‘Dancing With the Stars: Juniors’ Eliminates Akash Vukoti in Thanksgiving-Themed Episode

Dancing With the Stars: Juniors is down another competitor after Sunday’s Thanksgiving-themed episode of the ABC spinoff as Akash Vukoti was sent packing.

The six remaining teams took to the dance floor this week to perform a song dedicated to someone who had an impact on their lives during the “Give Thanks” night of the first Juniors season.

But the Scripps National Spelling Bee alum didn’t earn a high enough combined score from the judges and studio audience after he and junior pro partner Kamri Peterson (mentored by Witney Carson) earned a 23/30 from the judges for their jazz dance to “Jai Ho! (You are My Destiny)” by A.R. Rahman and The Pussycat Dolls dedicated to his parents.

“I’ll go home tonight with lifelong memories to cherish,” Vukoti said after the elimination.

Here’s how the remaining juniors performed Sunday:

Avengers: Infinity War actress Ariana Greenblatt and junior pro partner Artyon Celestine (mentored by Brandon Armstrong) were awarded a 27/30 for their salsa to “Pintame” by Elvis Crespo, dedicated to Greenblatt’s parents and grandparents.

Dance Moms alum and singer/model Mackenzie Ziegler and junior pro partner Sage Rosen (mentored by Gleb Savchenko) took home a 27/30 from the judges for their samba to “Cheap Thrills” by Sia feat. Sean Paul, dedicated to big sister Maddie Ziegler.

Stevie Wonder’s son, Mandla Morris, and his junior pro partner Brightyn Brems (mentored by Cheryl Burke) earned a 27/30 for their foxtrot to “Isn’t She Lovely,” performed live by Wonder himself and dedicated to the musician.

Black-ish actor Miles Brown and junior pro partner Rylee Arnold (mentored by Lindsay Arnold) were awarded a 26/30 for their foxtrot to “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, dedicated to his family.

Pro skater Sky Brown and junior pro partner JT Church (mentored by Alan Bersten) earned a 29/30 for their foxtrot to “Unconditionally” by Katy Perry, dedicated to her family.

As the juniors draw closer to the Mirrorball Trophy, their adult counterparts on Dancing With the Stars are readying for Monday’s finale episode. Competing in the season finale are model Alexis Ren and pro partner Alan Bersten, country radio personality Bobby Bones and pro partner Sharna Burgess, Zombies actor Milo Manheim and pro partner Witney Carson, and Harry Potter actress Evanna Lynch and pro partner Keo Motsepe.

Dancing With the Stars: Juniors airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Dancing With the Stars airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Photo credit: ABC/Eric McCandless