Comedian Connor Wood and professional dancer Rylee Arnold faced a challenging night on “Dancing with the Stars” during the show’s recent “Viral Hits Night”. The couple’s performance, a tango to Sombr’s track “12 to 12”, received a score of 15 out of 30 from the judges.
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Before taking to the stage, the 31-year-old Wood admitted that rehearsing the tango had been an intense experience. He described it as “the hardest I’ve ever worked in my life.” Despite their efforts, the judges, including Bruno Tonioli, Derek Hough, and Carrie Ann Inaba, noted that the routine lacked polish and cohesion, with Wood stumbling during the performance.
Bruno Tonioli, known for his candid feedback, was particularly forthcoming with his critique. While acknowledging the beauty of Wood and Arnold’s connection at times, he pointed out the numerous errors that detracted from their overall performance. “When you are connected, when you’re on it, you present beautiful lines, clear, crisp. You can do it,” he stated. However, he did not shy away from mentioning the mistakes, prompting a sigh of frustration from him after delivering his comments.
Following the judges’ critique, a moment of secrecy unfolded between Wood and Tonioli. As Wood moved to return to the Skybox for the scores, Tonioli kept him back momentarily for a whispered conversation. After the show, Wood revealed that the judge had communicated a message of encouragement. “He was essentially saying, ‘I believe in you,’” Wood shared with PEOPLE.
Wood elaborated on the nature of the exchange, expressing his appreciation for Tonioli’s encouragement. The advice, however, was cut short when Wood was called away. “He was about to give me this golden piece of information, and they called me up. We had to go,” Wood recalled. Nonetheless, he took the judge’s comments as a sign of belief in his potential, which he found motivating.
Despite the underwhelming score, Wood understands that the judges’ critiques are rooted in a desire for the contestants to excel. “They’re not unanimously going to score someone low unless they have us in their best interest. Like, they really do,” he explained. He also noted that the judges were aware of his mistakes and that this knowledge made receiving the feedback even more challenging.
While some might be discouraged by a low score, Wood has a different outlook. “Now we have stuff to work on next week,” he said, keen to focus on the actionable feedback provided by the judges. His perspective aligns with a growth mindset, as he aims to improve in the upcoming performance.
Looking ahead, Wood and Arnold will showcase their skills once again in the next episode, themed “Yacht Rock Classics”. The show has become a staple of Tuesday evening entertainment, airing live at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with episodes available for streaming on Hulu the following day.
As the competition intensifies, viewers can anticipate watching how Wood and Arnold apply the judges’ feedback and progress in the weeks to come. With their commitment to improvement and the valuable insights from their judges, fans of the duo should expect to see some captivating performances ahead.