Lindsay Arnold Cusick (; 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.
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, to Joshua Arnold, a physician assistant and former defensive back for the BYU Cougars, and Melinda "Mindy" Arnold (), a physical therapist. She is the oldest of four daughters; her sisters Jensen ( 1997), Brynley (b. 2000), and Rylee (b. 2005), are also dancers.
Arnold began dancing when she was four years old. 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. Arnold trained under head director Rick Robinson and other teachers in a variety of mediums, including ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, Latin and ballroom. Most of her training, however, was with her main ballroom coach, Shirley Ballas. After graduating from Timpview High School, Arnold planned to study physical therapy at Utah Valley University on a full academic scholarship.
Career By the age of eight, Arnold found a ballroom partner and began entering dancesport competitions. 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.
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. As the season progressed, Arnold was paired with contemporary dancer Jakob Karr and ballet dancer Alex Wong. She was ultimately eliminated alongside contemporary dancer Will Thomas on August 29, 2012, finishing within the top eight. Arnold later performed on the series' accompanying tour from October to December 2012.
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. 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. Arnold was demoted to the dance troupe from season 17 through season 20. She was promoted to pro for a second time for season 21 and was partnered with Legion of Honor recipient Alek Skarlatos. They reached the finale and finished in third place on November 24, 2015.
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. 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.
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. In season 25, Arnold was paired with singer-actor Jordan Fisher. One of the highest-scoring couples in Dancing with the Stars history, they won the competition on November 21, 2017, while setting the record for the most perfect scores earned in a single season, with nine.
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. In season 27, Arnold was paired with former NFL linebacker DeMarcus Ware. 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.
During season 28, Arnold was paired with former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. Despite consistently earning low scores and criticism from the judges, 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. 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.
Season Partner Place 16 Victor Ortiz 8th 21 Alek Skarlatos 3rd 22 Wanya Morris 4th 23 Calvin Johnson Jr.3rd 24 David Ross2nd 25 Jordan Fisher1st 26 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar8th 27 DeMarcus Ware7th 28 Sean Spicer6th30Matt James12th
Performances Season 16 with celebrity partner Victor Ortiz Week Dance Music Judges' scoreTotal ScoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli 1Foxtrot"Daylight" — Maroon 566618No Elimination 2Jive"Runaway Baby" — Bruno Mars66618 Bottom Two 3Contemporary"Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" — John Mayer87823Safe 4Paso doble"We Will Rock You" — Queen66618 Bottom Two 5Viennese waltz"Never Tear Us Apart" — INXS77721 Bottom Two 6Rumba"I Just Called to Say I Love You" — Stevie Wonder66618EliminatedTeam Paso doble"Higher Ground" — Stevie Wonder78722
Season 21 with celebrity partner Alek Skarlatos WeekDanceMusicJudges' scoreTotal ScoreResultInabaJ. HoughTonioli1Foxtrot"Ten Feet Tall" — Afrojack, feat. Wrabel87722No Elimination2Jazz"Don't Stop Believin'" — Journey87823SafeQuickstep"American Girl" — Elle King77822Safe3Tango"Bad Things" — Jace Everett89833No Elimination4Paso doble"Wake Me Up" — Avicii88824Safe5Rumba"Let It Go" — James Bay87729No EliminationQuickstep"Bossa Nova Baby" — Elvis Presley101010396Jive"Jailhouse Rock" — Elvis Presley88730Safe7Viennese waltz"Haunted" — Beyoncé98825SafeTeam Freestyle"Ghostbusters" — Ray Parker Jr.9109288Contemporary"Holding Out for a Hero" — Ella Mae Bowen98825SafeSamba Dance-off"Lean On" — Major Lazer & DJ Snake, feat. MØ colspan="3" 09Salsa"Back It Up" — Prince Royce, feat. Jennifer Lopez & Pitbull88824SafeTeam-up Paso doble"We Will Rock You" — Queen (from We Will Rock You)8882410(Semifinals)Waltz"America the Beautiful" — Ray Chew10101030No EliminationArgentine tango"Ex's & Oh's" — Elle King99927Cha-cha-cha Dance-off"Fun" — Pitbull, feat. Chris Brown colspan="3" 011(Finals)Rumba"The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore" — James Morrison99927SafeFreestyle"Marchin On" — OneRepublic10101030Rumba & Tango Fusion"A Sky Full of Stars" — Coldplay99927 Third Place Notes
Season 22 with celebrity partner Wanya Morris WeekDanceMusicJudges' scoreTotal ScoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Cha-cha-cha"Motownphilly" — Boyz II Men87823No Elimination2Salsa"Echa Pa'lla (Manos Pa'rriba)" — Pitbull88824Safe3Waltz"The Star-Spangled Banner" — Boyz II Men88824Safe4Samba"Circle of Life (District 78 remix)" — District 7889935Safe5Tango"Hold Back the River" — James Bay87830No EliminationJive"Hips" — Beans & Fatback877296Jazz"Bye Bye Bye" — NSYNC1091029Safe7Foxtrot"I Say a Little Prayer" — Aretha Franklin99927SafeTeam Freestyle"Super Bad""Living in America""I Got You (I Feel Good)" — James Brown9910288Jive"Can You Do This" — Aloe Blacc88925SafeSamba"Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora)" — Harry Belafonte1010299(Semifinals)Paso doble"Explosive" — David Garrett & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra10101030EliminatedCharleston"Shame on Me" — Avicii, feat. Sterling Fox & Audra Mae10101030 Notes
Season 23 with celebrity partner Calvin Johnson Jr. WeekDanceMusicJudges' scoreTotal ScoreResultInabaGoodmanJ. HoughTonioli1Cha-cha-cha"That's What I Like" — Flo Rida, feat. Fitz766726No Elimination2Foxtrot"As Days Go By" — Jesse Frederick777728Safe3Viennese waltz"Woman's World" — BJ the Chicago Kid888832Safe4Charleston"Bella Donna Twist" — Raphaël Beau87823Safe5Jazz"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" — Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell88824No Elimination6Argentine tango"Hotel California" — Eagles99937Safe7Jive"Good Golly, Miss Molly" — Little Richard999936SafeTeam Freestyle"The Skye Boat Song" — Raya Yarbrough109910388Quickstep"Dr. Bones" — Cherry Poppin' Daddies10101030SafeJive Dance-off"The Purple People Eater" — Sheb Wooley colspan="4" 09Waltz"Memory" — Leona Lewis910937SafeTeam-up Paso doble"No Good" — Kaleo91093710(Semifinals)Tango"Seven Nation Army" — The White Stripes89926SafeSalsa"Limbo" — Daddy Yankee1010103011(Finals)Viennese waltz"I Am Your Man" — Ryan Shaw899935SafeFreestyle"I Want You Back" — The Jackson 5"Please Mr. Postman" — The Marvelettes1010101040Jive & Quickstep Fusion"Tutti Frutti" — Little Richard1010101040 Third PlaceNotes
Season 24 with celebrity partner David Ross WeekDanceMusicJudges' scoreTotal ScoreResultInabaGoodmanJ. HoughTonioli1Quickstep"Go, Cubs, Go" — Steve Goodman777728No Elimination2Cha-cha-cha"Bust a Move" — Young MC767727Safe3Jazz"Candy Shop" — 50 Cent, feat. Olivia878831Safe4Viennese waltz"Forever Young" — Youth Group788831Safe5Jive"Ride" — ZZ Ward778729Safe6Argentine tango"I Want You Back" — NSYNC78729SafeTeam Freestyle"Dancing Machine" — The Jackson 5"You Got It (The Right Stuff)" — New Kids on the Block"Best Song Ever" — One Direction898337Salsa"Universal Mind Control" — Common, feat. Pharrell Williams88832SafeJive Dance-off"Gimme Some Lovin'" — The Spencer Davis Group colspan="4" 08Waltz"Humble and Kind" — Tim McGraw999936SafePaso doble"Gangsta's Paradise" — 2WEI778729 9(Semifinals)Foxtrot"You Make Me Feel So Young" — Michael Bublé989834SafeTango"Castle on the Hill" — Ed Sheeran99993610(Finals)Viennese waltz"Let's Hurt Tonight" — OneRepublic889833SafeFreestyle"It Takes Two" — Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" — Ronnie Neuman1010101040Foxtrot & Salsa Fusion"Living" —Bakermat, feat. Alex Clare999936 Runners-upNotes
Season 25 with celebrity partner Jordan Fisher WeekDanceMusicJudges' scoreTotal ScoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Tango"There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" — Shawn Mendes87722No Elimination2Viennese waltz"Count on Me" — Judah Kelly88824SafeSamba"Mi Gente" — J Balvin & Willy William88824Safe3Charleston"The Glory Days" — Michael Giacchino97925No Elimination4Contemporary"Take Me Home" — Us the Duo1091029Safe5Foxtrot"You're Welcome" — Jordan Fisher, feat. Lin-Manuel Miranda10101030Safe6Rumba"Supermarket Flowers" — Ed Sheeran1091039Safe7Paso doble"Animals" — Martin Garrix10101030SafeTeam Freestyle"Monster Mash" — Atwater Men's Club888248Quickstep"Chuck Berry" — Pharrell Williams10101030SafeSalsa"Que Viva La Vida" — Wisin101010309(Semifinals)Argentine tango"Brother" — NEEDTOBREATHE, feat. Gavin DeGraw991028SafeJive"Proud Mary" — Tina Turner1010103010(Finals)Charleston"Bad Man" — Pitbull, feat. Robin Thicke, Joe Perry & Travis Barker10101040SafeFreestyle"Puttin' on the Ritz 2017 (Jazzy Radio Mix)" — Taco, feat. tomX10101040Samba"Mi Gente" — J Balvin & Willy William10101030 WinnersPaso doble & Salsa Fusion"Kill the Lights" — Alex Newell, Jess Glynne & DJ Cassidy with Nile Rodgers10101030Notes
Season 26 with celebrity partner Kareem Abdul-Jabbar WeekDanceMusicJudges' scoreTotal ScoreResultInabaGoodmanTonioli1Cha-cha-cha"Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" — Stevie Wonder65617Safe2Salsa"La malanga" — Eddie Palmieri76626 EliminatedTeam Freestyle"...Baby One More Time" — The Baseballs88833 Notes
Season 27 with celebrity partner DeMarcus Ware