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Dance Moms is an American dance reality television series that debuted on Lifetime on July 13, 2011. Created by Collins Avenue Productions, it is set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the Abby Lee Dance Company and follows children's early careers in dance show business and their mothers. A spinoff series set in Miami at Victor Smalley and Angel Armas' Stars Dance Studio premiered on April 3, 2012.

On October 10, 2012, Lifetime announced that they picked up Dance Moms for a third season consisting of 26 episodes. It was announced on November 28, 2012, that the series will debut its third season on January 1, 2013.

Cast

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Instructors

• Abby Lee Miller: Owner of her self-named dance company in Pittsburgh, which she started at age fourteen. She is portrayed as short-tempered, tough on the kids and the moms, but also extremely hardworking and passionate for her job.
• Gianna "Gia" Martello: Abby's assistant. She does much of the choreography when Abby is working with other girls.

Mothers

• Melissa Ziegler-Gisoni: Mother of Maddie and Mackenzie, and an outsider in the group of mothers, she previously worked at the front desk at ALDC and is often referred to as a "doormat" because of her blank reactions to Christi and Kelly's prodding. She dislikes it when the other mothers talk about her personal life and denies Abby's favoritism for Maddie.
• Christina "Christi" Lukasiak: Mother of Chloe, and possibly the most vocal of the group. She gets into many fights with Abby, because she believes preferential treatment and better choreography is given to her daughter's main competition, Maddie.
• Holly Frazier: Mother of Nia. She is a principal. She is the quietest of the group and doesn't get into many fights with Abby. However, when she does argue with Abby, it is most often about Nia's roles in dances and Nia's lack of solos and trios.
• Kelly Hyland: Mother of Brooke and Paige, Kelly attended ALDC herself as a child, but quit to become a cheerleader. Kelly also often feels that Paige is not receiving enough attention and quality choreography. She is best friends with Christi with whom she often sides with in arguments. Kelly is known for both her constant use of foul language in the studio and at competitions; as well as her heavy drinking of alcohol.
• Cathy Nesbitt-Stein: Owner of Candy Apple’s Dance Center in Ohio and mother of Vivi-Anne. Vivi used to attend ALDC, however quit near the end of Season 1. Cathy sees herself as the rival of Abby Lee Dance Company, although when her dancers compete against Abby's students, they rarely do well. Cathy is known for being rude and superficial. She will do anything for her students to beat ALDC; even going as far to enter her dancers in the wrong age categories and steal Abby's choreography. Cathy is very disappointed with Vivi because she would rather play soft ball than do dance, Cathy also said in the first episode that she would slit her wrists if Vivi played soft ball over dance. On a Youtube video of The Rosie Show, Nesbitt-Stein and Miller acknowledged a long friendship beyond the show. Nesbitt-Stein returned the 'bee' costume that she told Miller she gave to Goodwill in episode I:3. "It was never at the Goodwill."
• Jillian "Jill" Vertes: Mother of Kendall. She first appears in Season 2 and is disliked by the other mothers, with the exception of Melissa. She continuously complains about Kendall's lack of solos and special parts in group dances, as well as her daughter's placement on the pyramid. She eventually leaves ALDC to join Cathy's Candy Apples Dance Center after Kendall was put on probation again for Jill's outbursts. Jill comes back to ALDC in episode 20 of season 2, "Guess who's back?". She has tweeted that the producers made her leave ALDC for Candy Apples to cause more drama.
• Leslie Ackerman: Mother of Payton. She is not a part of the 'regular group', but when she does appear, she fights with the mothers even more so than Melissa. She believes her daughter is the best dancer and should be the most publicized, despite what Abby tells her and Payton.
• Kaya "Black Patsy": Only appears in one episode;

Dancers

• Madison "Maddie" Ziegler: Daughter of Melissa. Maddie is often situated at the top of the pyramid, but begins to have her position fluctuate in Season 2. Dance moms Christi and Kelly often accuse Maddie of receiving special treatment, such as 'better' choreography, more private lessons than the other girls, and being the most featured dancer in the group dances. She is best in lyrical dances and also does well in tap dancing, although the show doesn't show it a lot. She models for Cicci Dance.
• Mackenzie Ziegler: Daughter of Melissa. She is the youngest dancer in the group, and strives to be as good as her older sister, Maddie. She is usually placed on the bottom of the pyramid; however, there are instances when she was in the middle, and twice, on the top. Mackenzie is shown to be good at acro, and is occasionally given acro solos. She does not always get to be included in the group dances, because of her age. She models for Cicci Dance.
• Chloe Lukasiak: Daughter of Christi, born May 25, 2001. She is considered to be one of Abby's best dancers. She is usually placed in the middle or top of the pyramid. She is talented in lyrical solos, but often loses to Maddie when they compete against each other. Known for her ballet, even Abby admits that Chloe is the best ballerina of the bunch, and was offered a scholarship for the Joffrey Ballet School.
• Brooke Hyland: Daughter of Kelly, age 14. Brooke is the oldest dancer in the group. During the second season of the show, Brooke quit dance to become a cheerleader, but later returned to the dance group. Brooke is an extremely talented acrobat. She is often in the middle or bottom of the pyramid and has been on top 3 times. She models for Cicci Dance.
• Paige Hyland: Daughter of Kelly, age 11. Paige is the younger sister of Brooke and also a talented acrobat. She is usually place at the bottom of the pyramid. Abby has noted that although Paige is usually picked for the trio, she is weak in memorizing dances quickly and, as a result, is occasionally replaced by other dancers. She models for Cicci Dance.
• Nia Frazier: Daughter of Holly, age 11. Nia is usually placed on the bottom or middle of the pyramid but did receive the top position once in season 2. Says Abby Lee Miller "eventually with years of training, she has gotten a lot better."
• Kendall Vertes: Daughter of Jill, age 9. Attending ALDC for the first part of Season 2, Kendall was very rarely given special roles or solos. Kendall is good at memorizing dances quickly, however is frequently criticized by Abby for bad posture and is not very good countwise. She was always placed at the bottom of the pyramid. In episode 8 of season 2, as a result of an argument between Jill and Abby, Jill storms out of Abby's dance studio and enrolls Kendall at Candy Apple's Dance center. Kendall and Jill decide to leave Candy Apple's Dance Center in Season 2 Episode 19. They return to ALDC in episode 20 of Season 2. She models for Cicci Dance.
• Vivi-Anne "Vivi" Stein: Daughter of Cathy, age 7. Vivi left ALDC near the end of the first season to be enrolled in her mother's dance studio, Candy Apples Dance Center. She was always placed at the bottom of the pyramid and rarely was included in the group dances. It appears that she does not enjoy dancing – she only goes to dance classes because her parents promised her a puppy. She says that she would rather play softball than dance. Vivi is often used as a human prop by her mother, Cathy, to bring the age level down so Cathy's students can compete against Abby's students.

Cast selection

In an interview after the first season, Abby Lee Miller claimed that the production company interviewed "23 families to choose those mothers. The children were never auditioned." However, mom Christi Lukasiak claimed that Miller's statement was false. "The children absolutely auditioned, too. I have Chloe’s audition tapes saved on my computer!!."

Episodes

Notes

1. Season 2 also included two special episodes (first, second) that were not allocated episode numbers by Lifetime.
2. Season 3 also included one special episode that was not allocated an episode number by Lifetime.
3. Season 4 also included two special episodes (first, second) that were not allocated episode numbers by Lifetime.
4. Season 5 also included two special episodes (first, second) that were not allocated episode numbers by Lifetime.
5. Season 6 also included one special episode that was not allocated an episode number by Lifetime.
6. Season 7 also included one special episode that was not allocated an episode number by Lifetime.
7. Season 8 also included three special episodes (first, second, third) that were not allocated episode numbers by Lifetime.

Awards and nominations

The Pyramid

Every week on the show, Abby Lee Miller uses a pyramid to show the moms and the dancers who she feels did the best and who needs to improve. The pyramid changes every week. It became a subject of controversy among viewers because of its negative aspect. Abby Lee said it was not her method, but that it was developed by the show's producers to create more drama.

Season 1

Season 2A

Season 2B

Notes

1. Maddie was actually on the top twice this week

References

1. 40°28′31″N 79°47′31″W / 40.4752773°N 79.7919668°W / 40.4752773; -79.7919668
2. Cite error: The named reference renews3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
3. "Lifetime's Hit Docuseries "Dance Moms" Returns for Third Season on January 1, 2013". Retrieved 29 November 2012.
4. "About Abby Lee Miller". Dance Moms Official site. Retrieved July 28, 2012. At just 14 years old, she started the Abby Lee Dance Company
5. Dance Mom Cathy Returns the Infamous Bee Costume - The Rosie Show, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FXvMvI1BN4, accessed, Dec. 12, 2012.
6. "'Dance Moms' Maddie Ziegler Modeling for Cicci Dance Catalog". Retrieved October 10, 2012.
7. "'Dance Moms' Mackenzie Ziegler Modeling for Cicci Dance Catalog". Retrieved October 10, 2012.
8. "'ChloeLukasiak.com'". Retrieved August 7, 2012.
9. "'Dance Moms Brooke Hyland Modeling for Cicci Dance Catalog". Retrieved October 10, 2012.
10. "'Dance Moms' Paige Hyland Modeling for Cicci Dance Catalog". Retrieved October 10, 2012.
11. "'Dance Moms' Kendall Vertes Modeling for Cicci Dance Catalog". Retrieved October 10, 2012.
12. Elizabeth Kwiatkowski (October 12, 2011). "Exclusive: Dance instructor Abby Lee Miller talks about 'Dance Moms'". Reality TV World. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
13. Lori Acken (January 24, 2012). "'Dance Moms' back again". Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
14. Juzwiak, Rich (July 21, 2011). "Dance Moms' Abby Lee Miller On Ranking Students and Dressing Them Sexily". TV Guide. Retrieved October 21, 2011.

External links

• Official website
• Abby Lee Dance Company website
• Dance Moms at IMDb
• Dance Moms on TVGuide.com
• "Christi Lukasiak talks Dance Moms Season 2". Channel Guide Magazine.

• 2011 American television series debuts
• 2010s American television series
• American reality television series
• Dance competitions
• English-language television series
• Lifetime (TV network) shows
• Television shows set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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