The time has finally come! The series premiere of Dancing With the Stars: Junior premiered on Sunday, October 7 on ABC, featuring 12 child celebrities competing for the Mirrorball Trophy with their professional dance partners and mentors! The two-hour premiere featured the first dances of the season, and unfortunately, we saw the first elimination of the season, where we saw two teams eliminated.
The child couples received scores from the new judging panel, which consists of choreographer Mandy Moore, DWTS pro Val Chmerkovskiy, and DWTS: Athletes winner Adam Rippon. DWTS season 25 winner Jordan Fisher and fellow season 25 finalist Frankie Muniz hosted the show together.
The scores the teams earned counted as half of their overall score. The other half of their score was determined by the votes of the studio audience. Since this entire season was pre-recorded, there was no at-home audience voting.
Just like with the main show, DWTS Interact is blogging about DWTS: Juniors all season long! And also just like the blog for the main show, we are putting up a poll each week after the shows for you to score the dances, which will be counted as The Readers’ Scores. So, without further ado, here are Paul Bentley’s thoughts on the performances, along with the scores that you voted on!
Premiere Night Dances
Twelve child celebrities teamed up with child professional dancers for their first dances of the season. Each of them were mentored by a professional dancer from the main Dancing With the Stars show. Then, at the end of the night, it was a double elimination.
[Order of the Judges’ Scores: Mandy Moore, Val Chmerkovskiy, Adam Rippon]
Jason Maybaum and Elliana Walmsley, Mentored by Emma Slater
Cha-Cha-Cha
Bills by LunchMoney Lewis
The Judges’ Scores: 6, 6, 6 (18/30)
The Readers’ Score: 6
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: I can’t get enough of Jason’s personality! This kid is an absolute star, and he is not afraid to let everyone know that! His Cha-Cha-Cha with Elliana exuberated character, and it was the perfect dance to make their performance memorable, despite being the first ones to dance that night. Nice choreography, Emma! Going forward, I would like to see Jason smoothing his moves out more. I can tell that he is trying to pay attention to detail, but it come off as a bit clunky. But being that he is ten years old and never danced professionally before, I think this was a very good effort!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 6
#TeamEmma
Tripp Palin and Hailey Bills, Mentored by Jenna Johnson
Foxtrot
Eliminated- Tied for 11th Place
Mama Said by The Shirelles
The Judges’ Scores: 5, 6, 6 (17/30)
The Readers’ Score: 6
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Tripp had a lot to overcome, being that he was clearly out of his element, plus he had never performed on camera in his life. But overall, Tripp did a really good job! He and Hailey had a really sweet Foxtrot, and despite some timing issues and unsure arms, it was pleasant and lighthearted. Unfortunately, Tripp just wasn’t able to catch up with the rest of the cast, so he unfortunately was eliminated. I really wanted to see how he would execute a Latin style, and I also really wanted to see what else Hailey had to offer! Team Jenna were good sports, though. Tripp is one classy kid!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 5
#TeamJenna
Addison Osta Smith and Lev Khmelev, Mentored by Keo Motsepe
Cha-Cha-Cha
Burnin’ Up by Jessie J featuring 2 Chainz
The Judges’ Scores: 5, 5, 5 (15/30)
The Readers’ Score: 6
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: While Addison might not have necessarily had the best technique, there were moments in her Cha-Cha-Cha where she really “felt” the choreography and absolutely sold the content. However, in doing so, it came of a bit “posey” and didn’t have enough Latin essence in it. I have to agree with Mandy, though, that she and Lev had two completely different energies, where Lev was a lot more hard-hitting and down into the floor than her. But overall, the dance had a nice groove to it, and it was a commendable effort. It’s unfortunate to see Team Keo go, though, since I truly believe Addison could have had a good journey of growing as a dancer.
Paul Bentley’s Score: 6
#TeamKeo
Miles Brown and Rylee Arnold, Mentored by Lindsay Arnold
Salsa
Who Let the Dogs Out? by Baha Men
The Judges’ Scores: 8, 7, 7 (22/30)
The Readers’ Score: 8
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Lindsay’s choreography along with Miles and Rylee’s investment of the dance made this Salsa high octane and charming! The energies between Miles and Rylee mend perfectly with each other, even though it maybe made Miles a bit too frenetic at some points. For a Latin dance, this was quite heavy in Hip-Hop, but I didn’t mind that too much, being that the Hip-Hop elements really brought out the most from Miles.However, during the Salsa sections. Miles held himself together too hunched over and too “steppy,” which made it lose the essence of the style at times. But this was feel-good routine that let the audience become a part of their performance!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 7
#TeamLindsay
Sophia Pippen and Jake Monreal, Mentored by Sasha Farber
Jive
Do You Love Me by The Contours
The Judges’ Scores: 7, 7, 7 (21/30)
The Readers’ Score: 7
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Sophia is such a mature dancer for her age, which ultimately helped her get a steady feel of the Jive. Her footwork in particular was impressive. She was little light on her feet, but I can tell she was working hard to be graceful while still being quick and getting the right placement. Sasha gave her a good challenge with this routine, and she passed the test! I also love the fact that Jake was “there” for Sophia throughout the whole dance! He is such a great partner for her!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 7
#TeamSasha
Hudson West and Kameron Couch, Mentored by Hayley Erbert
Cha-Cha-Cha
There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back by Shawn Mendes
The Judges’ Scores: 7, 7, 8 (22/30)
The Readers’ Score: 7
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Isn’t Hudson just the coolest kid ever?! He had so much style in this dance that his confidence almost covered up the mistakes he made! He was ahead of the music a few times, but he quickly corrected himself each time that happened. The choreography of this routine made me eager to see what Hayley is able to bring as a pro on the regular DWTS show, because this Cha-Cha-Cha was refreshing and complementive of both Hudson and Kameron. If she is this good of a mentor, I can only imagine what she would be like as a competitive pro!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 7
#TeamHayley
Ariana Greenblatt and Artyon Celestine, Mentored by Brandon Armstrong
Cha-Cha-Cha
Cut to the Feeling by Carly Rae Jepsen
The Judges’ Scores: 8, 8, 8 (24/30)
The Readers’ Score: 8
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: “I can’t twerk on television!” That line from Ariana was hilarious! XD Ariana and Artyon are cuteness overload! I was so surprised how good Ariana’s Cha-Cha-Cha technique was for a week one dance; she had such sharp footwork and stellar hip action! This team is definitely one to beat if they keep bringing dances like this! Ariana still has to work on shifting her weight more seamlessly, but she is miles ahead of most of the competition so far. I also have to commend Brandon for what I would consider the best choreography of the night-- everything in and out of hold had the purpose of highlighting the kids’ amazing skills, which is what this show is all about!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 8
#TeamBrandon
Mackenzie Ziegler and Sage Rosen, Mentored by Gleb Savchenko
Foxtrot
New York, New York by Ray Quinn featuring Ultralove
The Judges’ Scores: 7, 7, 8 (22/30)
The Readers’ Score: 7
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: I’ve seen quite a few people saying that this dance didn’t have enough content in hold, and while I do think it should have had more, I thought there was enough of it to get a feel of Mackenzie’s Foxtrot technique. And personally, for someone who already knows music and has a dance background, I was surprised by how shaky and rushed she was. I guess ballroom truly is a definitely animal for her. For future ballroom dances, Mackenzie needs to straighten her elbows and practice her sway. But even with those flaws, this was a hard-hitting Foxtrot with some pretty well-executed tricks. In the upcoming episodes, though, I would like to see Gleb challenge both Mackenzie and Sage more with some more basic content, rather than focus heavily on the tricks that made this premiere dance in particular stand out.
Paul Bentley’s Score: 7
#TeamGleb
Alana Thompson and Tristan Ianiero, Mentored by Artem Chigvintsev
Salsa
Conga by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine
The Judges’ Scores: 6, 6, 7 (19/30)
The Readers’ Score: 7
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: As fun as this routine was. I have to say that I thought this Salsa was overscored. Alana absolutely sold this performance-wise, and I know she was giving the content her all, but she still needs to get a feel of the fast-paced movements. But this performance wasn’t mediocre by any means—Alana had the sass and style to really shine on that dance floor! She was very into the music, which made it very enjoyable to watch. And I have to give props to Tristan for being so invested in the dance, shimmying around Alana like no tomorrow! This felt like a very Artem-esque dance, but it also had its own feel to it, too!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 5
#TeamArtem
Mandla Morris and Brightyn Brems, Mentored by Cheryl Burke
Jive
Land of a Thousand Dances by Chris Kenner
The Judges’ Scores: 8, 8, 8 (24/30)
The Readers’ Score: 8
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Wow, Mandla really took me by surprise on Sunday night! This kid has got the moves! When Mandla moves, he moves big, filling up that entire dance floor! He was too hunch over and stocky at moments, but he crushed this Jive nonetheless! He and Brightyn have a great chemistry with each other, which is really going to help them in the long run in the competition. And if Cheryl keeps giving them such showstopping performances, these two are going to go far! This is definitely a team to watch for!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 8
#TeamCheryl
Akash Vukoti and Kamri Peterson, Mentored by Witney Carson
Foxtrot
L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole
The Judges’ Scores: 7, 7, 7 (21/30)
The Readers’ Score: 8
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Awww! This was by far the most adorable dance of the night! Akash and Kamri are such a lovely pair to watch. They work as a team, letting each other have their moments to shine. Akash was a very dapper leading man, keeping up with his hold very well. At times, I thought he got a bit excited and rushed his lines, which made it a little sloppy at times, but he was classy and “big” in this performance, which really sold it for me. This Foxtrot highlights Witney’s amazing work as a pro, and I can’t wait to see what she gives her team for next week!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 7
#TeamWitney
Sky Brown and JT Church, Mentored by Alan Bersten
Salsa
Light It Up by Major Lazer featuring Nyla and Fuse ODG
The Judges’ Scores: 7, 8, 7 (22/30)
The Readers’ Score: 8
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: Sky is fully invested in doing the best she can on this show, and she effort showed. She did really well with her footwork, especially when it came to those Hip-Hop slicks towards the end of the performance. She has the Latin hips down, and she did them with such a fun groove! At times, I thought she was a little careful and hesitant, but she still sold the performance nonetheless. She also anticipated the music a lot (especially with her nodding, but I think Alan will be able to fix that easily. This team did not hold back!
Paul Bentley’s Score: 7
#TeamAlan
Premiere Night Awards
Most Entertaining Dance: Ariana and Artyon’s Cha-Cha-Cha
Ariana and Artyon did not hold back in the slightest for their Cha-Cha-Cha! They killed that dance with style and fun from start to finish!
Best Costumes: Akash and Kamri’s Foxtrot Costumes
Those white formal outfits were absolutely adorable on Akash and Kamri! They were so elegant and dazzling, and their costumes reflected that.
Best Choreography: Ariana and Artyon’s Cha-Cha-Cha
Again, Brandon’s choreography for Ariana and Artyon’s dance was out of the park! He put lots of Cha-Cha-Cha basics in there while still giving them good “filler” content that wasn’t just “The Hype” or the other dance moves we saw over and over again throughout the night. XD
Strongest Couple: Mandla and Brightyn
The connection that Mandla and Brightyn have with each other as partners is really strong, and it makes them even stronger that they are such similar, high-energy performers!
Stand-Out Moment of the Night: Jason and Elliana Talking About Bills
After dancing to the song Bills, Adam said that Jason and Elliana’s Cha-Cha-Cha made him feel like he had bills to pay, which Jason responded to saying, “Don’t we all?!” And Elliana added, “Hashtag truth!” How cute!
Premiere Night Scoreboard
Dancing With the Stars: Juniors Week 1 Scoreboard
| |||
Couple
|
Dance Style
|
Judges’ Scores
|
Overall Score
|
Jason and Elliana
|
Cha-Cha-Cha
|
6, 6, 6 (18/30)
|
18/30
|
Tripp and Hailey
|
Foxtrot
|
5, 6, 6 (17/30)
|
17/30
|
Addison and Lev
|
Cha-Cha-Cha
|
5, 5, 5 (15/30)
|
15/30
|
Miles and Rylee
|
Salsa
|
8, 7, 7 (22/30)
|
22/30
|
Sophia and Jake
|
Jive
|
7, 7, 7 (21/30)
|
21/30
|
Hudson and Kameron
|
Cha-Cha-Cha
|
7, 7, 8 (22/30)
|
22/30
|
Ariana and Artyon
|
Cha-Cha-Cha
|
8, 8, 8 (24/30)
|
24/30
|
Mackenzie and Sage
|
Foxtrot
|
7, 7, 8 (22/30)
|
22/30
|
Alana and Tristan
|
Salsa
|
6, 6, 7 (19/30)
|
19/30
|
Mandla and Brightyn
|
Jive
|
8, 8, 8 (24/30)
|
24/30
|
Akash and Kamri
|
Foxtrot
|
7, 7, 7 (21/30)
|
21/30
|
Sky and JT
|
Salsa
|
7, 8, 7 (22/30)
|
22/30
|
Furthermore
Paul Bentley’s Thoughts: These kids were absolutely stellar. Every single one of them brought their A-game. And you know what? I like this spinoff show a lot more than I thought I would! I hated seeing Addison and Tripp eliminated at the end of the night… I have a feeling that most of the eliminations this season are going to suck. I don’t like seeing kids getting disappointed over being eliminated after trying really hard in their routines! But Addison and Tripp took their eliminations well. They are such good sports!
Week 2 Show Information
Starting from week two forward, DWTS: Juniors will be an hour every Sunday night, which means that they going to have to fit a lot of performances into the short time frame this week! For week two, the teams with dance to a song from the year they were born. Plus, another team will be eliminated from the competition.
According to the DWTS: Juniors press release, here are the performances that we will see on Sunday night:
- Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson and Tristan Ianiero (mentored by Artem Chigvintsev) will dance a Cha-Cha-Cha to Don’t Cha by The Pussycat Dolls & Busta Rhymes
- Akash Vukoti and Kamri Peterson (mentored by Witney Carson) will dance a Cha-Cha-Cha to Dynamite by Taio Cruz
- Ariana Greenblatt and Artyon Celestine (mentored by Brandon Armstrong) will dance a Jive to Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne
- Hudson West and Kameron Couch (mentored by Hayley Erbert) will dance a Paso Doble to 4 Minutes by Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake & Timbaland
- Jason Maybaum and Elliana Walmsley (mentored by Emma Slater) will dance a Jive to Shake It by Metro Station
- Mackenzie Ziegler and Sage Rosen (mentored by Gleb Savchenko) will dance a Quickstep to Are You Gonna Be My Girl by Jet
- Mandla Morris and Brightyn Brems (mentored by Cheryl Burke) will dance Salsa to Pump It by The Black Eyed Peas
- Miles Brown and Rylee Arnold (mentored by Lindsay Arnold) will dance an Argentine Tango to I Don’t Want to Be by Gavin DeGraw
- Sky Brown and JT Church (mentored by Alan Bersten) will dance a Cha-Cha-Cha to Just Dance by Lady Gaga featuring Colby O’Donis
- Sophia Pippen and Jake Monreal (mentored by Sasha Farber) will dance a Foxtrot to Love Story by Taylor Swift
Links
What did you think of the Dancing With the Stars: Juniors Premiere? Which dance was your favorite? What did you think of Addison and Lev from Team Keo, and Tripp and Hailey from Team Jenna being the first ones eliminated? Which team do you think will have the highest score next week?
#DWTSJuniors
#Premiere
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