Ezra Sosa has entered the chat amid his Dancing With the Stars costar Rylee Arnold’s ongoing drama over her Next Pro cameo.
Rylee, 21, appeared on the Monday, August 24, episode, in which she teamed up with contestant AJ Pritchard for a routine in the semifinals. During the episode, Rylee openly claimed to the judges that AJ, 31, was too critical during rehearsals.
In response, AJ’s fiancée, Zara Zoffany, defended the British dancer via social media.
“[Rylee] — @aj11ace wouldn’t have had to critique you in the first place if everything had been right,” Zara, 32, claimed via Instagram comment. “Dancing with Bailey [McKnight] last week showed how he danced with an amateur & their dance was amazing. This week was suppose [sic] to be dancing with a pro … very different dynamics & what people didn’t see in rehearsals was that you injured him when you hit him in the head, leaving with a slight concussion and needing to see a [doctor].”
Neither Rylee nor AJ have publicly addressed the accusations, though Zara further alleged that the Strictly Come Dancing alum’s criticism “has always been constructive.”
“He wouldn’t have needed to give it if something hadn’t been wrong,” Zara claimed. “I hope you were able to take something positive and useful from his teaching and feedback.”
AJ Pritchard dances with Rylee Arnold on ‘Next Pro’ semifinals. Disney/Vince Valitutti
Ezra, 25, subsequently replied to Zara in defense of Rylee.
“I usually stay out of stuff like this, but this genuinely made me sick to my stomach,” Ezra replied in the comments section. “Rylee is my best friend, I love her and I will speak up for her. Rylee is more than qualified to be a pro, and one dance with a completely different partnership does not erase the years of training, talent and work that earned her that title.”
Ezra Sosa. Brianna Bryson/Getty Images
He continued, “Everyone’s perspective and experience in this dance world will be different. AJ is allowed to give feedback and Rylee is allowed to be honest about how that feedback felt to her. Both can exist. Also, this is a dance competition. Everyone gets critiqued.”
Ezra Sosa is sharing a sweet message of support for his sister, Stephani Sosa, after her elimination from Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro. In an Instagram video, Ezra, 25, and Stephani, 26, filmed themselves watching her and contestant Tristen Sanders exit the competition in the Monday, August 3, episode. In the clip, Stephani […]
Ezra further gushed that Rylee is “one of the most honest and trustworthy” individuals he knows.
“She reads people and their energy incredibly well, and she is a fanatic pro and [an] INCREDIBLE DANCER,” he stated. “Watching a woman go out of her way to publicly question another woman’s qualifications and tear her down like this is so sad to see.”
AJ is among the finalists to become the next DWTS pro for the upcoming season 35 alongside Selena Hamilton and Adele Zaikman.
The Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro finale airs on ABC Monday, August 31 at 8 p.m. ET.
