Stephen Nedoroscik on Finals Twist and Major Mishap (Exclusive)

For the second year in a row, Dancing with the stars producers surprised the show’s audience by announcing that all five semifinalists would advance to next week’s finale.

While some of the pros confided to TV Insider that the news didn’t come as a total shock (certainly not once did host Alfonso Ribeiro announce a three-hour finale during the show), one celebrity thought for sure that he stopped dancing shoes – and his glasses – for the season given his slightly lower score and the fact that three pairs were called safe before he was.

“I thought it’s between Rylee (Arnold) and me, and Ilona (Maher) and Alan (Bersten),” Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik told TV Insider on the press line after the show. “She scored better. She has a bigger fan base. This is it. I thought my dance journey is probably over. To hear them say we (all) made it to the finals, I fell on the floor with excitement.”

The evening started challenging for Nedoroscik. He and Arnold scored 25 points for their cha-cha-cha to the song “Bailar.” While that’s a great score for the first half of the season, couples traditionally rank higher in the semifinals.

During the couple’s second dance, a tango, a snag occurred when Nedoroscik’s glasses became slightly dislodged, obstructing his vision. “I tried to fix them,” he says. “They couldn’t really get on, so Rylee threw them off.”

Disney / Eric McCandless

“I saw that they were crooked,” says Arnold. “I just did.”

“It was absolutely the right thing to do,” Nedoroscik hastens to add, noting that it’s better to finish a dance without glasses rather than wearing them incorrectly.

Judge Carrie Ann Inaba shared in her criticism that she could relate to Nedoroscik’s glasses mishap. “I have really bad eyesight – not now,” she explained. “I have my contacts on.” Inaba added that what probably happened to Nedoroscki’s depth perception when his glasses were half off his face was not a joke. “I was so impressed. You didn’t stop. You kept going and you let (Rylee) continue that dance like a pro!”

Inaba drove home just as impressed with Nedoroscik by giving him a “10” score. “Sometimes it’s just magic and that’s all there is – that was a 10 for me!” she enthused.

Ahead of the semifinals, Arnold already praised Nedoroscik’s work ethic. “I’ve really seen him become a dancer,” she told TV Insider. “He makes sure he gets every step right. It has been fun to watch his learning process. I am so proud of him. I just love Stephen. He has been the best partner.”

Now the pair, along with the other four finalists, prepare for their respective freestyle dances which could decide who wins the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball trophy.

Nedoroscik’s freestyle, Arnold previews, “is going to involve Stephen’s world very strongly. That’s something there Dancing with the stars never seen before. We are very excited.”

Dancing with the stars3-Hour Season 33 Finale, Tuesday, November 26, 8/7, ABC