Dance Moms

Dance Moms
Genre	Reality
Starring	Abby Lee Miller
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	117 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Jeff Collins Bryan Stinson John R Corella Mike Aho Kimberly Chessler Michael Hammond Robert Caplain Scott Shatsky
Running time	42 minutes
Production company(s)	Collins Avenue Entertainment
Broadcast
Original channel	Lifetime
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Original run	July 13, 2011 (2011-07-13) – Present
Chronology
Related shows	Dance Moms: Miami Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition Abby's Studio Rescue
External links
Website

Dance Moms is an American 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 the early careers of children in dance and show business under the tutelage of Abby Lee Miller, as well as the participation of the dancers' mothers. Filming for season 5 began on October 11, 2014, and premiered on January 6, 2015.^[1]

Synopsis

Set in Pittsburgh, Dance Moms follows the Abby Lee Dance Company's Junior Elite Competition Team of young girls aged 10–14 years old as they travel week-to-week to various dance competitions, winning awards and hoping for an invitation to one of the National Competitions. Much of the program depicts the doting mothers as rivals not only of each other but as a group to protect the reputation of the team. All performances are choreographed by Miller and her staff, with the exception of a few guest choreographers. Later in the program, rival dance teams are introduced that spur the team's competitiveness. In season 5, Miller brings the team to Los Angeles to help build her repertoire.

Every week on the show, Miller uses a pyramid scheme to present who she feels performed the best in her eyes and who needs to improve. Miller had never used a pyramid in her studio prior to Dance Moms, and when once asked about the scheme, 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."^[2] The pyramid changes every week, and the moms' behavior continues to be a factor in the girls' placement on the pyramid.

Cast

Abby Lee Dance Company

• Abby Lee Miller is the director of Reign Dance Productions (formerly Maryen Lorrain Dance Studio), which houses the Abby Lee Dance Company, of which she is owner and chief choreographer.^[3][4][5]

• Gianna Martello is an instructor for RDP specializing in all genres including lyrical, en pointe, and hip hop, and is also the assistant choreographer for the ALDC Junior Elite Competition team.^[6]

• Melissa Gisoni is the mother of Maddie, a lyrical/tap dancer, and Mackenzie, an acro/jazz dance/((tap dance))r.^[3] Before dancing with the Junior Elite Competition Team, Gisoni's daughters studied dance under Miller's tutelage through Reign Dance Productions.

• Holly Frazier is the mother of Nia,^[3] a contemporary and acro/jazz dancer. Before dancing with the Junior Elite Competition Team, Frazier's daughter studied dance under Miller's tutelage through Reign Dance Productions.

• Jill Vertes is the mother of Kendall,^[3] a jazz/contemporary dancer. Before joining the ALDC in season 2, Vertes' daughter studied dance at Rogers Dance in Pittsburgh and Studio 19 in Cranberry Township, PA.^[7]

• Kira Girard is the mother of Kalani Hilliker,^[3][8][9] a contemporary/lyrical dancer. Before joining the ALDC in season 4, Hilliker and her daughter appeared on season 2 of AUDC.^[10]

• Jessalyn Siwa is the mother of JoJo,^[11] a jazz/contemporary dancer. Before guesting for the ALDC in season 5, Siwa and her daughter appeared on season 2 of AUDC.^[12]

Rival Studios

• Candy Apples Dance Center (Canton, Ohio) Owned and operated by Cathy Nesbitt-Stein,^[3] the mother of Vivi-Anne, who danced with the ALDC in season 1.^[13][14]

• Studio Bleu Dance Center (Ashburn, Virginia) Coached by Gloria Hampton, the mother of Kaeli, who danced with the ALDC in season 3.^[15][16][17]

• Thrive Dance Company (Evansville, Indiana) Coached by Yvette Walts,^[18] the mother of Hadley, who first appeared on AUDC and guested for the CADC.^[19][20][21]

• Broadway Dance Academy (Fenton, Michigan) Owned and operated by Jeanette Cota,^[22] the mother of Ava, who guested for the ALDC in season 4.^[23][24][25]

• Murrieta Dance Project (Murrieta, California) Owned and operated by Erin Babbs,^[26] who once guest choreographed for the CADC in season 4.^[27][28]

Episodes

Season		Episodes	Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired
	1	13	July 13, 2011 (2011-07-13)	October 12, 2011 (2011-10-12)
	2	30[lower-alpha 1]	January 10, 2012 (2012-01-10)	September 25, 2012 (2012-09-25)
	3	40[lower-alpha 2]	January 1, 2013 (2013-01-01)	September 17, 2013 (2013-09-17)
	4	34[29]	January 1, 2014 (2014-01-01)	October 14, 2014 (2014-10-14)
	5	TBA	January 6, 2015 (2015-01-06)	TBA

Notes

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Recipients and nominees	Outcome
2012	2012 Teen Choice Awards	Choice TV: Reality Show	Dance Moms	Nominated
2013	2013 Teen Choice Awards	Choice TV: Reality Show	Dance Moms	Nominated
		Choice TV: Female Reality Star	Abby Lee Miller	Nominated
	BMI Film & TV Awards	BMI Cable Award	Craig Owens	Won
2014	2014 Teen Choice Awards	Choice TV: Reality Show	Dance Moms	Nominated
		Choice TV: Reality Personality — Female	Abby Lee Miller	Nominated
2015	2015 Kids' Choice Awards	Nickelodeon: Favorite Reality Show	Dance Moms	Won

Controversy and criticism

Due to heavy criticism, the Season 2 episode "Topless Showgirls", which aired on March 6, 2012, has been removed from rotation. The episode features the young dancers performing a burlesque-style routine and wearing sequined, flesh-toned bra tops and tights in an effort to make them appear nude. Miller defends her costume choice saying, "Everyone in the industry knows the girls are completely covered and everything's harmless." Lifetime confirms pulling the episode on March 23, 2012.^[30][31] The episode is not included on the DVD.^[32]

On January 29, 2014, Miller announced that Kelly Hyland and her two daughters Brooke and Paige are no longer contracted with and will no longer appear on Dance Moms as stated on an appearance with The View.^[33][34] Hyland was arrested in early January on alleged assault charges after a dispute backstage at a dance competition held in New York City during filming for the show's fourth season in November 2013. Hyland appeared in court with Miller on January 21, 2014 and pleaded "not guilty" to charges of physical assault. Proceedings were to resume in March. At the hearing in March, without explanation, a Bronx County Supreme Court Judge again adjourned the hearing to May 5, 2014. Legal expert Rosemarie Arnold opined that because the episode aired on TV, Kelly Hyland's defense that the "smack down" was scripted was a viable defense.^[35] The episode featuring the incident between Hyland and Miller aired on February 11, 2014.^[36]

Spin-offs

A spin-off series, Dance Moms: Miami, set in Miami, Florida at Victor Smalley and Angel Armas' dance studio, Stars Dance Studio, premiered on April 3, 2012,^[37] but was cancelled in September 2012.

In mid-2012, it was announced that Miller would host a sister program entitled "Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition".^[38] The series follows Miller and other dance professionals judging twelve young dancers aged 6–13 years on different styles of dance hoping to find the most versatile dancer of the group. The series premiered on October 9, 2012.

In April 2014, it was announced that Miller would host another sister program entitled "Abby's Studio Rescue".^[39][40] The series chronicles Abby Lee Miller as she visits dance studios across the country to assist them by improving their choreography, studio decor, staff and other aspects. It premiered on June 24, 2014.

A British version of Dance Moms entitled Dance Mums was announced. Jennifer Ellison will front the series and it will be set at her Liverpool dance school, Fame Academy.^[41] Dance Mums will be produced by Shiver.

On June 24, during the premiere episode of "Abby's Studio Rescue", a spin-off titled "Raising Asia" starring Asia Monet Ray was announced. The docuseries will follow Monet Ray and her model mom alongside record-holding bodybuilder dad and younger sister Bella Blu helping Asia reach dreams of fame in showbiz.^[42]

Related

• Dance Moms: Miami
• Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition

References

External links

• Official website
• Abby Lee Dance Company website
• Dance Moms at the Internet Movie Database
• Dance Moms on TVGuide.com

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