Payton Ackerman

**Payton Alexandra** **Ackerman** is a long time Abby Lee Dance Company dancer introduced to the show in season two. Her mother is Leslie Ackerman

Abby has said that she was not born with great feet, flexibility, or legs; but she has made herself a strong competition dancer with her work ethic, coming to class early and giving 110%.

## In *Dance Moms*

### Season One

Payton was first seen in the background in many episodes in season one, usually in class.

* In *The Competition Begins* Payton can be seen in the senior company room that Abby enters to get away from Minister Dawn.
* In *Wildly Inappropriate* Payton makes a short cameo. She is seen in a tapping class in Studio B, along with Brandon.
* She was seen helping Melissa move the lollipop props in *When Stars Collide*.

### Season Two

* Payton reappeared in season two, where she auditioned to fill in the spot Vivi-Anne created when Cathy pulled her from Abby's studio. The spot ultimately went to Kendall Vertes. Abby says she is simply too big, and the only way she would make a good fit with the younger girls would be to "cut her in half."
* Payton was added to the main group in episode four to replace Brooke, but taken out in the next episode when Brooke decided to come back. She then returned to the team in Episode Seventeen when Brooke decided to go to her school's formal dance instead of attending the Star Power competition. The moms are unhappy about Payton taking Brooke's place because there have been rumors of Payton bullying their daughters.
* In *Jill on the Rampage* Payton with her mother both are portrayed as mean and rude on the show. She tries out for Candy Apple's Dance Center in episode six, but it is unknown if she will be on their team, as she was reluctant to join when Cathy told her she would be able to. Payton didn't like the fact that it would take so long to drive out to the studio, and that none of her friends were there. It is shown in *Maddie Has A Secret* that Payton decided to stay at Abby's.
* In *Worst Birthday Party Ever!* Abby tells the girls Payton was in the group number because the theme of it was too mature for Mackenzie. She gets a solo when Leslie asks after they notice Chloe isn't present because of a field trip. At the competition when Payton is called for her solo, she says she doesn't think she had enough preparation. Leslie thinks Payton did well even though she didn't have enough practice time. Abby asks Leslie how she did and she tells her Payton hadn't gotten enough time to practice. Leslie thinks that if the group didn't do well, the moms would blame Payton, but the dance places first and Payton's solo receives seventh place.
* In *The Recital to End All Recitals* Abby puts Payton in the hip hop number because she didn't think the girls were doing well with it. In the recital, Payton was in fifteen numbers and because each had a quick change, Payton wondered how she was going to do it. Leslie complains to Abby about the line-up and how it affected Payton and Abby tells her she was going to fix it.

### Season Three

* During Christi and Kelly's fight in *Boy Crazy, Mom Crazy*, she was seen in senior company rehearsal.
* In *Tap Versus Hip Hop* she was seen helping Chloe with her hip hip routine. Later her mother, Leslie, said she was staying 15 minutes late to help Chloe rehearse her solo.

### Season Four

* In *Welcome Back... Now Don't Get Too Comfy*, Payton became officially a team member of the Abby Lee Dance Company's elite competition team. She competes with them at Sheer Talent in Wheeling, West Virginia in the group dance "Girlz Night Out." However, she has a meltdown in the dressing room when Leslie physically forces her headpiece through her hair.
* In *Two Can Play This Game* Payton is put at the bottom of the pyramid for her behavior in the previous episode and competes with the team in a dance called "Just Another Number". She does well, but Leslie and Abby's argument toward the end of the episode lands Payton a spot on the bottom of the pyramid in the next episode.
* In *Abby Strikes Back* Payton is put at the bottom of the pyramid due to her mother's behavior toward Abby, and she is set to her perform in the group number "Smells Like Team Spirit." Unfortunately, she injures her ankle minutes before the group is set to perform and the group number has to get re-blocked.
* At pyramid in *Sister Showdown*, Abby gives Payton criticisms and Payton flees the room upset. Abby speaks with Payton in the den, telling her that she is a rock-star at the studio; Payton says that she keeps coming back because she loves Abby, loves the people there and loves dancing; Abby says Payton needs to toughen up because the treatment of dancers in the professional world is not gentle. Payton is eventually the lead role in a drag queen group routine, and is praised by Abby for her performance.
* In *Decisions Decisions*, Payton is cut from the group dance due to costume shortages. At the competition, she is scheduled for a solo, but is kicked out with her mother when Leslie uses and repeats a swear word. An episode extra shows that Payton's costume at the competition did not fit.

## Appearances

### Season One

* *The Competition Begins*
* *Wildly Inappropriate*
* *When Stars Collide*

### Season Two

* *Everyone's Replaceable*
* *No One Likes A Bully*
* *Brooke's Back*
* *Wardrobe Malfunction*
* *Maddie Has a Secret*
* *Worst Birthday Party Ever!*
* *The Recital to End All Recitals*

### Season 3

* *Boy Crazy, Mom Crazy*
* *Tap Versus Hip Hop*
* *Clash of the Dance Moms*
* *The Dancing Dead*
* *Gone, Abby Gone*
* *The Big, Not So, Easy*

### Season 4

* *Welcome Back... Now Don't Get Too Comfy*
* *Two Can Play This Game*
* *Dance Moms Cares Special*
* *Abby Strikes Back*
* *Chloe vs. Kendall: Round 2*
* *Sister Showdown*
* *Decisions Decisions*
* *Seeing Red*
* *Girl Talk*

## Trivia

* Her favorite color is yellow.
* Two of her favorite movies include *Halloweentown* and *50 First Dates*.
* Payton and her sister Taylor attended the ALDC since around 2007, making a two-hour drive to get there.
* Payton's sister Taylor danced for Taylor Swift at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. Taylor also performed as part of the "Abby Lee Professional Dance Company" during the first season finale of *Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition*. Taylor is represented by Bloc LA talent agency and currently on VH1's "*Hit the Floor*"
* According to Abby, Payton is one of the best hip-hop dancers in her studio.
* She is billed to be in the film *High Hello*, with Sarah Reasons, Brandon Chang and Hannah Hayward, to be released in 2015.
* Her zodiac sign is Virgo.
* Payton, along with several other members of the Dance Moms cast, appeared and starred in Todrick Hall's video "Freaks Like Me" as Maleficent. It was released on July 3rd, 2014.
* In 2014, she is accepting fan mail at: 7123 Saltsburg Rd. Pgh. PA 15235. (This is the address of Abby's studio building.)

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