Abby Lee Miller’s increasingly bizarre behavior and abusive teaching methods is causing international repercussions. Several Australian news outlets are reporting that Australian dance studios and teachers are banding together to ask that Abby Lee’s visa be revoked for her upcoming trip in March. The teachers have gained the support of Peter Oxford, the child ambassador for the Australian dance industry. Oxford, claims he has received complaints about Abby’s teaching methods. According to Oxford, Abby’s abrasive and abusive tactics used to coach dancers is in breach of Australian child employment laws. Oxford also is the president of the biggest dance competition in Australia.
If you recall at the beginning of this season the girls talked about going all over the globe doing master classes and meet and greets with Abby. Oxford says that he received numerous complaints from teachers and parents. Some outlets claim that the $200+ dollar tickets were the main cause of complaints.
Season Five Spoilers after the jump! 
In SPOILER ALERT NEWS! It seems like it will take a miracle to keep Nia with the ALDC through the end of this season. She is not listed on this year’s international tour. On February 26 the tour begins in Ireland. The Australian leg, assuming all goes as plan begins in Sydney on March 13th, moves to Adelaide on the 16th and end in Melbourne March 21st. The website selling the tickets Lists, Abby, Maddie, McKenzie, Kalani and Kendell as the stars you can meet when attending a Master Class. Tickets are $229 for the 12 and under class, $249 for the 13 and over class and $119 to observe (your kid). Then two days later you can shell out another $179 per head to go to the “Showquest” Where “MADDIE, KENDALL, KALANI, AND MACKENZIE will share what goes on behind the cameras! These talented, young dancers will perform never before aired choreography and a few surprises you will enjoy! Find out if those moms are really that crazy; Melissa, Jill, Kira, and Gianna will be there too!”
The spoiler is that the trip will be filmed for Season Five of Dance Moms. And that Nia is not going. 🙁 Also, no sign of Jo Jo with the Bow Bow. 🙁
In other interesting Australian Dance Moms News, Christi and Chloe will be touring Australia in July following the same cites with, Chloe and Christi, Sequins and Secrets: The Oz Tour and charging around $200 a ticket as well. They are having troubles with Australia for holding auditions through a local Sidney school for background dancers. This audition was recently shut down because the dancers were not going to be paid and even worse, were going to have to pay the tour $30 for the privilege of being selected. Again that was shut down by child labor laws in Australia.
I don’t think Abby will be turned away at the airport in Sydney, but we might want to watch the news feeds . Their second show in Sydney is on The Ides of March. I’m just saying. Beware, Sydney!
I’m not in Oz. I hope I may still comment regarding Abby’s behavior. I have always thought she could be a great teacher without resorting to being mean and petty. Her actions on most recent shows make me question her mental stability. I think she is emotionally unstable and not just for show. She is incapable of dealing with life’s pressures, or is resorting to meds to cope, with ill effects. The students are having to suffer for it, at least the not Ziegler students are, particularly Nia. Nia’s mother, Holly, has also gone over the edge. Australia’s people in this field should be concerned.
I hope Melissa is aware of the danger Abby Lee Miller presents to Maddie. There are so many things wrong with Abby that one easily overlooks her abnormal attachment to Maddie and how her treatment of Maddie can lead to huge problems for Maddie in the future.
As manager, Abby did not look out for Maddie’s interests when she allowed Maddie to do the second SIA video with a dirty looking half naked male performer more than twice her age. This performer is known for his questionable semi-porn performances and the video itself is a gift to pedophiles, no matter how “innocent” SIA’s intentions might have been.
As a teacher or companion, an adult Abby Lee Miller is far from appropriate for Maddie. Abby behaves like the craziest of stage mothers where Maddie is concerned. She has cheated for Maddie, fixed competitions for her, praised her inappropriately and worst of all, Abby did everything she could to separate Maddie from her fellow dance students. Abby started to “hate” Chloe when Chloe won the Joffrey ballet scholarship and Maddie didn’t. I think it was the competition right after this that Abby broke down when Maddie didn’t win her competition and Abby left in tears. This is NOT normal behavior for a dance teacher let alone for an adult.
I question the information slipped into social media later on that Maddie was given a “Modern Dance scholarship to Joffrey at the same time. This is highly unlikely with the comments the judges gave Maddie at her Joffrey audition.
I question Abby’s reason for disqualifying Chloe from the Nationals “because of her mother’s behavior”, With Chloe gone, Maddie was able to win. Abby threw a big deal party for Maddie as the winner. Chloe got only threats and abuse from Abby when she won the year before. Abby just giggled when reminded of Melissa’s equally obnoxious behavior which was ignored.
As her dance teacher Abby couldn’t bear to share Maddie with her peers and manipulated circumstances to cause resentment and jealousy where there otherwise would have been none. I can’t comment on the pros or cons of home schooling but this was one more way for Abby to completely control Maddie’s life. The girls who refused to home school are no longer with the ALDC.
The worst display to me was seen in the “Girl’s Gotta be Kissed” episode when Gino was brought it to do a duet with Maddie. In either the regular episode or the Choreographer’s cut, Abby grabs Maddie and plants a huge kiss on her mouth. I did NOT see this as an innocent action or way to get Maddie to feel better about her first kiss coming in a performance instead of in real life. I saw this as a perverted action, as did several other viewers, who were not afraid of being labeled “perverts” for “reading things into the action”. The smile of delight in Abby’s face was not innocent or appropriate.
Abby Lee Miller is the most mentally disturbed individual I’ve ever seen outside of treatment There are so many things wrong with her one wouldn’t know where to start if trying to find a cure. I question why she is allowed to continue “Dance Moms” when she is clearly so disturbed and abusive to the children and their mothers. I know all about ratings but this woman is not performing like the wrestlers I used to watch. Her behavior is for real.
I loved the “Dance Moms” show but it needs to be stopped before there are more emotional casualties than those already injured by allowing this unscripted child abuse to continue solely for ratings sake.
You just said very eloquently, (better than I could have) every thing I have thought, and commented on…
Excellent comment! Jessix!
Well said! I had to keep reminding myself that this is just a comment, not an article lol So well-written. What really spoke to me was the “inappropriate praise” part. So true. It embarrasses Maddie.
Maddie DID get a scholarship and the Joffrey ballet instructors even commented on her highly skilled performance abilities. Chloe was most likely given her scholarship because of her technique. The SIA video was a way to express art and was brilliant. I believe it is okay for her to have done that because it was most likely supervised and SIA would never put Maddie in that position with an adult if she didn’t feel it was safe. She even said that she kept Maddie from going on a plane with a producer that turned out to be a rapist. SIA with out a doubt has and always has had Maddie’s bets interest. However, it is true that Abby was extremely manipulative and awful to Maddie. The way she treated her is inexcusable and she should get help to realise that her actions repeatedly to 7-15 year old girls for years and years was not okay!
WHy are you also commenting as Emma? Split personalities?
Well said you made every point exactly right
Shocking! Australia upholds their child labor laws. 😀
Tah tah Abby!
Hi, Micheal!
I would love to visit Australia. But I hear you guys have spiders the size of ponies. Eek!
Yeah. We also have poisonous wombats. At least our spiders the size of ponies have unionised with stringent labor laws. 😉
Come visit anytime! Our Fauna needs regular tourists to feed on.
One positive thing I will say about Abby is that it looks like she lost a heap of weight. Good for her.
I truly hope that we get to watch Abby fall into her depression/anger/paranoia/borderline personality…
I would like to see the girls kick, spit, bite, punch Abby once and for all.
Unfortunately, I would like to see Chloe make it BIG. Chloe’s a WONDERFUL girl, who can out dance Maddie any day of the week
Wow. What a pleasant first read on a Sunday morning after meditation. â
On Sun, Feb 22, 2015 at 3:02 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Ouch.
Do you mean her visa, or is she an Australian citizen?
Yes I meant visa.
On Sun, Feb 22, 2015 at 10:15 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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It’s not that I don’t understand these teachers’/dance schools’ complaints or am trying to defend Abby’s disgraceful behavior, but wouldn’t the right procedure be to organize a boycott of these alleged “master classes” Abby is putting on? I mean how can Australia revoke her passport? Her passport would be a US passport.
Even if they mean they want the Australian government to deny her entry and/or revoke her visa (if she needs a visa to enter to put on a commercial venture such as the master class) I still think that is going too far for a non-felon/non-terrorist strictly from a due process point of view.
A public boycott is the right way to go, IMO.
Sorry I meant Visa. I should post new things after midnight.
On Sun, Feb 22, 2015 at 11:11 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Totally understand — you work hard for the money! 🙂
the request to have her visa revoked was based on the fact that she is a danger to children. Apparently the Aussies have refused to let in people that were lecturing about the danger of childhood vaccinations as that was considered a danger to children.
Australia is a country that is NOT the USA. They have their own laws. Also unlike the US they keep they borders secure without concern about hurting anyone’s feeling or being politically incorrect. Hard to imagine, I know.
On Sun, Feb 22, 2015 at 11:11 AM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Ha ha! Touche!
Good for Australia!
I hope Australia can keep their country safe from America’s need to put profit before all. Abby Lee Miller is contracted to do her third “Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition” in Australia in a few months. The American entertainment lawyers will be unleashed on Australia’s laws in an attempt to have them put aside so the profitable production can continue as scheduled.
In my experience evil triumphs over good and the competition along with Abby Lee Miller will go forward as intended. One would hope America could learn something from Australia but based on History, the reverse will be the outcome.
I think she is just doing a tour there with the girls and filming for Dance Moms. It would not make sense for her to do her competition show there, she does that in LA and she picks favorites to substitute for her original girls.
Last year, outraged Australians were able to get the visa revoked of Julien Blanc, an American “pick-up artist” who was planning to teach seminars in Oz and who had tweeted things that seemed to advocate choking women.
At the beginning of the season, Abby looked good with the weight loss. Now she doesn’t look the same. Maybe she put some of the weight back on. She was seen eating lots of junk food on the first few episodes.
When I see her calling the children names ( Jo Jo the greedy little monster ) it does piss me off with her. I believe a good dance teacher has to be some what tough, but Abby goes to the extreme. The kids need tough love but should never be dehumanized She should be building self esteem in these girls and she would get so much more from them. I know a lot of what we see is scripted. But when the girls are embarrassed and put down…the tears are real. Abby herself got a little teary eyed and yelled that no one was going to talk to her like that. Learn some lessons Abby and practice what you preach. After all….the girls are kids. You are suppose to be the adult. If YOU can’t save your tears for the pillow how can you expect them to ?
Who’s teaching these master classes? Gianna? Abby’s not a dance teacher, she’s a choreographer. A dance teacher stands in front of a class and demonstrates the moves, then he/she makes corrections to the dancers as they work. A dance teacher does not sit in the corner shouting out the names of moves in sequence to create a combination. Abby always looks so smug when she does that like we should be impressed that she knows the names of various moves. I’d be impressed if she got up and showed the girls something. I certainly hope no one pays $200 for Abby to shout from the corner.
Gianna is teaching. There will be a demo by the girls, a “feet and legs” class, and then a mock audition so that Abby and humiliate the Aussie girls.
On Sun, Feb 22, 2015 at 12:10 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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I have always thought that even though I like this show some of Abby’s behavior should be against some kind of child abuse laws. To humiliate and yell at a child would not be legal for a school teacher to do. Why is any type of sports teacher exempt from this. I just think that there should be something protecting the kids from emotional abuse because it isn’t their moms. They are to worried about the kids being famous.
Chey Chey cleared did not attend Catholic school…
On Sun, Feb 22, 2015 at 12:11 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Public School Teachers (only some) and this comes from current first hand knowledge. ..indulge in this lovely behavior also. It’s disgusting.
I can only imagine how Catholic Schools were and currently may still be for that matter!
When I taught HS in Florida about ten years ago they still had corporal punishment! And teachers were allowed to spank. Can you imagine spanking HS students?
On Sun, Feb 22, 2015 at 4:06 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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Public School Teachers (only some, in NO way am I claiming ALL) and this comes from current first hand knowledge. ..indulge in this lovely behavior also. It’s disgusting.
I can only imagine how Catholic Schools were and currently may still be for that matter!
Sweet. A double post. Ugh. More work for you. My bad. Please feel free and I’m sure you will ☺ to delete. Trash the first one. Thanks T.
Here in Texas principals are allowed to spank students IF the parents give permission.
Abby and her fake fingernails is a ticking time bomb
Seems to me that a REALLY good effective teacher, choreographer , instructor, or whatever she is, would not have to resort to the tactics she uses to train dancers, especially the younger kids. I don’t understand the moms being so money driven to standby and watch their kids being treated that way, even if it is scripted. I think Abby is unstable or plays being unstable very well.
TT, just wanted to say I’m a long time reader, never posted before. Saw your post on fb and decided to post so you know we do click through. 🙂
I don’t know that Abby can keep up this pace much longer. It’s bound to cause a serious health issue soon.
Also, I believe it was here that I found out that the competitions are full comps, which is why when they pan the crowds they look so sparse, but my question is: as far as dancing in the competition world goes, would Maddie and Mackenzie be eligible as amateurs anymore? Especially Maddie since she’s done such high exposure work with Sia? Are we supposed to suspend belief that far and think she danced on the Grammys and the next week she is competing to win a rhinestone crown?? I see the gavel coming down soon on the show.
Love love love you TT!!
*aren’t
Thanks Nola! Glad to know the Facebookers are still out there! That’s an interesting question about Maddie. When I went to look at the ticket prices on Abby’s site, it listed some recent competition scores on the front page and Maddie and Mackenzie were both first overall in their divisions… So it appears they are still going to competitions. I’m not sure how the difference between amateur and professional is made? Is it your first paid dollar? A dollar amount? Being self supported by your career? It seems like Maddie may be close to supporting herself…??
On Sun, Feb 22, 2015 at 2:36 PM, Tamara Tattles wrote:
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They are also an ISLAND…much easier to control the borders. Still, I commend them on their willingness to protect their people from parasite bullies.
Don’t forget Abby is her manager and getting % of her $…
Classically a person ceases to be an amateur when he begins to accept money related to their sport/dancing/whatever. I’m not sure if this applies simply to prize money or to sponsorships and all that stuff, too.
There’s a BIG problem with this. Abby Lee Miller is contracted to produce “Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition” #3 in Australia during this trip. There will be a whole lot of lawsuits if this production is interfered with. Unfortunately the side with the most money will win. America’s entertainment lawyers are accustomed to dealing with and winning cases with much less merit than this one. It won’t be pretty. Australia should not be forced to participate in a dirty American politics, payoffs, and corrupt legal system, all of which will be brought forward to protect the mighty dollar and anticipated profits.
In a fair world, Australia’s laws would prevail and America would take a hint and enforce its own laws about child abuse, already on the books which are ignored.
It used to be in most American competitions that any money-making performance made one a professional and no longer qualified for amateur performances. This makes sense as professional status exposes a competitor to many more advantages and tricks of the trade than amateurs. I believe recent laws allow a certain amount of professional participation before amateur status is rescinded.
Previously, anything construed as payment disqualified a competitor from ALL amateur competitions. It may be the rules have changed since the Olympics allowed participation of professional hockey and basketball players. The line between compensation and sponsorship became more difficult to determine and now we don’t hear of amateur disqualifications.
It must be discouraging for excellent amateurs to enter a competition knowing they will face paid professionals in their division who will take all the winning recognition from the competition and return to their professional jobs. The amateurs often lose ambition and see no hope if they can never expect to win their own division when professionals are allowed to compete equally.
That is a good point because in most other sports I know of as soon as they take a paying gig it is then considered a professional career. I never thought of that.
Maybe Abby should lose about 100 pounds to improve her own self image, which might lower the level of abuse she pours all over these innocent, naive girls.
Occasional stern language, stiff requirements, detailed work and expectations are good for kids in dance group, in choir, and in athletics; but this broad is way over the line.
I don’t care how much talent or good reputation Abby Lee has, I would never subject a child to her behavior and mind manipulation.
I have been a dance teacher for more than 30 years and when this series began, I looked foward to watching. My morals/ethics/heart can no longer watch this person systematically abuse and demoralise these wonderful dancers. Children, because that is what they are need encouragement, support, guidance and most of all a good example set for them in all aspects of competition dancing. It is great to know that Chloe has done so well she is amazing. I hope Nia does not give up she is fantastic too and Holly is in my opinion a classy elegant lady, a shining example for those young dancers.
The mothers are the worst, all of them so needy,all fighting for attention, they are fame hungry mothers who allow their children to be abused so they can earn money and walk around knowing they are famous. Well they are as bad as Abbey because they encourage the abuse against their own children, they are a disgrace to all caring loving parents out there.
*PLEASE READ* The mothers did not know what they were getting into at first. They thought that they would get a fun chance to be on TV and learn from the best. The reason there are so many blow outs in Dance Moms is because the moms are trying to stand up to the way any treats them. Once the moms like Christi and Kelly realised that they were in a toxic environment and needed to leave, they couldn’t because of their contracts. Everyone else probably wanted to stay because they knew they would be blackballed in the dance world and Abby is the best. If anybody should be blamed for abusing the girls it should be the producers and Abby. The way the fights between the moms were brought on was disgusting. Abby knowingly treated every girl like crap and had no problem doing it. She pitted them against one another and manipulated Maddie into thinking her friends weren’t her friend and wouldn’t be happy for her success. She commented on the girls appearances many times and hated the girls who would not put dance over everything. She hated Chloe and Paige because she knew she couldn’t get dance to be their number one and that Chloe always looked up to her mother more than she did Abby. Abby hated that she couldn’t get Chloe to drop everything for her and dance so she resorted into purposely setting her up to fail. She gave her a hip-hop solo, switched the scores so Maddie could win, and yet manipulated people into thinking Christi was the crazy one who wanted her daughter to be the best. No, she wanted her daughter to be treated like a human being instead of a nuisance to Abby which is weird because Chloe was a gorgeous girl with amazing skill. They all were. All of the moms wanted the best for their daughters and the whole Dance Moms experience was like a cult that they could not get out of unless they were willing to risk their career. Some moms were willing to do it and some weren’t. It’s all on what the mother thinks is best for the daughter.
Why are you commenting as both Heather and Emma?