Ezra Sosa Stands Up for Rylee Arnold Amid Dance Drama with AJ Pritchard

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." 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.” 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.”