DWTS’ Stephen Nedoroscik Shares the Advice He Got From Girlfriend Tess McCracken for Emmys Date Night

Stephen Nederoscik had yet another Clark Kent moment at the 2024 Emmys.

And as it turns out, the moment—which saw the Olympian whip off his glasses at E!’s red carpet Glambot á la Superman—was all inspired by his longtime girlfriend Tess McCracken.

“Me and Tess got to walk the red carpet, we did the Glambot,” he exclusively told E! News after the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars. “I was like, ‘What do I do?’ She’s like, ‘Take your glasses off!’” (For more with the new DWTS cast, tune into E! News tonight, Sept. 18.)

And so he did, with Tess blowing a demure kiss at the camera by his side. It was a date night to remember.

“She loved it,” Stephen confirmed. “She was like, ‘There’s that guy. And that guy.’ It was so fun.” (Though don’t ask him to identify “that guy,” as he is self-admittedly terrible with names.)

But the excitement didn’t stop on the red carpet; Stephen later took to the stage alongside fellow Olympians Ilona Maher, Caeleb Dressel and Ezra French to present the award for Outstanding Direction of a Drama Series.

“It was so cool,” the 25-year-old remembered. “And I was so lucky Ilona was there, cause I was like, ‘Ilona, I’m freaking out.’ And she was like, ‘All you have to do is walk.’ But it was such an amazing experience.”

Stephen was even spotted preparing for his big onstage moment the same way he did for his pommel horse routine at the Olympics—reclined in his seat, eyes closed as he locked in.

It’s a strategy he said he and his DWTS pro partner Rylee Arnold employed, too, before they stepped onto the ballroom stage to perform their jive.

“Me and Rylee both closed our eyes, put our heads back and did breathing exercises,” Stephen admitted. “I totally recommend it to everyone, because what you can do is control the controllables. And one of those is your heart rate. So breathing helps slow it down, and while you’re doing it you can also think positive thoughts.”

And when the pair did take to the floor, ultimately earning a 21 out of 30, Stephen danced without his glasses, just like he did during his Olympic routines.

“It’s definitely different than pommel horse, but the thing about dance is I can also feel it,” the two-time bronze medalist explained. “I have a partner who’s helping me get around the dance floor, and honestly I don’t need to use my vision so much when I’m dancing.”

He continued, “It’s mostly the feet, mostly the smile, and as long as I can see the red light on the camera I’m okay,”

And to see all the celeb-pro couples competing on this season of Dancing with the Stars, keep reading.

- Reporting by Nikki Novak

The inspriation behind Inventing Anna will trade her ankle bracelet for dancing shoes alongside partner Ezra Sosa. 

The Olympic rugby player is ready to ruck up the dance floor with pro Alan Bersten. 

The Disney Channel star will try to dance her way to the top with partner Brandon Armstrong. 

The model and her partner Gleb Savchenko are ready to strut along the ballroom. 

The Dark Knight star is partnered with Britt Stewart. 

All that matters for this Family Matters alum and partner Emma Slater is taking home the mirrorball trophy. 

The Bachelor alum has found his rose between thorns in partner Jenna Johnson. 

The alum of 90210 is oh so ready to dance alongside Pasha Pashkov. 

The NFL pro and partner Witney Carson are sure to score a touchdown on the dance floor. 

The NBA star is sure to stand head and shoulders above the competitoin with partner & Daniella Karagach. 

The Olympian has his sights set on another medal—or should we say mirrorball trophy—with partner Rylee Arnold. 

The Traitors alum is sure to weed out the competition with partner Val Chmerkovskiy. 

The Bachelorette star and partner Sasha Farber will be in full bloom in the ballroom. 

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