History Series / DanceMoms

A RealityTelevision series on Creator/{{Lifetime}} that premiered in 2011. At its most basic level, the show revolves around the Junior Elite Competition Team of the Abby Lee Dance Company (headed by Abby Lee Miller), originally based in Pittsburgh. This team consists of a group of young girls aged 6-15, who Miller is training to become professional dancers as brought and looked after by their mothers (the titular "dance moms"). The main portion of the show's episodes has the team practicing for and traveling to weekly dance competitions, building up to Nationals (which is often what seasons end with).

This drama comes from the combined factors of Miller's extremely strict, controversial teaching techniques, rivalries between mothers on the grounds of [[MamaBear protectiveness]] or outright [[DotingParent doting]] over their daughters, ongoing tension with rival dance teams (namely Cathy Nesbitt-Stein and her Candy Apples Dance Center, who are practically presented as [[BigBad the show's antagonists]]), personal problems, and any other sum of situations that occur with the dance team. One early tagline for the show stated that "[Miller] makes stars, not friends" -- and boy, is that ever true.

** Maddie wears several for her solos such as "Disappear" (her character commits suicide), in "Angel" (to honor her late grandmother), in "In My Heart" (to honor Abby's late dog, Broadway Baby) and ''again'' in "Lizzie Borden" (self explanatory)

** Maddie wears several for her solos such as in "Disappear" (her character commits suicide), in "Angel" (to honor her late grandmother), and ''again'' in "Lizzie Borden" (self explanatory)

* [[WhiteShirtOfDeath White Dress of Death]]: Mackenzie in "The Last Text".

* WinkDing: At the end of the season 3 promo trailer, Abby turns towards the camera and does one of these.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar:
** Any provocative outfit in a dance routine, with the most (in)famous examples being the faux-nude "Fantastic" outfits and the {{stripperific}} "Electricity" outfits.
** Near the end of season 5, Mackenzie gets a solo called "Bat Crazy", a {{bowdlerization}} of its real name "Batshit Crazy".
-->'''Mackenzie''': It's a little crazy that my solo has a bad word in it, because... I can't even say it.

* EtTuBrute: The ALDC's reaction when it's revealed that Jill and Kendall went to [[Archenemy the Candy Apple's]].

* EtTuBrute: The ALDC's reaction when it's revealed that Jill and Kendall went to [[Archeney the Candy Apple's]].

* EtTuBrute: The ALDC's reaction when it's revealed that Jill and Kendall went to [[ArchRival the Candy Apple's]].

This drama comes from the combined factors of Miller's extremely strict, pushback-inducing teaching techniques, rivalries between mothers on the grounds of [[MamaBear protectiveness]] or outright [[DotingParent doting]] over their daughters, ongoing tension with rival dance teams (namely Cathy Nesbitt-Stein and her Candy Apples Dance Center, who are practically presented as [[BigBad the show's antagonists]]), personal problems, and any other sum of situations that occur with the dance team. One early tagline for the show stated that "[Miller] makes stars, not friends" -- and boy, is that ever true.

A RealityTelevision series on Creator/{{Lifetime}} that premiered in 2011. At its most basic level, the show revolves around the Junior Elite Competition Team of the Abby Lee Dance Company (headed by Abby Lee Miller), originally based in Pittsburgh. This team consists of a group of young girls aged 6-15, who Miller is training to become professional dancers as brought and looked after by their mothers (the titular "dance moms"). The main portion of the show's episodes has the team traveling to weekly dance competitions, building up to Nationals (which is often what seasons end with).

A RealityTelevision series on Creator/{{Lifetime}} that premiered in 2011. At its most basic level, the show revolves around the Junior Elite Competition Team of the Abby Lee Dance Company (headed by Abby Lee Miller), originally based in Pittsburgh. This team consists of a group of young girls aged 6-15, who Miller is training to become professional dancers as brought and looked after by their mothers (the titular "dance moms"). The crux of the show's episodes has the team traveling to weekly dance competitions, building up to Nationals (which is often what seasons end with).

** Cathy officially becomes rivals to the ALCD mid season 1, starting [[ArcFatigue seasons long rivalry between them.]]

* HeelfaceTurn: Cathy does this mid season 1, where she officially turns against the ALDC.

** In the earliest episodes, the Pyramid was presented with the pictures pasted on a chalkboard instead of the mirror wall, and was in the middle of the room. The girls were also seated on the floor instead of standing.

** Pyramid wasn't as suspenseful (or as important) in the first season.

While watching the girls grow up and improve is an undeniable long-term aspect, the lion's share of the show's success is attributed to the drama and conflict from the character dynamics it constructs out of the cast members (sometimes through [[ManipulativeEditing less-than-ethical means on behalf of the producers]]), it's ''incredibly'' rare [[OnceAnEpisode for an episode to go by]] without at least one shouting fight.

This drama comes from the combined factors of Miller's extremely strict, pushback-inducing teaching techniques, rivalries between mothers on the grounds of [[MamaBear protectiveness]] or outright [[DotingParent doting]] over their daughters, ongoing tension with rival dance teams (namely Cathy Nesbitt-Stein and her Candy Apples Dance Center, who are practically presented as [[BigBad the show's antagonists]]), personal problems, and any sum of situations that occur with the dance team. One early tagline for the show stated that "[Miller] makes stars, not friends" -- and boy, is that ever true.

* WhamEpisode: "Big Trouble in the Big Apple", due to [[spoiler:the violent skirmish between Kelly and Abby that resulted in the Hylands being permanently kicked off of the team.]]
** UpToEleven: You thought that was bad? [[spoiler:In January 2014 (a while after the episode's events, which were in November 2013), Abby filed a ''restraining order'' against Kelly. The next month, Kelly sued the ALDC for ''$5 million'' for reasons including emotional distress, defamation, assault, and breach of contract.]]

* WhamLine:
** [[spoiler:[[TearJerker "I still wanna dance, I still wanna do this...but I don't wanna do it with her anymore."]]]]
** "Four to six weeks, she [[[spoiler:Paige]]] can't dance."
** In an argument between Tracy and Kira.
-->'''Tracey''': You want me to start pulling up things about you, Kira? Because I ''know'' you don't want me to go there. I will be happy to talk about [[spoiler:your arrest record!]]

A RealityTelevision series on Creator/{{Lifetime}} that premiered in 2011. At its most basic level, the show revolves around the Junior Elite Competition Team of the Abby Lee Dance Company (headed by Abby Lee Miller), originally based in Pittsburgh. This team consists of a group of young girls aged 6-15, who Miller is training to become professional dancers. The crux of the show's episodes has the team traveling to weekly dance competitions, building up to Nationals (which is often what seasons end with).

This drama comes from the combined factors of Miller's extremely strict teaching techniques, rivalries between mothers and towards Miller, ongoing tension with rival dance teams (namely Cathy Nesbitt-Stein and her Candy Apples Dance Center, who are practically presented as [[BigBad the show's antagonists]]), personal problems, and any sum of situations that occur with the dance team. One early tagline for the show stated that "[Miller] makes stars, not friends" -- and boy, is that ever true.

%%* ArcWords: "The gang's all here" and [[spoiler:"Chloe is beautiful"]], at least among fans of the show.

* BadBoss: Abby, in a sense.
* TheBadGuyWins: In "Abbygeddon"; or rather, the bad guy places one above them.

->''"My world is with my girls,''\\
''living on the dancefloor!"''

A RealityTelevision series on Creator/{{Lifetime}} that premiered in 2011 and ended in 2019 after running for eight seasons.

At its most basic level, the show revolves around the Junior Elite Competition Team of the Abby Lee Dance Company (headed by Abby Lee Miller), originally based in Pittsburgh. This team consists of a group of young girls aged 6-15, who Miller is training to become professional dancers. The crux of the show's episodes has the team traveling to weekly dance competitions, building up to Nationals (which is often what seasons end with).

[[JustHereForGodzilla Of course, that's not what most come to watch.]] While watching the girls grow up and improve is an undeniable long-term aspect, the lion's share of the show's success is attributed to the drama and conflict from the character dynamics it constructs out of the cast members (sometimes through [[ManipulativeEditing less-than-ethical means on behalf of the producers]]), such that it's ''incredibly'' rare for an episode to go by without at least one shouting fight.

This drama comes from the combined factors of Miller's extremely strict teaching techniques, rivalries between mothers and towards Miller, ongoing tension with rival dance teams (namely Cathy Nesbitt-Stein and her Candy Apples Dance Center, who are practically presented as [[BigBad the show's antagonists]]), real-life personal problems, and any sum of situations that occur with the dance team. One early tagline for the show stated that "[Miller] makes stars, not friends" -- and boy, is that ever true.

As the show progressed, Abby moved her operations to Los Angeles, and more emphasis was put on the girls' burgeoning music and acting careers -- but it became quite evident that [[RealLifeWritesThePlot real-life issues began muddling the show]]. Miller's treatment of the girls led to [[RealityEnsues official company departures on less than amicable terms becoming common, with some of the girls developing serious emotional problems]]. Later seasons were also affected by Abby becoming prone to breakdowns and working through real-life legal troubles[[note]]In January 2014, dance mom Kelly Hyland was arrested on charges of assaulting Miller; her child Paige would file a separate ultimately-dismissed lawsuit towards Miller in October. In 2010, she filed for bankruptcy and owed more than $400,000 in taxes. In 2014, numerous lawsuits were thrown her way from former team members. In 2015, she was indicted for fraud, concealment of bankruptcy assets, and false bankruptcy declarations for making a secret bank account to hide income. She was eventually sentenced on May 9, 2017 to a year and one day in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release.[[/note]] which grew so immense that she reportedly ditched the moms and the elite dancers for three weeks before resigning from the show as of March 26, 2017.

[[TenMinuteRetirement However]], in July 2018, despite mass rumors that the show had officially ended or that it would continue with a new head coach replacing Abby, she announced that she would be returning for an eighth season. The season concerned Abby leading an entirely new team of dancers, going back to her Pittsburgh roots, and dealing with after-effects from her Burkitt's lymphoma diagnosis, and ran from June to September 2019.

This extensive time period of close calls regarding the show's livelihood would eventually come to a head in June 2020. After Miller posted to Instagram in support of Black Lives Matter, numerous mothers came forward with allegations of Miller using racist remarks towards their children and fostering a hostile environment. Shortly after, Miller deleted her post and issued a public apology; Lifetime officially severed ties with her the next day, effectively ending ''Dance Moms'' for good, or at the very least erasing chances of Miller returning if a ninth season is ordered.

** You might be able to notice an "Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition" poster in select episodes.

** Cathy once said "[[Literature/HowTheGrinchStoleChristmas Whoville]] called, they want their nose back" to insult Christi.

*** Chloe even lampshaded it...[[http://www.myhungergames.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/chloe.jpg sort of]].

* SickeningCrunch: When Paige breaks her foot on the landing of her standing back tuck, you get to hear it. And it's quite loud (almost unrealistically loud).

As the show progressed, Abby moved her operations to Los Angeles, and more emphasis was put on the girls' burgeoning music and acting careers -- but it became quite evident that [[RealLifeWritesThePlot real-life issues began muddling the show]]. Miller's treatment of the girls led to [[RealityEnsues official company departures on less than amicable terms becoming common, with some of the girls developing serious emotional problems]]. Later seasons were also affected by Abby becoming prone to breakdowns and working through real-life legal troubles[[note]]In 2010, she filed for bankruptcy and owed more than $400,000 in taxes. In 2014, numerous lawsuits were thrown her way from former team members. In 2015, she was indicted for fraud, concealment of bankruptcy assets, and false bankruptcy declarations for making a secret bank account to hide income. She was eventually sentenced on May 9, 2017 to a year and one day in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release.[[/note]] which grew so immense that she reportedly ditched the moms and the elite dancers for three weeks before resigning from the show as of March 26, 2017.

This extensive time period of close calls regarding the show's livelihood would eventually come to a head in June 2020. After Miller posted to Instagram in support of Black Lives Matter, numerous mothers came forward with allegations of Miller using racist remarks towards their children and fostering a hostile environment. Shortly after, Miller deleted her post and issued a public apology; Lifetime officially severed ties with her the next day, effectively ending ''Dance Moms'' for good.

* ''The [=JoJo=] and [=BowBow=] Show'': A WebAnimation series based on the life of cast member ''[=JoJo=] Siwa'' created by Creator/{{Nickelodeon}}.

* AbbeyRoadCrossing: [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CB0zQeuWMAAvXxf.jpg Done by Christi and Chloe on one of their trips to England.]]
* AbortedArc:In "It All Ends Here", Maddie and Mackenzie's dad threatened he'd do whatever he could to get them out of the studio. It was never mentioned again after that episode.

A RealityTelevision series on Creator/{{Lifetime}} that premiered in 2011.

The show is about the Abby Lee Dance Company (headed by Abby Lee Miller) and the elite team of girls who are learning to dance at the company [[RevolvingDoorBand (which is known for changing quite frequently)]], but is most known for the drama caused by the mothers (the titular "dance moms") among themselves and sometimes with Abby for her at-times-questionable teaching techniques and any sum of situations that occur with the dance team. One early tagline for the show stated that "she makes stars, not friends" -- and boy, is that ever true.

As the show progressed, [[RealLifeWritesThePlot it started getting muddled by real-life occurrences]]. Abby's treatment of the girls led to some of them leaving the company. Furthermore, Abby became prone to breakdowns, and later seasons became muddled with her real-life legal troubles[[note]]In 2010, she filed for bankruptcy and owed more than $400,000 in taxes. In 2014, numerous lawsuits were thrown her way from former team members. In 2015, she was indicted for fraud, concealment of bankruptcy assets, and false bankruptcy declarations for making a secret bank account to hide income. She was eventually sentenced on May 9, 2017 to a year and one day in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release.[[/note]], which grew so immense that she reportedly ditched the moms and the elite dancers for three weeks before resigning from the show as of March 26, 2017.

[[TenMinuteRetirement However]], in July 2018, despite mass rumors that the show was officially ended or that it would continue with a new head coach replacing Abby, she announced that she would be returning for an eighth season. A promo for this season was released in February 2019, where it was announced that it would be a mix of Abby leading an entirely new team of dancers, going back to her Pittsburgh roots, and dealing with her Burkitt's lymphoma. The season premiered on June 4th, 2019.

* TechnicianVersusPerformer: Possibly between Maddie and Chloe. Chloe is often seen as superior technically, but Maddie tends to get more solos because she is able to use her face (a.k.a, perform) better onstage. Also can be seen in the case of Nia and Mackenzie - neither one is the best in the group, but it's obvious that they both love dancing. Averted with Brooke - she's one of the strongest technically, but her lack of expression is what keeps her from getting solos often.