Rylee Arnold Gets Sweetest Surprise Ever on ‘DWTS Live Tour 2025’ Opening Night

Rylee Arnold experienced a special moment on the opening night of the “Dancing with the Stars” Live Tour.

Following the first show at Lyric Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland, on January 9, the pro dancer posted an Instagram Reel to share a look at the audience lit up with cell phone flashlights as she performed a ballroom dance with Alan Bersten. She then revealed that her DWTS best friend was behind the whole thing.

“When your bestie surprises you by getting everyone to put their flashlights out,” she captioned the sweet clip.

Arnold and Bersten, along with fellow pro dancers Emma Slater, Brandon Armstrong, Britt Stewart, Daniella Karagach, Gleb Savchenko, Pasha Pashkov, and Ezra Sosa are all part of the DWTS Live Tour, which will also feature celebrity dancers Joey Graziadei, Ilona Mayer, and Stephen Nedorscik on select dates. The tour ends on April 5, 2025, in Los Angeles.

Rylee Arnold Thanked Ezra Sosa For Making the Special Moment Happen

Arnold, 19, appeared to be very moved by the audience’s flashlight love.  She captioned her Reel to give a shout-out to her best friend from the DWTS family, fellow pro dancer Sosa, 24.

Some fans wanted to know what Sosa did to make the moment happen. “We were way up in the balcony and it seemed like so many people knew at once to pull out their flashlights. It was so beautiful but we were confused if we missed the memo,” one fan wrote.

Ezra Sosa Made a Secret Video to Ask Fans for Help

Three days before the tour began, Sosa worked behind the scenes to set up the surprise for Arnold.

He posted a TikTok message to urge fans to do something special for his best friend. After warning Arnold to keep scrolling if she came across the video, Sosa explained why he wanted to surprise her in a clip he titled “DWTS Fan Project.”

“Rylee is very passionate about one of her numbers, this song that is playing right now, ‘Nobody Gets Me Like You’ by SZA,” Sosa said in his TikTok.

He then suggested, “That part of the show, we all sing for her and shine our flashlights for Rylee. It would mean so much to her, especially just seeing her growth as a pro. I think it would be so nice for her to see our appreciation for her and how hard she’s been working. I really hope we can make this happen.”

Sosa then asked fans to spread the word to everyone they knew who was going to a DWTS Live show.

“STOP IM CRYIN 😭 Everyone needs a friend like you,” commented Arnold’s sister, veteran DWTS pro Lindsay Arnold.

Sosa later shared an update of him and Arnold on the tour bus as he showed her his original video pitch to fans.

“BEST FRIEND I FREAKING LOVE YOU,” she wrote in the comments section.

The “Dancing With the Stars Live 2025” Tour picks up for two shows at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut on January 10 and 11.