Dance Moms

***Dance Moms*** is an American reality television series that debuted on Lifetime on July 13, 2011. Created by Collins Avenue Productions, the show follows the training and careers of children in dance and show business under the tutelage of Abby Lee Miller as well as the relationships between Miller, the dancers, and their often bickering mothers. Set originally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and later in Los Angeles, California, the show is primarily filmed at the Abby Lee Dance Company (ALDC) studios. The show follows the girls on the ALDC Junior Elite Competition Team as they learn their dances and then compete them at dance competitions all across the country.

## Synopsis

Primarily set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and later in Los Angeles, California, the show originally followed the Abby Lee Dance Company's Junior Elite Competition Team of dancers aged 6–16 as they traveled week-to-week to various dance competitions, winning awards and preparing for Nationals, while at the same time being prepared by Abby Lee Miller to be "professional, employable working dancers". The series depicted the doting mothers as rivals of each other on behalf of their daughters, often arguing with Miller and each other, and sometimes closing ranks against rival teams. Dance performances were creatively conceptualized by Miller and her dance instructors, with input from the show's producers, while the choreography was done by Miller, her staff, and occasionally a guest choreographer. Various rival dance teams spurred the team's competitiveness. The show's success was often credited to the drama and conflict among Miller and the moms, along with the weekly dances and the close relationships among the girls as viewers watched them grow up and improve their skills.

The show features Miller as an extremely strict dance team coach who, over the series, relied more and more on criticism, sometimes personal, to motivate the girls, with an emphasis on hard work and competition against teammates. Every week on the show, Miller used a pyramid of individual headshots and gave feedback to each girl about her ranking, previous week's performance, attitude, effort, and the behavior of the girl herself and her mother. Miller had never used a pyramid in her studio prior to *Dance Moms*, and when once asked about it, Miller stated, "I've never done that in my life. That has nothing to do with me. That's the show; they came up with that whole process."

In season 5, Miller relocated the team to Los Angeles to help build her reputation on the west coast, and while the team continued weekly competitions, the focus shifted somewhat to include preparation for careers in the acting and music businesses.

During the second half of season 7, several dancers and their mothers left the ALDC to form "The Irreplaceables". Abby left the show several episodes later, followed by the remaining ALDC dancers and mothers.

In July 2018, Miller announced her return for season 8 of *Dance Moms*. Executive producer Bryan Stinson announced the show would be casting a whole new team, with final callbacks being in September 2018. On January 12, a new team was selected, consisting of 8 dancers. A promo for the new season was released in February, revealing that the show would be set around Miller's battle with Burkitt's Lymphoma while returning "back to her roots" with a new team. The season is set in Pittsburgh, in the same studio where the show began in 2011. Season 8 premiered on Lifetime on June 4, 2019.

## Main Cast

* Abby Lee Miller (Seasons 1-8)
* Gianna Martello (Seasons 1-8)
* Maddie Ziegler (Seasons 1-6)
* Mackenzie Ziegler (Seasons 1-6)
* Melissa Gisoni (Seasons 1-6)
* Chloe Lukasiak (Seasons 1-4; 7b)
* Christi Lukasiak (Seasons 1-4; 7b)
* Nia Sioux (Seasons 1-7)
* Holly Frazier (Seasons 1-7)
* Brooke Hyland (Seasons 1-4)
* Paige Hyland (Seasons 1-4)
* Kelly Hyland (Seasons 1-4)
* Vivi-Anne Stein (Seasons 1-3; 7)
* Cathy Nesbitt-Stein (Seasons 1-5; 7)
* Kendall Vertes (Seasons 2-7)
* Jill Vertes (Seasons 2-7)
* Payton Ackerman (Seasons 2-4)
* Leslie Ackerman (Seasons 2-4)
* Asia Monet Ray (Season 3)
* Kristie Ray (Season 3)
* Kalani Hilliker (Seasons 4-7)
* Kira Girard (Seasons 4-7)
* JoJo Siwa (Seasons 5-6)
* Jessalynn Siwa (Seasons 5-6)
* Brynn Rumfallo (Seasons 6-7)
* Ashlee Allen (Seasons 6-7)
* Elliana Walmsley (Seasons 6-8)
* Yolanda Walmsley (Seasons 6-8)
* Lilliana Ketchman (Seasons 6b-8)
* Stacey Ketchman (Seasons 6b-8)
* Camryn Bridges (Season 7)
* Camille Bridges (Season 7)
* Maesi Caes (Season 7)
* Jamie Caes (Season 7)
* Laurieann Gibson (Season 7)
* Cheryl Burke (Season 7b)
* Brady Farrar (Season 8)
* Tricia Farrar (Season 8)
* Hannah Colin (Season 8)
* Ann Colin (Season 8)
* GiaNina Paolantonio (Season 8)
* Joanne Paolantonio (Season 8)
* Sarah Georgiana (Season 8)
* Michelle Georgiana (Season 8)
* Pressley Hosbach (Season 8)
* Ashley Hosbach (Season 8)
* Savannah Kristich (Season 8)
* Erin Kristich (Season 8)
* Kamryn Smith (Season 8)
* Adriana Smith (Season 8)
* Paris Moore (Season 8)
* Lakisha Samuels (Season 8)

## Video Gallery

### Interviews

Chloe Lukasiak - Season 1 Interviews (Part 1)Chloe Lukasiak - Season 1 Interviews (Part 2)Chloe Lukasiak - Season 1 Interviews (Part 3)Chloe Lukasiak - Season 2 InterviewsChloe Lukasiak - Season 3 InterviewsChloe Lukasiak - Season 4 Interviews
### Full Episodes

The Competition Begins (Season 1, Episode 1) - Full Episode - Dance MomsCheerleader Blues (Season 1, Episode 3) - Full Episode - Dance MomsWhen Stars Collide (Season 1, Episode 5) - Full Episode - Dance MomsDying to Dance (Season 1, Episode 6) - Full Episode - Dance MomsLove on the Dance Floor (Season 1, Episode 8) - Full Episode - Dance MomsCathy Brings It On! (Season 1, Episode 10) - Full Episode - Dance MomsIt All Ends Here (Season 1, Episode 11) - Full Episode - Dance MomsChloe Is the STAR in a HOLLYWOOD Music Video (S1, E12) - Full Episode - Dance MomsReturn of the Candy Apples (Season 2, Episode 2) - Full Episode - Dance MomsNo One Likes a Bully (Season 2, Episode 4) - Full Episode - Dance MomsBrooke's Back (Season 2, Episode 5) - Full Episode - Dance MomsJill on the Rampage (Season 2, Episode 6) - Full Episode - Dance MomsThe Runaway Mom (Season 2, Episode 8) - Full Episode - Dance MomsMelissa Pleads the 5th (Season 2, Episode 11) - Full Episode - Dance MomsMaddie FORGETS DANCE Then Runs Offstage & Abby Freaks Out (S2, E13) - Full Episode - Dance MomsHow Do You Like Them Apples (Season 2, Episode 18) - Full Episode - Dance MomsBreak a Leg (Season 2, Episode 21) - Full Episode - Dance MomsGuess Who's Back? (Season 2, Episode 22) - Full Episode - Dance MomsThe Recital to End All Recitals (Season 2, Episode 23) - Full Episode - Dance MomsNew Girl in Town (Season 2, Episode 24) - Full Episode - Dance MomsThe Beginning of the End (Season 3, Episode 1) - Full Episode - Dance MomsAbby Finds a MADDIE REPLACEMENT (S3, E2) - Full Episode - Dance MomsRevenge of the Replacements (Season 3, Episode 5) - Full Episode - Dance MomsCamouflaged Maneuvers (Season 3, Episode 11) - Full Episode - Dance MomsThe Apple of Her Eye (Season 3, Episode 12) - Full Episode - Dance MomsShe's a Maniac (Season 3, Episode 13) - Full Episode - Dance MomsWatch Your Back, Mack (Season 3, Episode 14) - Full Episode - Dance MomsCandy Apple Showdown (Season 3, Episode 18) - Full Episode - Dance MomsDo-Si-Do and Do-Si-Don't (Season 3, Episode 40) - Full Episode - Dance MomsTwas the Fight Before Christmas (Season 4 Holiday Special) - Full Episode - Dance MomsBig Trouble in the Big Apple (Season 4, Episode 7) - Full Episode - Dance MomsSister Showdown (Season 4, Episode 12) - Full Episode - Dance MomsDecisions Decisions (Season 4, Episode 13) - Full Episode - Dance MomsFamily Comes First (Season 4, Episode 14) - Full Episode - Dance MomsKiss Or Get Off The Pot (Season 4, Episode 22) - Full Episode - Dance MomsChloe Is PULLED OUT of Elite Team & Gets REVENGE (S4, E25) - Full Episode - Dance MomsNo More Crybabies (Season 4, Episode 26) - Full Episode - Dance MomsAnother One Bites the Dust (Season 4, Episode 28) - Full Episode - Dance MomsOut with Abby, In with Chloe - Part 1 (S7, E17) - Full Episode - Dance MomsOut with Abby, In with Chloe - Part 2 (S7, E18) - Full Episode - Dance MomsThe Best is Yet to Come (Season 7, Episode 27) - Full Episode - Dance Moms
## Photo Gallery

### Pyramid Headshots

Season 1Season 2 Promo HeadshotSeason 2Season 3 Promo HeadshotSeason 3Season 4
### Behind the Scenes

around February 20th, 2014around February 20th, 2014around February 20th, 2014around February 20th, 2014around February 20th, 2014around February 20th, 2014around February 20th, 2014