5 Quick Questions with “DWTS: Juniors” Pro Sage Rosen

Ever since it was revealed who the inaugural cast of “Dancing with the Stars: Juniors” would be, we’ve hardly been able to contain our excitement for the show. Seriously people, this group of tiny humans is TOTALLY stacked! And on the docket for the partnership we’re most excited to see this season, is none other than L.A. commercial scene fave Sage Rosen and singer/actress/dancer/goddess Mackenzie Ziegler.

Of course everyone knows that Mackenzie is the little sister of dance superstar Maddie Ziegler, but what you might not know is that Sage and Maddie have actually been dancing together for years. Their first gig together was an Apple Watch commercial when they were only 12 and 13 years old, and in 2016, they both performed in Sia’s music video for the hit song, “The Greatest.” Here’s hoping Sage and Mackenzie will have just as much chemistry when they take the “DWTS: Juniors” stage this season.

(photo by Ed Herrera/ABC)

Check out our interview with Sage below to get the inside scoop on the upcoming season. And make sure to tune into ABC this Sunday at 8 pm EST to watch the pair dance on the premiere!

Dance Spirit
: Where were you when you found out you booked “DWTS: Juniors”?

Sage Rosen: I was at Radix Nationals. I went back to my hotel room after assisting, and while I was there my mom told me there was something at the door for me. When I got there, there was this robot that the hotel uses to deliver things to the rooms, and it had a piece of paper on it that said I was a “DWTS: Juniors” pro. My mom had set the whole thing up for me. I was really excited!

DS
: What did you learn from your mentor, Gleb Savchenko?

SR: He really helped me grow as a dancer, and taught me how to be very manly. Mackenzie and I wanted to separate ourselves from the younger kids because we were the oldest in the competition, and he really taught us how to be mature. He was a great mentor all around.

DS
: How was dancing with Mackenzie Ziegler?

SR: She was amazing. Really, the best partner I could have asked for. I was wishing for her, and when she walked through the door for the first time I was so excited. We became very close friends. She danced when she was younger, but had never done partnering before so there were a couple steps we struggled with. She’s very competitive and worked really hard, and we had a great time.

DS
: What was your schedule like during filming?

SR: Mackenzie was shooting for her Youtube show while we prepared for the season, so we only worked about three or four hours a day. It was stressful because we wanted to get to the top of the leaderboard but didn’t have a lot of time. We just had to make up for it by working hard. Plus, Mackenzie picks up choreography fast, so that helped. Usually dancers are allowed to rehearse six hours per day for the show, but can’t rehearse on Sundays. We all worked from Monday through Thursday or Friday, then had camera blocking and shows on the weekend.

DS
: What’s something you loved about your time on “DWTS: Juniors” (other than your stellar partner)?

SR: Learning from the judges. They know a lot about the industry, so I was taking every single correction I could get from them. I was listening closely the whole time, which helped me grow as a dancer. Working with Mandy Moore in particular was insane. She’s such a great choreographer. I mean—she has two Emmys. Val Chmerkovskiy is a two-time Mirror Ball Champion, and Adam Rippon is also a Mirror Ball Champion who is absolutely hilarious. They were great judges.