DWTS’ Lindsay Arnold Recalls Getting ‘Demoted,’ Pay Cut After 1st Pro Season

Opening up. When Lindsay Arnold joined the skilled lineup of Dancing With the Stars in March 2013, she thought she hit the profession jackpot — till being demoted to a troupe member.

“Dancing With the Stars known as, they usually had been like, ‘We would like you to do that season,’ so I pushed [college] again once more,” the So You Assume You Can Dance alum, 28, defined throughout the January 31 episode of Jason Tartick’s “Buying and selling Secrets and techniques” podcast. “Then, I believe after that first season of Dancing With the Stars, I noticed, like, ‘Oh, possibly I don’t have to go to varsity proper now.’ … It simply fell into place.”

Arnold’s first season aired in March 2013, when she was partnered with boxer Victor Ortiz throughout season 16. Nonetheless, she claimed he had a “tough persona,” which hindered their working relationship and contributed to her “demotion.”

“Then, I used to be given the boot right down to troupe for 4 or 5 seasons,” she recalled to the Bachelorette alum, 33. “After which introduced [back] as much as professional. I wasn’t prepared. I simply was not prepared. Actually, that was in all probability one of many hardest elements of my profession regardless that it’s such an unbelievable job; it’s a tremendous job.”

Whereas she gushed about her DWTS work now — together with her season 25 win with Jordan Fisher — she admitted that she was initially saddened to be downgraded to a troupe member for these 4 seasons. (The troupe members don’t dance with celeb companions however quite carry out in intro or “bumper” numbers with the opposite execs.)

“In hindsight, I do know that I wasn’t fairly prepared. I wanted to seek out out who I used to be, initially,” Arnold stated, noting her wage was lower in half. “And, what’s attention-grabbing is, once I say to you that it’s a totally different sort of work, however you place in additional hours on troupe typically than you do as knowledgeable,” Arnold stated, alleging the quantity she acquired shouldn’t be a livable wage. “It’s a complete pay lower!”

The ballroom dancer additional defined her duties as a member of the troupe.

“You set in additional hours on troupe typically than you do as knowledgeable since you are mainly on-call 24/7,” she stated. “You’re on the present’s schedule, all the time on name, able to go. As a backup dancer, again once I did it, sure [the salary was livable], as a result of there have been two seasons a yr.”

She continued: “However, with one season a yr, no, I suppose it is dependent upon the sort of life that you just stay, however dwelling in L.A., paying lease, shopping for meals there, paying for fuel, like, you’d be actually tight.”

The Transfer With Linds founder — who welcomed daughter Sage in November 2020 with husband Sam Cusick — lately partnered with former Bachelor Matt James throughout season 30 of DWTS, which aired late final yr.

“To my unbelievable associate @mattjames919  thanks for making this season so memorable, pleasurable, and enjoyable each single day,” the Utah native captioned an Instagram tribute to the ABC Meals Excursions founder, 28, in October 2021 after their stunning elimination. “You’re real, variety, humorous, arduous working, and one of many funnest folks to be round. I’m SO pleased with you!! Coming in to this expertise with zero dance or efficiency background and giving it your all week after week and genuinely bettering SO a lot!!! I couldn’t be extra proud to be your coach, associate, and buddy. I’m going to overlook dancing with you SO a lot and principally gonna miss our karaoke rehearsal classes, late evening NYC pizza binges, and cookie nights with Sagey and @rachaelkirkconnell love you each a lot!  thanks all in your assist and love for us this season!”

Supply: US Journal