The first-ever junior edition of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars‘ cast has been revealed ahead of its Sunday, October 7, 2018 season premiere. In addition to the dancing teams announcement, Dancing with the Stars‘ Jordan Fisher and Frankie Muniz are confirmed as hosts the special season of kid dancers. The judging panel will consist of Val Chmerkovskiy, This is Us‘ Mandy Moore, and Adam Rippon.
The 12 celebrity kids featured on Dancing with the Stars: Juniors include a pro skateboarder, the youngest boy to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, and a former beauty pagent contestant.
The 2018 Juniors dance teams and their mentors are:
- Addison Osta Smith with Lev Khmelev, mentored by Keo Motsepe
- Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson with Tristan Ianiero, mentored by Artem Chigvintsev
- Akash Vukoti with Kamri Peterson, mentored by Witney Carson
- Ariana Greenblatt with Artyon Celestine, mentored by Brandon Armstrong
- Hudson West with Kameron Couch, mentored by Hayley Erbert
- Jason Maybaum with Elliana Walmsley, mentored by Emma Slater
- Mackenzie Ziegler with Sage Rosen, mentored by Gleb Savchenko
- Mandla Morris with Brightyn Brems, mentored by Cheryl Burke
- Miles Brown with Rylee Arnold, mentored by Lindsay Arnold
- Sky Brown with JT Church, mentored by Alan Bersten
- Sophia Pippen with Jake Monreal, mentored by Sasha Farber
- Tripp Palin with Hailey Bills, mentored by Jenna Johnson
The special season featuring young competitors will kick off with a two-hour premiere. Per the network, the season “is a fresh take on an established favorite in which 12 celebrity kids will be partnered with professional junior ballroom dancers to perform choreographed routines, which will be judged by Emmy Award-winning choreographer Mandy Moore, professional dancer Val Chmerkovskiy and Dancing with the Stars: Athletes champion, Adam Rippon.”
