Last week on Dance Moms, Abby was beginning to break down over Paige’s lawsuit against her. This is a separate case from her mother Kelly’s on going lawsuit. Abby was upset that the media was at her home.
The very first thing that happens is that Abby is served with a subpoena to appear in court by Kelly. I believe this is the civil suit. It could be the criminal one. And they made sure to do it at her studio while Dance Moms was filming. Abby is crying and upset. She wants to make a statement to the press. Holly tries hard to talk her down off of that cliff. Holly looks fantastic like she might have done work done. The moms convince Abby to come back in and go on with rehearsal.
At pyramid, Kalani is not there. This is the second time Kalani has been late. Holly is pissed that Abby doesn’t punish Kalani for being late. Mackenzie was on the bottom of the for not being weird enough in the group dance. Maddie was next. MADDIE WAS NEXT! Abby says she was just a twin with Kendall nothing special. This seems to me to indicate Melissa has done something to piss Abby off. Nia is next but she gets compliments from Abby for her solo and her group dance efforts. Next is Kendall. I did not like her solo and think she should have place below Nia. On the top is Kalani for having the highest scoring solo. Oh I get it now. She is trying to make Maddie think she has some competition.
They are going to Detroit where Ava from last season’s B team lives with her dance instructor mother, Jeanette. I’m not fond of Ava. Abby is not fond of Jeanette. Kalani and Maddie are going head to head in their solos. I never in a million years dreamed Abby would allow this. That said, Maddie will have some intricate choreography and Kalani will be doing the bunny hop. Count on it being mathematically impossible for Kalani to win unless Maddie falls down. Abby threatens the girls if Ava scores anywhere near them.
The group dance is called Stomp the Yard and is based on Orang is the new black. They will be criminals. Like Teresa Giudice.
Holly is a spitfire this year. She’s pissed at Kalani’s mom. She tangles with Abby. She used to be the voice of reason, but not so much this season.
The girls shoot new headshots for their move to LA. While they are shooting the girls Abby tells the photographer the only girls who will be working are Maddie, Mackenzie and Kalani. Nia went last and Abby could not be bothered to even coach Nia.
Kalani’s dance is acrobatic and called, “Into The Shadows.” Maddie’s dance is lyrical called “The Judgement” and essentially she is acting out Abby’s feelings about the lawsuits. The group dance looks good in practice.
When ALDC arrives in Detroit, Jeanette has her students lined up to meet the bus. There are no other dancers out there so I have a feeling this is not a real competition. Jeanette rolls into the ALDC dressing room and Abby and Jeanette have a verbal argument.
Time for solos. Kalani and Maddie both have good costumes for a change. The budget must be higher this season. Abby doesn’t sit in the audience she goes back stage to keep an eye on Jeanette. That’s weird.
Ava’s solo was very good. It did seem like the choreography was very linear. Dance to the left side, follow the same path to the right side. Lather rinse repeat. However her moves were very elegant. She is competition for ALDC for sure.
Kalani was great. In my opinion, she beat Ava. Abby loved her and hugged her after her solo. I’ve never seen that happen before ever. Maddie was great as always. But her face was off. She was smiling the entire time and the beginning of the song was about sadness and despair. I could see Kalani beating her. It’s going to be close.
Before the solos, there was a long delay. Abby was impatient. She muttered something about people not having all day to be here. She half yelled Go! Go! Go! Delay of game. After the solos Jeanette came back stage and accused Abby of trying to rattle Ava before her solo. That is totally something Abby would do, but I really didn’t see anything. Jeanette filed a complaint with the owner of the event about Abby. What does that even mean? The director and Jeanette confront Abby about intimidating another team. There is an argument and Jeanette walks off with the director.
The Orange is the New Black costumes are hysterically cute. Abby is in the audience and looks like she is about to implode. That group dance may well be the best one they have ever done. I’ll be shocked if they do not win. We don’t get to see Jeanette’s group dance. ALDC wins the group dance.
Crap. Kalani got fourth overall. How is that Possible? Ava got third. Maddie got second. Abby is furious and is claiming the event was rigged. Holly tells her to stop being ridiculous. Holly mentions that Abby is only interested in Maddie, Mackenzie and Kalani. Abby picks on Kendall and makes her cry for no reason. Holly tries and fails to talk some sense into Abby.
Next Week: Maddie has a job in LA so we will be visited by Jo Jo with the Bow Bow. UGH.
Holly has always been my fav. of the Moms and I am glad she is finally being more vocal about how Abby treats (or rather ignore/dismisses) Nia rather than taking the high road as she had been previously. However, I do think her anger director toward Kalani’s mom is misplaced — it isn’t her *fault* Abby is giving Kalani preferential treatment — it’s Abby’s.
I loved the Orange is the New Black routine.
A lyrical dance will always score higher than an acrobatic — that was Abby’s guarantee that Maddie would beat Kalani. However, 4th place was b.s.
I’ve always liked Holly and Nia the best, too.
I am giving this show another chance, after being totally turned off by Abby. Iloved the group number. Ava needs a sandwich, her rib cage looks prominent. I preferred Kalani’s solo over all.
Holly must be this season’s designated rediculous mom. In the past, she just advocated for Nia. Now, she is starting to bitch about everything.
Group dance was amazing, for the 1st time I rewound to re-watch 4 times. Imo, Maddie and Kendall kicked butt. Kendall doesn’t get the credit she deserves. Even if Holly had a legitimate gripe her timing was way off, she needs to cool her jets. Abby looked like a heart attack waiting to happen, and Holly could have waited.
All this supposed favoritism bugs me, maybe because my boys were always in sports. The better players always got the attention and best positions. We parents never complained and understood. Why should it be different in dance? The best dancers should get better choreography and opportunities. Holly brings up how long Nia has been there, that shouldn’t be a deciding factor. Nia is amazing now, but she wasn’t in the 1st few seasons. jmo
It’s a little different in dance for a few reasons. One is that who is the best is more subjective. You can’t look at stats like you would in a sport. You’re looking at performance and beyond technique, that’s more subjective. Two, there’s absolutely no reason why all the girls shouldn’t have fantastic choreography. I think that’s the beef the moms have. Abby always gives the best choreography to Maddie ensuring her win. Have we ever seen Maddie get on stage and do an acrobatic number? No, because she wouldn’t win with that.
Three, the whole who gets a solo thing each week is such nonsense and made up for the show. In the real world of dance competitions, dancers are either soloists or not. They don’t do a solo one week and not the next. Since they made up this drama for the show, I’m sure it’s irritating to those moms whose daughters aren’t given a solo week after week. It deprives them of the opportunity to showcase their talent. Four, Abby was screening the calls into the studio for opportunities for her students. She was funneling those to her prized students Maddie and Mackenzie (whose mom supposedly help Abby keep her studio afloat financially before the show). Notice how any time it wasn’t Abby making the call, it wasn’t Maddie who won? Chloe was chosen for the Joffrey opportunity. Kendall won the magazine cover.
I so wish I could convince my daughter to stop watching this show, but she enjoys it and likes to watch with me. So…I watch.
Such a good point about when Abby doesn’t make the call, Maddie isn’t on top! In fact, it was after Chloe was chosen for the Joffrey summer scholarship that Abby started talking (the next season) about how Chloe had climaxed/wasn’t improving because she wasn’t putting the work into her dance training! Previously, while Maddie had been favored with choreography, etc., the story was how it was always a contest between the top 2 girls, Maddie and Chloe.
And ever since Kendall got the magazine cover, Abby started the “just a pretty girl with a prop” talk about her!
Abby is not perfect. But I still like her. She produces great dancers..
On Fri, Jan 16, 2015 at 9:21 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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IF…Abby is so terrible, why would you subject your children to this woman, year after year? For the fame? To be on TV? I think the mothers, who should be their children’s advocates and protector, are at fault letting Abby mentally abusing them. IS this all scripted and the girls know its an illusion? The show would be good on its own merits of watching competitions. I know the young girls are famous now, and this show has allowed them many opportunities. Just don’t make sense.
Oh, Abby is so horrible, I didn’t watch for a few seasons. Not that she’s better now. I was absolutely disgusted at how she treated everyone after the competition.
The woman needs to grow up!
I totally agree with. If what we are seeing is legitimate, Abby is a monster and should be prosecuted for child abuse and the.mothers for being accomplices. (Especially Kelly.who has known her since age 2)
Has Abby lost weight?
She has to look of someone who has had bariatric surgery.
Kalani’s outfit did her no favors, it made her legs look shorter and you couldn’t see how nicely she extends and points her toes. It also made her look thick in the middle, not a dancers body. I think that contributed to her placement.
I’ve been thinking the same thing about Abby, she looks like she had bariatric surgery.
I miss Chloe.
I miss Christi. I think I am the only viewer who liked her. Not CHRISTi. But Chloe’s mom.
On Fri, Jan 16, 2015 at 11:52 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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You are not alone!!! I LOVED Christi!!!
I like Christi too.and I miss Chloe. I am however they left ALDC. Chloe was ALMs punching bag.
Question, although Kalani and Maddie both had solos, weren’t they in different age categories?
Yeah I think so. But the awards they were seen getting were for top OVERALL solos. I think.
On Fri, Jan 16, 2015 at 1:11 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I like her too and miss her and did not even bother with the second show of season two.
@deco, I wondered About that also. The girls already had trophies in front of them when they began announcing overall solos and I was trying to figure if it was bad editing or something else. TT’s explanation about the overall awards explain it. Thanks, TT! 🙂
Holly is forced to be out spoken now because Christy is gone. The other moms could always appear more “sane” because they knew Chloe’s mom would do the talking/yelling for them. Christy always stood up for all the kids, not just Chloe.
I think it is interesting that the moms are stilling trying to convince us that Christi and Kelly is trying to destroy the ALDC, when Kelly is the only one with a lawsuit and her daughter Paige. They are trying so hard to make them look bad. I was glad they lost and I can’t wait for Abby to continue to dish it out so the other moms can be on the receiving end of what she did to Kelly and Christy children. They are so quick to say we support you Abby, this is how she has always ran her studio. Let’s see how much they will like the idea of their children receiving all the hate now.
I have not been able to stand this show since Kelly left. Which sucks, because I used to love it!
This is one show I miss. I get tired of the stupid drama, but love to watch the dancing. Thanks for recapping.
Chistie and Chloe already got their LV bags…both of them as did Holly and
Nia. I watch because I love to watch the children dance and not the Moms
fighting. Abbey is an artist of dance. She is fabulous at that, and I wish
any mother who doesn’t like the way she teaches, to just leave. She is not for those that just want to put ballerina slippers on.
Janis, January 27,2015 I am glad Christy and Kelly are gone. Honestly, I was sick of hearing Christy complain constantly about Maddie getting special lessons, etc.. Maddie was home-schooled just so she could practice more and when she continued to excel, I remember Abby asking Christy and Chloe if they would consider home-schooling and she told them if they would, that she would spend as much practice time with Chloe as with Maddie. If I recall correctly, Chloe said no, and she wanted to stay in public school. I love Chloe, but I think she milked her mom for all she could get when Abby and her mom argued over her. I also think the black and orange group number was amazing. Even my husband liked that, and I had to practically beg him to watch it.