Lindsay Arnold Cusick (born January 11, 1994)[2][3] is an American professional Latin and ballroom dancer. She was a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance. She was a professional dancer and choreographer on Dancing with the Stars.
Lindsay Arnold Cusick | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 11, 1994 Provo, Utah, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Dancer, choreographer |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Height | 5 ft 5.5 in (166 cm)[1] |
| Spouse | Samuel Cusick (m. 2015) |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | www |
Early life
Lindsay Arnold was born and raised in Provo, Utah, and is the oldest of four daughters.[3][4] Her siblings are Jensen, Brynley, and Rylee.
Personal life
On June 18, 2015, she married her high-school sweetheart, Samuel Cusick, in a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ceremony at the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah. Fellow Dancing with the Stars dancers Brittany Cherry, Jenna Johnson, and Emma Slater were among her bridesmaids, with Witney Carson serving as maid of honor.[3] On May 13, 2020, she announced she and Cusick were expecting their first child, a girl, due in November.[5] Their daughter, Sage Jill Cusick, was born on November 2, 2020.[6] On October 24, 2022, she announced she and Cusick were expecting their second child, a girl. Their second daughter, June Cusick, was born on May 3, 2023.[7][8]
So You Think You Can Dance
At age 18, Arnold auditioned for the ninth season of So You Think You Can Dance. She progress to the top 20 finalists. Her partner was martial arts fusion dancer Cole Horibe. With 10 dancers remained, the contestants switched partners to a new one each week. As she proceeded to the top eight dancers, Arnold partnered with Jakob Karr and Alex Wong. She was eliminated on August 29, 2012. After the season, she performed on the show's 30-city tour.[citation needed]
Dancing with the Stars
Arnold became a professional dancer on season 16 of the reality television series Dancing with the Stars. At the time, she was the second-youngest pro dancer in the show's history,[citation needed] following Julianne Hough joining the show at 18. She was partnered with professional boxer Victor Ortiz. They finished in 8th place and were eliminated in week six after getting three 6s.[9]
She returned in season 17 as a member of the dance troupe, and continued in the troupe through season 20.
She was promoted again to a professional partner in season 21, in which she partnered with National Guard member Alek Skarlatos.[10] The couple made it to the finals and finished in third place.[11]
Arnold returned as a professional for season 22 and was paired with Boyz II Men singer Wanya Morris. They were eliminated in the semifinals, finishing in 4th place.[12]
In season 23, she was partnered with former NFL player Calvin Johnson Jr., finishing in third place.[13]
The following season, her partner was former Major League Baseball catcher David Ross. They finished in second place, behind Rashad Jennings and Emma Slater.
In season 25, Arnold was paired with singer-actor Jordan Fisher. They won the season on November 21, 2017,[14] setting the record[15] for most perfect scores with a total of 9.
The next season, Arnold and former NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were eliminated in the second week of competition, tying for 7th place with Arike Ogunbowale and Gleb Savchenko.[16]
In season 27, she was paired with former NFL player DeMarcus Ware.[17] The couple was eliminated on week 7 of the competition, finishing in 7th place.[18]
The following season, Arnold was paired with former White House Press Secretary and political aide Sean Spicer. Despite consistently earning low scores and criticism from the judges, home-audience votes kept the pair in[19] through week 9, and they finished in 6th place.[20]
Arnold returned to the show in season 30. She was partnered with season 25 Bachelor Matt James.[21]
| Season | Partner | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Victor Ortiz | 8th |
| 21 | Alek Skarlatos | 3rd |
| 22 | Wanya Morris | 4th |
| 23 | Calvin Johnson Jr. | 3rd |
| 24 | David Ross | 2nd |
| 25 | Jordan Fisher | 1st |
| 26 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 8th |
| 27 | DeMarcus Ware | 7th |
| 28 | Sean Spicer | 6th |
| 30 | Matt James | 12th |
Performances
Season 16 with celebrity partner Victor Ortiz
| Week | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Foxtrot / "Daylight" | 6 | 6 | 6 | No elimination |
| 2 | Jive / "Runaway Baby" | 6 | 6 | 6 | Bottom two |
| 3 | Prom group dance / "The Rockafeller Skank" Contemporary / "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" | No 8 | points 7 | awarded 8 | Safe |
| 4 | Paso doble / "We Will Rock You" | 6 | 6 | 6 | Bottom two |
| 5 | Viennese Waltz / "Never Tear Us Apart" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Bottom two |
| 6 | Rumba / "I Just Called to Say I Love You" Team Paso doble / "Higher Ground" | 6 7 | 6 8 | 6 7 | Eliminated |
Season 21 with celebrity partner Alek Skarlatos
| Week | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Hough | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Foxtrot / "Ten Feet Tall" | 8 | 7 | 7 | No elimination |
| 2 | Jazz / "Don't Stop Believin'" Quickstep / "American Girl" | 8 7 | 7 7 | 8 8 | Safe |
| 3 | Tango / "Bad Things" | 8 | 81/9 | 8 | Safe |
| 4 | Paso doble / "Wake Me Up" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 52 | Rumba / "Let It Go" | 8 | 7/73 | 7 | No elimination |
| 6 | Jive / "Jailhouse Rock" | 8 | 8/74 | 7 | Safe |
| 7 | Viennese Waltz / "Haunted" Team Freestyle / "Ghostbusters" | 9 9 | 8 10 | 8 9 | Safe |
| 8 | Contemporary / "Holding Out for a Hero" Samba dance-off / "Lean On" | 9 No | 8 extra | 8 points | Safe |
| 9 | Salsa / "Back It Up" Team-Up Dance (Paso Doble) / "We Will Rock You" | 8 8 | 8 8 | 8 8 | Safe |
| 10 Semifinals | Waltz / "America the Beautiful" Cha-cha-cha Dance-off / "Fun" Trio Argentine Tango / "Ex's & Oh's" | 10 No 9 | 10 Extra 9 | 10 Points 9 | No elimination |
| 11 Finals | Rumba / "The Pieces Don't Fit Anymore Freestyle / "Marchin On" Rumba & Tango Fusion / "A Sky Full of Stars" | 9 10 9 | 9 10 9 | 9 10 9 | Third place |
1 Score given by guest judge Alfonso Ribeiro.
2 This week only, for "Partner Switch-Up" week, Skarlatos performed with Emma Slater instead of Arnold. Arnold performed with Carlos PenaVega.[22]
3 Score given by guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
4 Score given by guest judge Olivia Newton-John.
Season 22 with celebrity partner Wanya Morris
| Week | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha / "Motownphilly" | 8 | 7 | 8 | No elimination |
| 2 | Salsa / "Echa Pa'lla (Manos Pa'rriba)" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 3 | Waltz / "The Star-Spangled Banner" | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 4 | Samba / "Circle of Life" | 8 | 9/91 | 9 | Safe |
| 52 | Tango / "Hold Back the River" | 8 | 7/73 | 8 | No elimination |
| 6 | Jazz / "Bye Bye Bye" | 10 | 9 | 10 | Safe |
| 7 | Foxtrot / "I Say a Little Prayer" Team Freestyle / "Super Bad", "Living in America" & "I Got You (I Feel Good)" | 9 9 | 9 9 | 9 10 | Safe |
| 8 | Jive / "Can You Do This" Team-up Dance (Samba) / "Jump in the Line (Shake, Senora)" | 8 10 | 8 9 | 9 10 | Safe |
| 9 Semifinals | Trio Paso doble / "Explosive" Charleston / "Shame on Me" | 10 10 | 10 10 | 10 10 | Eliminated |
1 Score given by guest judge Zendaya.
2 For this week only, as part of "America's Switch Up", Morris performed with Witney Carson instead of Arnold. Arnold performed with Von Miller.
3 Score given by guest judge Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
3 Due to Goodman being the judge coaching Morris' team during the team-up dance, the viewers scored the dance in his place with the averaged score being counted alongside the remaining judges.
Season 23 with celebrity partner Calvin Johnson Jr.
| Week | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Hough | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha / "That's What I Like" | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | No elimination |
| 2 | Foxtrot / "As Days Go By" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Viennese Waltz / "It's a Woman's World" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safe (Immunity) |
| 4 | Charleston / "Bella Donna Twist" | 8 | — | 7 | 8 | Safe |
| 5 | Jazz / "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" | 8 | — | 8 | 8 | No elimination |
| 6 | Argentine Tango / "Hotel California" | 9 | 101 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 7 | Jive / "Good Golly, Miss Molly" Team Freestyle / "The Skye Boat Song" | 9 10 | 9 9 | 9 9 | 9 10 | Safe |
| 8 | Quickstep / "Dr. Bones" Jive Dance Off / "The Purple People Eater" | 10 No | — Extra | 10 Points | 10 Awarded | Safe |
| 9 | Waltz / "Memory" Team-Up Dance (Paso Doble) / "No Good" | 9 9 | 92 92 | 10 10 | 9 9 | Safe |
| 10 Semifinals | Tango / "Seven Nation Army" Trio Salsa / "Limbo" | 8 10 | — — | 9 10 | 9 10 | Safe |
| 11 Finals | Viennese Waltz / "I Am Your Man" Freestyle / "Please Mr. Postman" & "I Want You Back" Jive & Quickstep Fusion / "Tutti Frutti" | 8 10 10 | 9 10 10 | 9 10 10 | 9 10 10 | Third Place |
1 Score given by guest judge Pitbull.
2 Score given by guest judge Idina Menzel
Season 24 with celebrity partner David Ross
| Week | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Hough | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Quickstep / "Go, Cubs, Go" | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | No elimination |
| 2 | Cha-cha-cha / "Bust a Move" | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 3 | Jazz / "Candy Shop" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 4 | Viennese Waltz / "Forever Young" | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | Safe |
| 5 | Jive / "Ride" | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | Safe |
| 6 | Argentine Tango / "I Want You Back" Team Freestyle / "Dancing Machine", "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" & "Best Song Ever" | 7 8 | 7 8 | 81 91 | 7 8 | Safe |
| 7 | Salsa / "Universal Mind Control" Jive Dance Off / "Gimme Some Lovin'" | 8 No | 8 Extra | 82 Points | 8 Awarded | Safe |
| 8 | Waltz / "Humble and Kind" Trio Paso Doble / "Gangsta's Paradise" | 9 7 | 9 7 | 9 8 | 9 7 | Safe |
| 9 Semifinals | Foxtrot / "You Make Me Feel So Young" Tango / "Castle on the Hill" | 9 9 | 8 9 | 9 9 | 8 9 | Safe |
| 10 Finals | Viennese Waltz / "Let's Hurt Tonight" Freestyle / "It Takes Two" & "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" Foxtrot & Salsa Fusion / "Living" | 8 10 9 | 8 10 9 | 9 10 9 | 8 10 9 | Runners-up |
1 Score given by guest judge Nick Carter
2 Score given by guest judge Mandy Moore
Season 25 with celebrity partner Jordan Fisher
| Week | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Tango / "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" | 8 | 7 | 8 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Viennese Waltz / "Count On Me" Samba / "Mi Gente" | 8 8 | 8 8 | 8 8 | Safe |
| 3 | Charleston / "The Glory Days" | 8 | 8 | 9 | No Elimination |
| 4 | Contemporary / "Take Me Home" | 10 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 5 | Foxtrot / "You're Welcome" | 10 | 10 | 10 | Safe |
| 6 | Rumba / "Supermarket Flowers" | 10 | 9/101 | 10 | Safe |
| 7 | Paso Doble / "Animals" Team Freestyle / "Monster Mash" | 10 8 | 10 8 | 10 8 | Safe |
| 8 | Quickstep / "Chuck Berry" Trio Salsa / "Que Viva La Vida" | 10 10 | 10 10 | 10 10 | Safe |
| 9 | Argentine Tango / "Brother" Jive / "Proud Mary" | 9 10 | 9 10 | 10 10 | Safe |
| 10 | Charleston / "Bad Man" Freestyle / "Puttin on the Ritz" Samba / "Mi Gente" Salsa & Paso Doble Fusion / "Kill the Lights" | 10 10 10 10 | 10/102 10/102 10 10 | 10 10 10 10 | Winners |
1 Score given by guest judge Shania Twain.
2 Score given by guest judge Julianne Hough.
Season 26 with celebrity partner Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
| Week | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha / "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" | 6 | 5 | 6 | Safe |
| 2 | Salsa / "La Malanga" Team Freestyle / "...Baby One More Time" | 7 8 | 6/71 8/91 | 6 8 | Eliminated |
1 Score given by guest judge Rashad Jennings.
Season 27 with celebrity partner DeMarcus Ware
| Week | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha / "Sweet Sensation" | 8 | 7 | 8 | Safe |
| 2 | Foxtrot / "The Boy from New York City" Quickstep / "Ladies Man" | 8 8 | 8 7 | 8 8 | Safe |
| 3 | Argentine Tango / "Lux Aeterna" | 9 | 8 | 9 | Safe |
| 4 | Trio Paso Doble / "Fire" | 7 | 7 | 8 | Safe |
| 5 | Charleston / "A Star Is Born" | 9 | 8 | 9 | No Elimination |
| 6 | Salsa / "Under Your Spell" | 8 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 7 | Viennese Waltz / "Tennessee Whiskey" Team Freestyle / "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" | 9 9 | 9 8 | 9 9 | Eliminated |
Season 28 with celebrity partner Sean Spicer
| Week | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Salsa / "Spice Up Your Life" | 4 | 4 | 4 | No Elimination |
| 2 | Tango / "Shut Up and Dance" | 6 | 5 | 5 | Safe |
| 3 | Cha-cha-cha / "Night Fever" | 5 | 5 | 5 | Safe |
| 4 | Paso Doble / "Bamboléo" | 5 | 61/5 | 5 | Safe |
| 5 | Quickstep / "You've Got a Friend in Me" | 7 | 6 | 6 | No Elimination |
| 6 | Viennese Waltz / "Somebody to Love" | 7 | 7 | 7 | Safe |
| 7 | Jive / "Monster Mash" Team Freestyle / "Sweet Dreams" | 6 8 | 6 8 | 6 8 | Safe |
| 82 | Jazz / "Come Sail Away" Cha-cha-cha Dance-Off / "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" | 7 No | 7 Points | 6 Awarded | Safe |
| 92 | Argentine Tango / "Bills, Bills, Bills" Foxtrot / "Story of My Life" | 7 6 | 6/73 6/63 | 6 6 | Eliminated |
1 Score given by guest judge Leah Remini.
2 Due to Arnold being unable to perform weeks 8 and 9, Spicer danced with Jenna Johnson instead.
3 Score given by guest judge Joey Fatone.
Season 30 with celebrity partner Matt James
| Week | Dance / Song | Judges' score | Result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inaba | Goodman | Hough | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Cha-cha-cha / "Give It to Me Baby" | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | No elimination |
| 2 | Samba / "Levitating" | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | Safe |
| 3 | Tango / "Scream and Shout" | 7 | 6 | - | 7 | Safe |
| 4 | Quickstep / "The Incredits" Paso doble / "Jungle" | 6 8 | 6 7 | 7 8 | 7 8 | Eliminated |