DWTS Juniors

[Imzadi]

This thread is for the kid version of Dancing With the Stars.

The show started tonight and will be on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT and 7 p.m. CT on ABC.

The premise: During the season, the 12 Junior "stars" and their "professional" Junior dance partners will be mentored by adult DWTS pro dancers. The whole season has been pre-taped. So no live voting. Only the audience, in the studio during filming, got to vote at the end of that show for which couple gets booted off.

No future spoilers, please. Of course, as the show airs in eastern time, feel free to talk about what's going on.


The Junior stars are:
Miles Brown - Actor, Blackish, Age 13
Ariana Greenblatt - Actor, Avengers: Infinity War, Age 10
Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson - Reality TV star, Age 12
Akash Vukoti - Youngest boy to compete at the Scripts National Spelling Bee Contest, Age 9
Sky Brown - Pro Skateboarder, Age 10
Mandla Morris - Stevie Wonder's son, Age 13
Sophia Pippen - Daughter of NBA basketball player, Scottie Pippen, Age 9
Hudson West - Actor, General Hospital, Age 10
Mackenzie Ziegler - Pop singer, Age 14
Tripp Palin Johnson - former DWTS contestant, Bristol Pain's son & Sarah Palin's grandson. Age 9
Addison Osta Smith - MasterChef Junior winner, Age 13
Jason Maybaum - Actor, Raven's Home, Age 10


The Junior stars and their Junior "pro" dance partners (and their adult mentors):
Addison Osta Smith & Lev Khmelev, (mentored by Keo Motsepe)
Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson & Tristan Ianiero, (mentored by Artem Chigvintsev)
Akash Vukoti & Kamri Peterson, (mentored by Witney Carson)
Ariana Greenblatt & Artyon Celestine, (mentored by Brandon Armstrong)
Hudson West & Kameron Couch, (mentored by Hayley Erbert)
Jason Maybaum & Elliana Walmsley, (mentored by Emma Slater)
Mackenzie Ziegler & Sage Rosen, (mentored by Gleb Savchenko)
Mandla Morris & Brightyn Brems, (mentored by Cheryl Burke)
Miles Brown & Rylee Arnold, (mentored by Lindsay Arnold)
Sky Brown & JT Church, (mentored by Alan Bersten)
Sophia Pippen & Jake Monreal, (mentored by Sasha Farber)
Tripp Palin Johnston & Hailey Bills, (mentored by Jenna Johnson)


The hosts are Jordan Fisher and Frankie Muniz. Both are former contestants of the adult DWTS. Jordan won Season 25 and Frankie came in third as a finalist, the same season.

There are even new judges. (No crankypus Len to make the kids cry.)
Adam Rippon - Olympic figure skater. Winner of the DWTS: Athletes season.
Val Chmerkovskiy - regular DWTS pro dancer and two-time Mirror Ball winner.
Mandy Moore - no, not the actress, Mandy Moore of This Is Us. The choreographer, Mandy Moore, who choreographed the movie, La La Land, and has an Emmy Award and six nominations for her work on So You Think You Can Dance. She also choreographs many of the troupe dances on the adult DWTS.

 

[Happiest.Haunt_999]

I enjoyed. And I love all 3 judges for once LOL!

 

[Imzadi]

And I love all 3 judges for once LOL!

Although, it was weird to see Val dressed up in a suit jacket.

 

[Imzadi]

I felt really bad for the couple who had Keo as their coach. Come on! He's not even good teaching ADULTS.

 

[Dancind]

Watched, no doubt will watch again. I'm a sucker for DWTS. The show has a veneer of fakeness over it, I think it's missing Tom. Most of the couples were really cute. My goodness, little Brightyn is pretty, and Mandla did really well! Some surprises, did not expect to enjoy Alana. The smallest, youngest cast members are favorites right now, for me. JT & Sky, Akash.

 

[DisneyOma]

Who do they dance with, kids their own age, or adults?

 

[_19disnA]

The kids are paired with another child, the adult is a dance coach. I watched a bit of it and wonder how young is too young for this type of show?

 

[Nohal]

Thanks for starting another thread for the juniors. Looking forward to seeing the whole episode as I once again fell asleep before it was over. The few kids I saw dance were really good.

 

[design_mom]

I did not know this was on. I will have to watch for it.

But wasn't MacKenzie Ziegler a dancer to begin with (from Dance Moms)?

 

[emmabelle]

But wasn't MacKenzie Ziegler a dancer to begin with (from Dance Moms)?

yup, but they are calling her a "pop singer" now, so it's okay.

 

[Funfire240]

yup, but they are calling her a "pop singer" now, so it's okay.

Yes! I like how it was said her older sister is a performer and she wants to be just like her.

 

[Funfire240]

I did not know this was on. I will have to watch for it.

But wasn't MacKenzie Ziegler a dancer to begin with (from Dance Moms)?

And one of the other Dance Mom girls, Eliana, is one of the little “pros”

 

[emmabelle]

Yes! I like how it was said her older sister is a performer and she wants to be just like her.

hahahaha

it's literally so stupid

 

[Mika02]

Watched with my kids last night we all loved it. Unfortunately there won't be any live voting. My 7 year old who is very competitive was still disappointed that 2 kids got booted because as he stated even though they weren't my favorite they still did really good..

 

[Imzadi]

And one of the other Dance Mom girls, Eliana, is one of the little “pros”

hahahaha

it's literally so stupid

They probably both auditioned to be a "star" and only one got chosen. Since they were both good, the other got picked to be the "pro".

I actually don't like that they are described as "stars" and that they are given a "profession" already at such young ages. I can foresee future "ex-star" labels & identity problems in some of their futures and maybe some drug & alcohol problems as they outgrow being young & cute and in demand. We've seen that in way too many former child stars who went through that. I would have liked to have seen DWTS protect them from that by doing it a bit differently - although, I don't know what.

I also wonder how the show may have helped the kids prepare for the onslaught of some negative, mean & vicious social media comments that will come their way, simply because they are "famous" now. They are trying their hearts out. But, there will be some who will pick them apart.

 

[mamamary]

Watched the show today and I enjoyed it. What a bunch of cute kids.

 

[robinb]

So, cute little DWTS Champion Sky Brown won the Bronze Medal in Park Skateboarding. She's the last to go, so start watching at about the 5:00 mark.

https://www.nbcolympics.com/videos/japan-takes-gold-silver-womens-park-skateboarding