“Dancing With the Stars” pro Ezra Sosa is having a proud brother moment.
His older sister, Stephani Sosa, is among the 12 dancers competing on “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro.” After two episodes, Stephani has handily impressed the judges and advanced to the top nine. She still has a long road ahead of her, but has quickly won favor with her peers and audience members alike.
The Sosa siblings enjoyed the new episode together at home and posted their reaction. Ezra Sosa could barely contain his feelings as he watched his sister grace the stage.
Stephani & Ezra Sosa React to Her Routine on ‘The Next Pro’
During week two of “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro,” Brandon Armstrong served as a guest judge. He mentored the competitors and encouraged them to tell captivating stories through their routines. Stephani Sosa and Tristen Sanders partnered to create a Rumba to “Dreaming of You” by Selena.
In the rehearsal room, Stephani confessed that she often struggled to find pride in her Latina identity growing up in her predominantly white Utah neighborhood. She fell in love with dance as a way to embrace her heritage and connect with her roots.
The judges raved over the routine, which secured Stephani and Tristen’s spot in the next episode. At home, Ezra loved watching the magic unfold onscreen.
“This was for our culture 🇲🇽🇦🇷🥹 #dwts @stephychica” Ezra captioned an Instagram video. In the clip, he and Stephani beam with pride as they watch her rumba from Monday night’s episode.
“Love you ezzyyy❤️” Stephani replied in the comments.
Fans readily agreed that Stephani and Tristen’s routine was one of the top performances of the evening.
“Would LOVE for both Sosas on one season, like a double competition!!!” one viewer excitedly wrote in the comments.
“A song by Selena was the perfect choice for your dance!! ❤️❤️” another chimed in.
“She moved & emoted so flawlessly. Absolutely beautiful,” another agreed.
Stephani Sosa Continues to Week 3 on ‘The Next Pro’
As a former troupe member, Stephani Sosa is no stranger to the hurdles that “Dancing With the Stars” can bring. But she still has a long way to go before she secures a spot as a pro dancer. Even though the Sosa siblings are incredibly close, Ezra Sosa made it abundantly clear his sister can make it without him.
“‘If for whatever reason you become a pro, it’s gonna be based on your own merit,'” he told PEOPLE the piece of advice he gave his older sister ahead of “The Next Pro.” “I feel like that was really important for me, really important for the show, and I’m just really excited to see her journey.”
“I felt like I grew so much as a person, and it really did push me as a dancer, as an artist,” Stephani told the outlet. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, but also the best thing I could have ever done. I’ve been anticipating this whole process and the show coming out, and I just can’t believe it’s here.”
Fans can catch new episodes of “Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro” at 8 p.m. Monday on ABC. “Dancing With the Stars” season 35 begins this September on the network.
