Lindsay Arnold's journey from a young background dancer in 'High School Musical' to a celebrated 'Dancing With the Stars' professional is nothing short of inspirational.
- Dec 6, 2024
AceShowbiz - Before her tenure on "Dancing With the Stars" (DWTS), Lindsay Arnold had a humble beginning as a background extra in Disney's "High School Musical" franchise. "That was the highlight of my childhood," Arnold, 30, reminisced during a recent episode of the "Lightweights" podcast.
At the tender age of 14, she earned $50 for three full days of work. "I was like, 'I'm getting paid to dance, like what? I would do this for free.' Then, being able to tell my friends I was going to be in High School Musical was pretty cool," she added.
Arnold's brief appearance in "High School Musical 2", which aired on Disney Channel in 2007, and as a dancer in 2008's "High School Musical 3: Senior Year", were filmed in her home state of Utah. These early gigs, although fleeting, offered her invaluable exposure to the entertainment industry and set the stage for her future endeavors.
After growing up training and competing in ballroom dance in Utah, Arnold's talent led her to audition for "So You Think You Can Dance" at 18, where she placed in the Top 8. This achievement paved the way for her career on "DWTS".
"Dancing With the Stars called, and they were like, 'We want you to do this season,' so I pushed [college] back again," Arnold recounted during a 2022 episode of the "Trading Secrets" podcast. "Then, I think after that first season of Dancing With the Stars, I realized, like, 'Oh, maybe I don't need to go to college right now.' … It just fell into place."
Arnold's first season aired in March 2013, partnered with boxer Victor Ortiz during Season 16. Despite a brief "demotion" to the troupe the following year, a humbling experience she described as "probably one of the hardest parts of my career," she bounced back. She eventually won "DWTS" Season 25 with actor Jordan Fisher.
Today, Arnold has stepped away from the "DWTS" stage to focus on her family life, raising two young daughters with her husband Sam Cusick in Utah. However, dance remains in the family blood as her younger sister, Rylee Arnold, continues to blaze her own trail on "DWTS", marking the Arnold legacy one step at a time.
