sofiah

There has to be something we're not seeing in terms of Ashley and Jared... right? She seems like a doofus, but maybe he is leading her on just a bit by agreeing that they are best friends, and that he cares deeply for her, etc. Those things might be true, and it does seem like they have a friendship that goes beyond the cameras -- but he should also tell her that despite all this and under no uncertain terms, he does not want to be in any kind of committed romantic relationship with her. Threatening to leave the show is such a weak move, and if he did, would only prolong her obsession. She is mystified as to how they can 'love each other so much and not be together' -- seems like it should be a simple enough thing to answer. He just needs to say he isn't interested. That they can't be together because he doesn't want to be together. I don't know, maybe he has told her and she really is that crazy. This stuff is all so silly when you think that Jared and Caila have literally been on one date and known each other for two days. Two days! Caila seems perpetually lukewarm to me. Her conversation about how she "protects herself" had me yaaaaawning. This isn't the Bachelor... have a mimosa, lighten up. Although I did like how she specified that she didn't want to end up like Ashley.

Josh is so, so repulsive to me. The definition of smarmy. Also, to me, he comes off as quite dumb. I also strongly dislike Evan, but he was right in saying that Josh talks in cliches. His inability to say anything of meaning in regards to Andi's book besides "its a completely fictional story" and "God has a plan" is almost comical. It would be much more convincing if he said something along the line of 'relationships are complicated, everyone says and does things they don't mean, Andy exaggerated many things to make me look bad and made some stuff up, etc." Basically how Nick has handled it.

I liked it. What a great bunch of kids. Emma is absolutely adorable, and so is Tahani. Tate was surprisingly good at hiphop. I think Tate and Emma are my frontrunners. I love Jordan but I am not super impressed by her dancing, but as a contemporary dancer she's kind of got the stiffest competition in her genre (with Tate). I'm looking forward to watching her in other genres. I thought Maddie was better this episode then last episode. I actually don't have a problem with her judging -- she may not be a better dancer then these kids (although she is probably a better lyrical/contemporary dancer then most of them - with the exception of Tate) but she still knows what constitutes good/bad technique. I would actually enjoy her commentary more if she focused on that more then always talking about "the amazing connection" and "going to that place".

Yeah I remember watching her as a little kid in hip hop and being so impressed! I didn't love this solo either. People were raving about it, but I didn't find it that appealing. But, like you said, you gotta give her credit for going outside the box. I loved her solo 'Bang Bang' at the last dance awards she competed in (and won as a Teen). But honestly, to me she's more impressive in classes and conventions rather then competitive solos. Even in group dances, she just has a quality of movement that I appreciate. I get the sense that she has rhythm and can dance rather then that she's just practiced something over and over and stretched her muscles off. I also like that for the most part she seems to avoid the overly-dramatic-sad-face-"emotional"-solos where the dancer seems to walk around the stage aimlessly pausing to hold their legs in the air and holding hinges for 30 seconds ;) .

Simrin won 5th overall with a hiphop solo, and was 2nd runner up for Best Dancer with this solo: But she is well known for actually being versatile.

Kalani was 2nd runner up, I think. Emma Sutherland won, this was her solo: Beautiful dancer.

Yes, Maddie competed as a Junior and her improv was surprisingly good - made me think that the ALDC choreography actually really holds her back. This Kalani dance solo impressed me though - she is really dancing with her whole body, and so fluid. I think she really wants to win this year.

Chloe was fine in the movie. It was just a really bad movie. Anyway, came here to post Kalani's new solo. She is up for best dancer at TDA again this year (she's top 3 - results are on Friday). I think this is Travis Wall choreography but I am not sure. She competed under her real studio Club Dance. It is beautiful and so much better then anything we've ever seen from her on the show. Seeing how she actually dances makes watching her do the silly group dances on the show even more ridiculous.

I actually agree with you about Sophia. I think she is starting to fizzle now as other dancers catch up to her and are better performers. The reason you don't remember Bostyn, though, is because they didn't show her dancing. I also like Jordan - I'm not saying she shouldn't have been picked over Bostyn. Just that this show is not all about who is the best dancer/performer. They also need to cast certain "types" - but we all know that already!

Yeah, I thought Quinn's mother's reaction was odd as well -- "we'll go home and work harder"? Really? She seemed like she works hard enough! Some of the choices are clearly based on ratings/entertainment and not who the best dancer is. If it was about who was the best dancer, there is no way someone like Sophia Lucia would go home while that little boy stayed, or even that little girl Jordan. The little girl that got booted off for Jordan - Bostyn - a quick youtube search also reveals is very good, and very versatile.

Yeah, it is interesting. You have to keep in mind that its not always just a competition -at least not the more reputable ones... its a huge convention with 2-3 days of classes with some of the best teachers and choreographers. Also, since she's won best dancer before I'm pretty sure she has scholarships to all of the conventions associated with The Dance Awards (which may even include travel costs, I don't know).

He's a poor man's Jim. His ears also need to be different somehow. John Krasinski is definitely better looking... however, Derek *did* actually look straight at the camera and smirk during the nip slip scene. At least I think that's what I saw...

By Youtube thing do you mean having solos up on youtube? A lot of the contemporary kids are big competition winners so you can easily find their dancing on youtube... some that come to my mind who are on teams are Sophia, Gavin, Bostyn, Avery, Brooklin, and Tate. Tate has never gone anywhere near Dance Moms. But she did compete with Maddie at last year's Dance Awards (not filmed), so they definitely know each other. Also, I'm pretty sure every single one of the kids on the hip hop team is in Wildabeast's "Immabeast" hip hop company (they're all "lil beasts" lol) so you can see them in tons of videos too.

Jordan is so clearly not that into Jojo... and he is so clearly her favorite... thats not going to end well. And yes, Derek looks just like John Krasinski!

I figured Tate's biggest contemporary competition would be Avery or Sophia. But Tate and Avery are on the same team, so only one will make it through (is that how it works?), which doesn't seem right.

I didn't think those two boys that danced together were that impressive. I didn't think they'd make it through. Tate was great, but I had already seen her dance, so I knew she'd go straight through. Seriously you watch that little girl dance at 9 years old and she would have made it through even then. The other contemporary girl (Olivia?) was good - but I did not think anywhere near as good in terms of quality of movement and musicality - just very, very flexible. Although its hard to say from just one audition.

I thought these auditions were kind of meh. I recognized Tate McRae in the preview for next episode though, and I'm excited to see her dance. Hopefully they actually show it.

I liked the old format much, much better. And I agree they should have gone for teens! That would be a great compromise, still "young" and "next generation", but also a bit more developed and mature. That being said, I am apparently one of the few that actually likes watching kids dance, no it's not the same -- they are kids -- but there is value in that as well. So as much as I would rather watch adults, I am just going to enjoy this season for what it is. And regarding being on pointe... there is really no set age where it is acceptable. As I've always understood it, it depends on your training, your strength, your alignment, your balance, and I guess most importantly your bone development. You need at least 75% ossification before you start, and then you gradually begin training from there. The only way to conclusively know is to have an x-ray. The average age is 12, but for one kid it could be 11, and for another it could be 14. I don't know the specifics of Avery's bone development, but I wouldn't immediately assume the adults around her have been negligent in ensuring she's prepared to be on pointe.

I think the girl with all the instagram followers was Sophia Lucia, who is very well known in the dance competition circuit. A few years back she set the world record for most consecutive pirouettes, and she's also been on Dance Moms, and she was TDA best dancer this past year, so has been touring/assisting with the conventions. She's way more known for contemporary/lyrical, but she's been exclusively ballet training this year. There are probably hundreds of her solos on youtube. Ballet girl, Avery Gay, is an amazing little dancer. She also won TDA best dancer this year - and I think she won the Hope Award at YAGP this year too. Also all over youtube. Bullied tall girls story made me roll my eyes a little bit. Bullied tall girl's mom tried desperately to get her onto Dance Moms (showed up at all the audition, etc.) When she finally got in, Abby Lee Miller gave her an awful solo which she obviously didn't win with. Then Abby Lee Miller told tall girl, and her mom, that tall girl was off the team because she didn't win, and she was too tall and it didn't work with the other members. Jeanette, the mother, didn't accept this and still brought Ava to the next competition -- where Abby Lee Miller proceeded to officially call Ava too tall and, once again, kick her off the team. She told her mom that Ava looked like a praying mantis when she danced because she needed to learn how to use her arms better. The mother then held a vendetta against Abby Lee Miller for quite a while, so much so that she came back on the show for an entire season, coaching their "rival" team and choreographing a bunch of awful empowering dances featuring her daughter in an effort to beat her. So, basically, that mother really seems to want to be on tv. Ava seems very sweet, and I feel for her, although I don't think she would necessarily have made it through if it weren't for the sob story. Sorry everyone -- I have my own little daughter obsessed with dance, and I was a teacher with two kids in my class in the competitive dance world... so I got shown a lot of youtube videos of this stuff, and I watch Dance Moms. LOL.

There is absolutely no way Chloe is qualified to teach a class. Assist, yes, but not teach. Abby probably wasn't qualified either - although I thinks she was strictly more of a choreographer at that point. It's just a gimmick... if you go to site, there are a few dance related "lessons" (how to calm your nerves before a solo, how to stretch, etc.) - the rest includes the dance videos she's already filmed that are on youtube, and the likes of 'secrets of french braiding', 'clara's style makeover' and 'chloe's morning routine'. It's just something for her fans to watch, no one is going to learn how to dance from this. I would never equate teaching to judging a reality show. SYTYCD is entertainment and its reality television -- Maddie can comment on weather or not she liked a performance and why... its kind of openly subjective and opinion based. She isn't teaching anything to anyone.

I guess I was the only one who watched this, lol. Well, I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I kind of enjoyed it. It was nice to see Abby, Maddie and Mackenzie actually interact. I can also totally see why Maddie has been successful in the "business" -- she interviews well, she's sure of herself, she comes off as nice but also a little too cool and snarky. I actually thought she came off much nicer then she is sometimes portrayed as on the show. Especially when she was talking about how Melissa shows off about her to the other moms and she hates it, and about all the amazing kids who come and do hip hop at the ALDC now, and how much she's learned from them, and how she likes watching Mackenzie dance, etc.

I have to agree with what many of you have said regarding Chloe. In terms of "success" in the entertainment world, you can't really compare what she is doing to what Maddie is doing. Not that what Chloe is achieving isn't commendable and great for her... they are just on different levels. And in terms of dancing... Chloe is a great, sweet kid, but I think, objectively, it would be hard to argue that she is much more then a perhaps-slightly-higher-then-average dancer at this point. She's always been a good turner, but even in the stylized editted youtube dance videos she posts, there is not much there in terms of dancing. Her channel is not really even about dance anymore, it's all "Chloe's favorite books" or "cooking with Chloe", etc. Don't even get me started on Christi. The way she constantly encouraged Chloe to play the role of poor victim - instead of trying to empower her - drove me nuts. Christi loved that the underdog narrative and ran with it, she lapped it up. Like I said though, I do think Chloe seems like a sweet heart and I wish her the best. She has a passionate and loyal fan base that has stayed with her from Dance Moms, and that says quite a lot.

I agree with everyone here about Melissa -- just despicable behavior. The way she spoke to Areana's mom about her disabled son was just horrendous. Her true colors really came out when she was pushed "YOU'RE KIDS WILL BE NOTHING!!! THE FANS WON'T LOVE YOU!!!". Yes, Melissa. Because they love you. That being said - if Abby had ANY sense, she would have scheduled Areana's special dance for her brother on another week (any other week) so that it wouldn't be competing for attention with M&M's last dances ever. Abby was pretty clever with that move. She basically introduced her a new "star" in the episode where M&M left. I felt bad for Mackenzie - I read somewhere that she actually did place 1st in Junior, and that Areana was actually competing in Mini. Anyone else hear this? I thought Maddie's solo was stunning. I really hope dance training remains a priority for her as she pursues other things.

Brynn has two siblings I believe. Both still young (not sure what age - but school age), I think Jojo has an older brother, and Kendall has at least one (maybe two) teenage aged sisters who I think are in college. The moms do have to be present. That's why Kira had to give Melissa "guardianship" of Kalani while she was gone. I think Melissa will regret leaving the show. Once she realizes Maddie - not her - is the one who is going to be off doing cool things, and no one cares about her... once she's sitting in some back room eating a stale pastry waiting for Maddie to finish shooting, not a camera in sight... she'll wish those Dance Moms cameras were still in her face filming her conversations. Just a hunch. I hope I'm wrong. I wonder how Mackenzie will do; she has basically grown up in front of the cameras, so it's gotta be an adjustment for her...

This show really has created a morphed reality. I am not saying that Maddie isn't the best dancer and entertainer out of all these kids; she very well might be. That being said, the "Maddie dances", as they call them, were choreographed with Maddie in mind. Gianna and Abby know what she does well, where she wins points, etc. OF COURSE if you give another kid (weather it be Kendall, Brynn or Chloe) a "Maddie dance" they are not going to do as well. Each kid needs a dance catered to their strengths, what they're good at, etc. Throw Maddie into Club Dance Studio and give her a "Brynn dance" and see how well she does! It would be a mess, no matter how good of a dancer she is. These mothers are HORRIBLE. Jess is delusional if she thinks the only reason Jojo can't dance like Maddie is because Abby doesn't give her the opportunity. Delusional. Melissa is horrid - she actually described Brynn as "a leg" and called her faces "horrendous". She should be ashamed of talking about a child like that. You can tell she thinks she is above all of this now that her kids are "stars". The importance she puts on her kids "booking jobs" is kind of terrifying. ETA: Brynn was on Ellen today with Dancerpalooza. You can catch glimpses of her... overall a very cute performance by some of the most talented dancers in the country. Here's the link if anyone is interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpPw84JR2gU