# Dancing with the Stars: Juniors

Dancing with the Stars: Juniors is an American children's dance competition television series that premiered on October 7, 2018, on ABC. It was a spin-off of the Dancing with the Stars series, which is based on the British reality TV competition Strictly Come Dancing. The format of the show featured celebrity children (either in their own right or having celebrity parentage) paired with professional junior ballroom dancers and mentored by an adult professional dancer. The couples competed against each other by performing choreographed dance routines in front of a panel of judges. In September 2019, ABC cancelled the series after one season.

## Format

Like Dancing with the Stars, the scores used for eliminations were based 50% on the judges' scores and 50% on audience voting. Unlike the parent series, only studio audience members who are not family members during each week's episode were able to vote; there is no at-home voting. The team with the lowest total score after combining votes and judges' scores is eliminated.

## Cast
### Couples and mentors

On August 1, 2018, the junior professional dancers and adult mentors were revealed. On September 25, during the second episode of season 27 of Dancing with the Stars, the junior celebrities were announced.
Cast of Dancing with the Stars: Juniors :
| Celebrity | Notability | Professional partner | Coach | Status |
| Tripp Johnston Palin | Son of Bristol Palin & grandson of Sarah Palin | Hailey Bills | Jenna Johnson | Eliminated 1st on October 7, 2018 |
| Addison Osta Smith | MasterChef Junior winner | Lev Cameron Khmelev | Keo Motsepe | Eliminated 1st on October 7, 2018 |
| Hudson West | General Hospital actor | Kameron Couch | Hayley Erbert | Eliminated 3rd on October 14, 2018 |
| Sophia Pippen | Daughter of Scottie & Larsa Pippen | Jake Monreal | Sasha Farber | Eliminated 4th on October 21, 2018 |
| Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson | Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star | Tristan Ianiero | Artem Chigvintsev | Eliminated 5th on October 28, 2018 |
| Jason Maybaum | Raven's Home & Freaky Friday actor | Elliana Walmsley | Emma Slater | Eliminated 6th on November 11, 2018 |
| Akash Vukoti | Scripps National Spelling Bee participant | Kamri Peterson | Witney Carson | Eliminated 7th on November 18, 2018 |
| Mandla Morris | Son of Stevie Wonder & fashion designer | Brightyn Brems | Cheryl Burke | Eliminated 8th on November 25, 2018 |
| Miles Brown | Black-ish actor | Rylee Arnold | Lindsay Arnold | Runners-up on December 9, 2018 |
| Ariana Greenblatt | Stuck in the Middle actress | Artyon Celestine | Brandon Armstrong | Runners-up on December 9, 2018 |
| Mackenzie Ziegler | Dance Moms alum, singer & actress | Sage Rosen | Gleb Savchenko | Runners-up on December 9, 2018 |
| Sky Brown | Professional skateboarder | JT Church | Alan Bersten | Winners on December 9, 2018 |

### Hosts and judges

Dancing with the Stars season 25 winner Jordan Fisher and finalist Frankie Muniz served as the hosts. Two-time professional champion Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Emmy winning choreographer Mandy Moore, and season 26 celebrity champion Adam Rippon served as the judges.

### Dance troupe

The Dancing with the Stars: Juniors troupe consisted of Makeila Lawrence, Cody Bingham, Reese Hatala, Sebastian Jozuka, and Daniel Novikov. They were mentored by Dancing with the Stars troupe member Morgan Larson.

## Scoring charts

The highest score each week is indicated in bold green with a dagger (†). The lowest score each week is indicated in italicized red with a double-dagger (‡).
| Couple | Place | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8+9 |
| Sky & JT | 1 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 27† | 23 | 29† | 27 | 29+28=57 | 30+30=60† | 117 |
| Miles & Rylee | 2 | 22 | 24† | 27† | 27† | 27 | 26 | 28† | 28+30=58 | 28+30=58‡ | 116 |
| Ariana & Artyon | 2 | 24† | 24† | 25 | 21‡ | 28† | 28 | 27 | 28+28=56‡ | 30+28=58‡ | 114‡ |
| Mackenzie & Sage | 2 | 22 | 24† | 27† | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 30+30=60† | 28+30=58‡ | 118† |
| Mandla & Brightyn | 5 | 24† | 22 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 24‡ | | | |
| Akash & Kamri | 6 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21‡ | 20‡ | 23‡ | | | | |
| Jason & Elliana | 7 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 25 | 25 | | | | | |
| Honey Boo Boo & Tristan | 8 | 19 | 19‡ | 21 | 21‡ | | | | | | |
| Sophia & Jake | 9 | 21 | 20 | 19‡ | | | | | | | |
| Hudson & Kameron | 10 | 22 | 22 | | | | | | | | |
| Tripp & Hailey | 11 | 17 | | | | | | | | | |
| Addison & Lev | 11 | 15‡ | | | | | | | | | |
* ↑ This couple finished in first place.
* 1 2 3 This couple finished in second place.
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 This couple was eliminated.

## Weekly scores

Individual judges' scores in the chart below (given in parentheses) are listed in this order from left to right: Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Mandy Moore, Adam Rippon.

### Week 1: First Dances

Each couple performed the cha-cha-cha, foxtrot, jive or salsa. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Jason & Elliana | 18 (6, 6, 6) | Cha-cha-cha | "Bills" — LunchMoney Lewis | Safe |
| Tripp & Hailey | 17 (6, 5, 6) | Foxtrot | "Mama Said" — The Shirelles | Eliminated |
| Addison & Lev | 15 (5, 5, 5) | Cha-cha-cha | "Burnin' Up" — Jessie J, featuring 2 Chainz | Eliminated |
| Miles & Rylee | 22 (7, 8, 7) | Salsa | "Who Let the Dogs Out?" — Baha Men | Safe |
| Sophia & Jake | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Jive | "Do You Love Me" — The Contours | Safe |
| Hudson & Kameron | 22 (7, 7, 8) | Cha-cha-cha | "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" — Shawn Mendes | Safe |
| Ariana & Artyon | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Cha-cha-cha | "Cut to the Feeling" — Carly Rae Jepsen | Safe |
| Mackenzie & Sage | 22 (7, 7, 8) | Foxtrot | "New York, New York" — Ray Quinn, featuring Ultra Love | Safe |
| Honey Boo Boo & Tristan | 19 (6, 6, 7) | Salsa | "Conga" — Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine | Safe |
| Mandla & Brightyn | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Jive | "Land of a Thousand Dances" — Chris Kenner | Safe |
| Akash & Kamri | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Foxtrot | "L-O-V-E" — Nat King Cole | Safe |
| Sky & JT | 22 (8, 7, 7) | Salsa | "Light It Up" — Major Lazer, featuring Nyla & Fuse ODG | Safe |

### Week 2: Song from the Year I Was Born

Each couple performed one unlearned dance to a song that came out the year the celebrities were born. The Argentine tango, paso doble, and quickstep were introduced. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Mackenzie & Sage | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Quickstep | "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" — Jet | Safe |
| Sky & JT | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Cha-cha-cha | "Just Dance" — Lady Gaga, featuring Colby O'Donis | Safe |
| Sophia & Jake | 20 (7, 6, 7) | Foxtrot | "Love Story" — Taylor Swift | Safe |
| Jason & Elliana | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Jive | "Shake It" — Metro Station | Safe |
| Mandla & Brightyn | 22 (7, 7, 8) | Salsa | "Pump It" — The Black Eyed Peas | Safe |
| Hudson & Kameron | 22 (7, 8, 7) | Paso doble | "4 Minutes" — Madonna, featuring Justin Timberlake & Timbaland | Eliminated |
| Miles & Rylee | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Argentine tango | "I Don't Want to Be" — Gavin DeGraw | Safe |
| Honey Boo Boo & Tristan | 19 (6, 6, 7) | Cha-cha-cha | "Don't Cha" — The Pussycat Dolls | Safe |
| Akash & Kamri | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Cha-cha-cha | "Dynamite" — Taio Cruz | Safe |
| Ariana & Artyon | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Jive | "Girlfriend" — Avril Lavigne | Safe |

### Week 3: Disney Night

Each couple performed one unlearned dance to a song from a Disney film. The Charleston, contemporary, jazz, and samba were introduced. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Disney film | Result |
| Sophia & Jake | 19 (7, 6, 6) | Samba | "Poor Unfortunate Souls" — Pat Carroll | The Little Mermaid | Eliminated |
| Mackenzie & Sage | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Contemporary | "Colors of the Wind" — Tori Kelly | Pocahontas | Safe |
| Ariana & Artyon | 25 (9, 8, 8) | Samba | "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" — Mark Kealiʻi Hoʻomalu | Lilo & Stitch | Safe |
| Mandla & Brightyn | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Jazz | "Un Poco Loco" — Gael García Bernal & Anthony Gonzalez | Coco | Safe |
| Miles & Rylee | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Charleston | "One Jump Ahead" — Brad Kane | Aladdin | Safe |
| Honey Boo Boo & Tristan | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Foxtrot | "Something There" — Howard Ashman & Alan Menken | Beauty and the Beast | Safe |
| Sky & JT | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Contemporary | "How Far I'll Go" — Auliʻi Cravalho | Moana | Safe |
| Jason & Elliana | 22 (8, 7, 7) | Foxtrot | "You've Got a Friend in Me" — Jordan Fisher, featuring Olivia Holt | Toy Story | Safe |
| Akash & Kamri | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Jive | "Zero to Hero" — Ariana Grande | Hercules | Safe |

### Week 4: Halloween Night

Each couple performed one unlearned dance to Halloween themes and songs. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Akash & Kamri | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Argentine tango | "Weird Science" — Oingo Boingo | Safe |
| Mandla & Brightyn | 23 (8, 8, 7) | Charleston | "Witch Doctor" — Cartoons | Safe |
| Mackenzie & Sage | 25 (8, 8, 9) | Jive | "Monster Mash" — Atwater Men's Club | Safe |
| Jason & Elliana | 25 (8, 9, 8) | Argentine tango | "Youngblood" — 5 Seconds of Summer | Safe |
| Ariana & Artyon | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Paso doble | "Ways to be Wicked" — from Descendants 2 | Safe |
| Honey Boo Boo & Tristan | 21 (7, 7, 7) | Jazz | "Ghostbusters" — Ray Parker Jr. | Eliminated |
| Sky & JT | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Jive | "Little Shop of Horrors" — Kidz Bop | Safe |
| Miles & Rylee | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Samba | "I Want Candy" — Bow Wow Wow | Safe |

### Week 5: Juniors' Choice

Each couple performed one unlearned dance to a song of their choice. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Miles & Rylee | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Jazz | "Space Jam" — Quad City DJ's | Safe |
| Mackenzie & Sage | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Cha-cha-cha | "What If" — Johnny Orlando & Mackenzie Ziegler | Safe |
| Jason & Elliana | 25 (9, 8, 8) | Jazz | "It's Tricky" — Run-DMC | Eliminated |
| Akash & Kamri | 20 (7, 7, 6) | Charleston | "Do Your Thing" — Basement Jaxx | Safe |
| Sky & JT | 23 (8, 8, 7) | Samba | "The Greatest" — Sia | Safe |
| Mandla & Brightyn | 25 (8, 9, 8) | Cha-cha-cha | "Perm" — Bruno Mars | Safe |
| Ariana & Artyon | 28 (9, 9, 10) | Jazz | "Rolex" — Ayo & Teo | Safe |

### Week 6: Giving Thanks

Each couple performed one unlearned dance dedicated to someone important in their lives. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Ariana & Artyon | 28 (9, 10, 9) | Salsa | "Píntame" — Elvis Crespo | Safe |
| Mandla & Brightyn | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Foxtrot | "Isn't She Lovely" — Stevie Wonder | Safe |
| Akash & Kamri | 23 (8, 8, 7) | Jazz | "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" — A. R. Rahman & The Pussycat Dolls | Eliminated |
| Miles & Rylee | 26 (9, 9, 8) | Foxtrot | "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" — Marvin Gaye | Safe |
| Sky & JT | 29 (9, 10, 10) | Foxtrot | "Unconditionally" – Katy Perry | Safe |
| Mackenzie & Sage | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Samba | "Cheap Thrills" – Sia, featuring Sean Paul | Safe |

### Week 7: Time Machine

Each couple performed one unlearned dance to an era of their choice. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Era | Music | Result |
| Miles & Rylee | 28 (9, 9, 10) | Jive | 1950s | "Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His Comets | Safe |
| Mackenzie & Sage | 26 (9, 8, 9) | Jazz | 1980s | "Call Me Maybe" — Carly Rae Jepsen | Safe |
| Mandla & Brightyn | 24 (8, 8, 8) | Paso doble | Future | "Gangsta's Paradise" — 2WEI | Eliminated |
| Ariana & Artyon | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Quickstep | 1940s | "Classic" — MKTO | Safe |
| Sky & JT | 27 (9, 9, 9) | Charleston | 1920s | "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody (All We Got)" — Fergie, featuring Q-Tip & GoonRock | Safe |

### Week 8: Semi-Finals

Each couple performed one unlearned dance and a team fusion dance. No elimination took place. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Scores | Dance | Music |
| Mackenzie & Sage | 30 (10, 10, 10) | Paso doble | "The Edge of Glory" — Lady Gaga |
| Sky & JT | 29 (10, 9, 10) | Argentine tango | "Thunder" — Imagine Dragons |
| Miles & Rylee | 28 (9, 10, 9) | Cha-cha-cha | "Shake Señora" — Pitbull, featuring T-Pain & Sean Paul |
| Ariana & Artyon | 28 (9, 9, 10) | Foxtrot | "We're All in This Together" — from High School Musical |
| Mackenzie & Sage Miles & Rylee | 30 (10, 10, 10) | Jazz/Samba (Team U.S.A.) | "Party in the U.S.A." — Miley Cyrus |
| Ariana & Artyon Sky & JT | 28 (10, 9, 9) | Foxtrot/Jive (Team Smalls) | "369" — Rhett George |

### Week 9: Finale

Each couple performed their favorite dance during the competition with their mentor and a holiday-themed freestyle. Couples are listed in the order they performed.
| Couple | Mentor | Scores | Dance | Music | Result |
| Mackenzie & Sage | Gleb Savchenko | 28 (9, 9, 10) | Cha-cha-cha | "What If" — Johnny Orlando & Mackenzie Ziegler | Runners-up |
| Mackenzie & Sage | Gleb Savchenko | 30 (10, 10, 10) | Freestyle | "Drummer Boy" — Justin Bieber, featuring Busta Rhymes | Runners-up |
| Ariana & Artyon | Brandon Armstrong | 30 (10, 10, 10) | Jazz | "Rolex" — Ayo & Teo | Runners-up |
| Ariana & Artyon | Brandon Armstrong | 28 (9, 10, 9) | Freestyle | "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" — Lindsey Stirling, featuring Sabrina Carpenter | Runners-up |
| Miles & Rylee | Lindsay Arnold | 28 (10, 9, 9) | Salsa | "Who Let the Dogs Out" — Baha Men | Runners-up |
| Miles & Rylee | Lindsay Arnold | 30 (10, 10, 10) | Freestyle | "Sleigh Ride" — District 78 | Runners-up |
| Sky & JT | Alan Bersten | 30 (10, 10, 10) | Salsa | "Light it Up" — Major Lazer, featuring Nyla & Fuse ODG | Winners |
| Sky & JT | Alan Bersten | 30 (10, 10, 10) | Freestyle | "Underneath the Tree" — Kelly Clarkson | Winners |

## Dance chart

The celebrities and professional partners danced one of these routines for each corresponding week:
* Week 1 (First Dances): One unlearned dance
* Week 2 (Song From the Year I Was Born): One unlearned dance
* Week 3 (Disney Night): One unlearned dance
* Week 4 (Halloween Night): One unlearned dance
* Week 5 (Juniors' Choice): One unlearned dance
* Week 6 (Giving Thanks): One unlearned dance
* Week 7 (Time Machine): One unlearned dance
* Week 8 (Semifinals): One unlearned dance & team fusion dance
* Week 9 (Finale): Favorite dance & freestyle
| Couple | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Sky & JT | Salsa | Cha-cha-cha | Contemporary | Jive | Samba | Foxtrot | Charleston | Argentine tango | Foxtrot/Jive (Team Smalls) | Salsa | Freestyle |
| Miles & Rylee | Salsa | Argentine tango | Charleston | Samba | Jazz | Foxtrot | Jive | Cha-cha-cha | Jazz/Samba (Team U.S.A.) | Salsa | Freestyle |
| Ariana & Artyon | Cha-cha-cha | Jive | Samba | Paso doble | Jazz | Salsa | Quickstep | Foxtrot | Foxtrot/Jive (Team Smalls) | Jazz | Freestyle |
| Mackenzie & Sage | Foxtrot | Quickstep | Contemporary | Jive | Cha-cha-cha | Samba | Jazz | Paso doble | Jazz/Samba (Team U.S.A.) | Cha-cha-cha | Freestyle |
| Mandla & Brightyn | Jive | Salsa | Jazz | Charleston | Cha-cha-cha | Foxtrot | Paso doble | | | | |
| Akash & Kamri | Foxtrot | Cha-cha-cha | Jive | Argentine tango | Charleston | Jazz | | | | | |
| Jason & Elliana | Cha-cha-cha | Jive | Foxtrot | Argentine tango | Jazz | | | | | | |
| Honey Boo Boo & Tristan | Salsa | Cha-cha-cha | Foxtrot | Jazz | | | | | | | |
| Sophia & Jake | Jive | Foxtrot | Samba | | | | | | | | |
| Hudson & Kameron | Cha-cha-cha | Paso doble | | | | | | | | | |
| Tripp & Hailey | Foxtrot | | | | | | | | | | |
| Addison & Lev | Cha-cha-cha | | | | | | | | | | |

## Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of Dancing with the Stars: Juniors :
| No. | Title | Air date | Rating/share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) |
| 1 | "Week 1: Premiere" | October 7, 2018 | 0.7/3 | 5.03 |
| 2 | "Week 2: Song From The Year I Was Born" | October 14, 2018 | 0.8/3 | 4.66 |
| 3 | "Week 3: Disney Night" | October 21, 2018 | 0.8/3 | 4.87 |
| 4 | "Week 4: Halloween Night" | October 28, 2018 | 0.7/3 | 4.06 |
| 5 | "Week 5: Juniors Choice" | November 11, 2018 | 0.6/3 | 4.02 |
| 6 | "Week 6: Giving Thanks" | November 18, 2018 | 0.7/3 | 4.28 |
| 7 | "Week 7: Time Machine" | November 25, 2018 | 0.6/3 | 4.03 |
| 8 | "Week 8: The Semi-Finals" | December 2, 2018 | 0.6/3 | 3.81 |
| 9 | "Week 9: The Finale (Holiday Special)" | December 9, 2018 | 0.6/3 | 4.12 |