private ceremony at the Salt Lake Temple. Arnold's fellow Dancing with the Stars pros Brittany Cherry, Jenna Johnson, and Emma Slater were among her bridesmaids, with Witney Carson serving as her maid of honor.[3]
Arnold and Cusick have three children together: two daughters born in November 2020 and May 2023,[33][34] and a son born in June 2026.[35] All of their children were delivered via Caesarean section.[36][37]