S05.E05: Hello Hollywood, Goodbye Abby

[OnceSane]

The ALDC has finally arrived in Los Angeles and they are in for their toughest competition yet, when a top West Coast dance studio declares war. Abby sets up an audition with a casting agent for the girls but the pressure of LA is too great and Abby suffers her biggest breakdown yet, forcing the moms to question her abilities as a manager.

[RedheadZombie]

Of course Abby was intimidated when she entered the LA studio.  There was an instructor there, who rather than being planted on her ass staring at her phone, was actually upright on her feet and engaged with her students.  Imagine that.

 

And why in the world is she sitting in the car, in the passenger seat with her seat belt on, stuffing her face and staring at her phone?  The only good part of this whole LA storyline, is what a joke she's making of herself.  I'm sure she's a laughing stock.  And to think she is on par with LA talent agents - LOL.  I'm sure Kelly and Christi throw viewing parties each week, as they laugh at Abby.

 

 

[spidermiss2426]

I totally agree, RedHeadZombie (love your name)

 

Watching this episode makes me think back to I believe the first episode of Dance Moms back in season one-- at least I think it was the first episode.  Anyway, a Mom (not these current Moms) was mad at Abby for some reason and Abby ran from room to room in the studio afraid for her life supposedly and called the police on the Mom.  Whether she was afraid for her life doesn't matter, but you could tell that Abby did have fear in her eyes.  Anyway, my point is, whenever confronted with something outside of her comfort zone, Abby runs away.  It isn't as if she's ever lived in reality (hello, who runs a studio at age 14?) anyway.  Los Angeles has too much reality.  Abby freaked.

[leighroda]

I didn't see fear...I saw crazy. Was she on something? And what producer did she piss off, with the constant shots of her eating? The whole angelic edit she's been getting this season is out the window.

Now Holly, I want to love you because you generally try to be the level headed one, but this season, you are turning to the bad side. You watched what happened with the Lukasiaks, and Hylands, just like the other moms did tonight... But now you want to be outraged that they don't have your back? You were talking about your loyalty to Abby and specifically how could Chloe leave, knowing how she was treated, did you not realize Nia was going to be the next target? No child deserves to be treated like that, and holly is right that the moms need to have each others backs, but the same could have been said about her in the past, so before she gets on her little high horse she may want to check herself.

I love that Kendall was the voice of reason through all this " we should just go inside and get ready"

[RedheadZombie]

Who's decision was it to dress Kendall up like Dorothy from Wizard of Oz at the audition?  I don't belief it was a real casting call - no way would a professional be moved to tears by Maddie's audition.

 

Was Abby wasted at the competition?  She looked like she had just dragged herself out of the gutter.  Then she started rambling like she was high off her ass.

 

I thought Talia looked like she was in total control, and her movements were strong and fully completed.  It looked like she followed through transitions, and no falling out of turns like Maddie.  Best of all, not a cartwheel or tumbling to be seen.  And no starting and ending lying on the ground.  At this point, I'd rather watch a show with this girl, her studio, and her instructors.

 

I noticed that Maddie didn't prance on and off stage in the usual exaggerated affected manner.

 

I've noticed that Abby rarely has the girls doing the same movements in the group dances - no need to work on synchronization.

 

 

I didn't see fear...I saw crazy. Was she on something? And what producer did she piss off, with the constant shots of her eating? The whole angelic edit she's been getting this season is out the window.
 

 

You're right about this!  She throws the beautiful fruit on the ground, and is chowing down on fast food in the car.  In one scene, they made it look like she was putting her hand down into her gigantic cleavage, and pulling the food out.  Also, next week - that scene where she struggles to walk down the stairs in a very ungainly manner ..... someone hates her.

 

Random - Holly's hair looked great in her THs.

[taragel]

Tonight's episode was so bizarre. I was shocked that they actually gave Abby a terrible edit after the lovefest the previous episodes have been. Why wouldn't Melissa know what was going on with Maddie? How come she kept calling Kira instead of Melissa? (And I guess the conjecture that she had weight loss surgery is pretty unlikely since they showed her stuffing her face with sour patch kids and fast foods at every opportunity. I thought she looked so much better with no/less makeup and flat hair though.)

 

I don't know how Maddie beat Talia, who looked like a much more powerful, stronger, polished dancer. We've seen that solo before too, haven't we? I saw both her AND Kalani fall out of their turns in the group number. 

 

The moms complain about how rude and awful Abby is--and she definitely is--but not one of those ladies said a gracious (even if it was fake!) hello/thank you to the other dance teacher and her minions when they brought the fruit in. 

 

I had no idea that Nia wanted to be a singer? She was great in her audition, and Mackenzie was also better than I expected. The editing of that scene with Abby objecting that Nia changed it to the casting director--were they actually in the room with him? I didn't think they actually were. I think something was fishy there. And then they showed Holly yelling at Abby for being cruel--but it was clearly from before the audition when they were all standing outside. Strange.

Edited February 4, 2015 by taragel

[LexiconDevilOne]

 

I thought Talia looked like she was in total control, and her movements were strong and fully completed.  It looked like she followed through transitions, and no falling out of turns like Maddie.  Best of all, not a cartwheel or tumbling to be seen.  And no starting and ending lying on the ground.  At this point, I'd rather watch a show with this girl, her studio, and her instructors.

 

.

 

 

 

I agree. That studio and their dancers/teacher look so much more entertaining to watch than Abby, and her stale dancers/dances. I do not believe for a second that Maddie could beat Talia in a real competition, no way.

[TomGirl]

Holly has been full of self-righteous indignation time and time again, but she never does anything about it. Stop crying wolf, Holly! Leave or shut up.

[RedheadZombie]

I thought she looked so much better with no/less makeup and flat hair though.)

 

I think she could stand to wear less makeup, and lighten up on the height of the hair. But, I think she looked unkempt, as if she went to sleep with her makeup on, and rolled into the dressing room without washing her face.

[RalyWilmy]

So viewers have put up with Abby's shenanigans for four seasons and now Lifetime is rewarding us by letting us watch her crack up.  Christ on the cross, she's ready for her close-up, Mr. DeMille.

 

I don't know how much of this show is scripted at this point but I do not feel that Abby was acting.  Woman needs a time out.

 

At the end of every show I tell my daughters I'm not watching any more because I hate to feel like I'm contributing to continuation of this shit show.  But I keep watching so maybe I'm the crazy one. :/

 

Oh, and Holly?  She has treated your child like this since Day One (at least on the show).  You can scream and yell all you want now but you have no one but yourself to blame for not getting her out of that abusive situation a long time ago.

Edited February 4, 2015 by RalyWilmy

[tessa]

I tried googling the compeition as I wanted to see the full results and didn't find anything. On Energy's Facebook site there was a blurb that they were filming for the Abby Lee Dance moms show on 10/18/14 and admission was $15 - so was this not a real compeition again? Talia was lovely and there is no way Maddie beat her and Talia not even place in the top 5!

 

Agreed that this week the producers were not Abby friendly. Between the lawsuit, the allegations the boyfriend is gay and ratings tanking - I'm not surprised reality is finally hitting her. To give her her due - she had a successful show - which led to 2 seasons of AUDC and then Dance School Restoration. Her publicist and manager did her no favors by not toning her down, seeing the reaction of people across the nation who watched her show and condemned her behavior. They based her stardom on the acceptance of a small group of peope who showed up for filming outside the competitions  and came to the meet and greets.

 

Abby's reason for not being there was because she was getting Maddie costume ready - yeh right. And I do think Holly is now finally felling and actually seeing what Kelly and Christie did before her. But there is no way she would have called another manager in front of the other moms.

[CoolMom]

I tried googling the compeition as I wanted to see the full results and didn't find anything. On Energy's Facebook site there was a blurb that they were filming for the Abby Lee Dance moms show on 10/18/14 and admission was $15 - so was this not a real compeition again? Talia was lovely and there is no way Maddie beat her and Talia not even place in the top 5!

 

Agreed that this week the producers were not Abby friendly. Between the lawsuit, the allegations the boyfriend is gay and ratings tanking - I'm not surprised reality is finally hitting her. To give her her due - she had a successful show - which led to 2 seasons of AUDC and then Dance School Restoration. Her publicist and manager did her no favors by not toning her down, seeing the reaction of people across the nation who watched her show and condemned her behavior. They based her stardom on the acceptance of a small group of peope who showed up for filming outside the competitions  and came to the meet and greets.

 

Abby's reason for not being there was because she was getting Maddie costume ready - yeh right. And I do think Holly is now finally felling and actually seeing what Kelly and Christie did before her. But there is no way she would have called another manager in front of the other moms.

 

I think people were coming to the filming for the girls NOT Abby or the Moms.  Abby was just delusional enough to think it was about her. 

 

I think Holly's anger is real and you hit the nail on the head with it BUT I think calling the manager was set up for the show. Do we really think she got a call into an LA manager and her call returned right at the exact moment they would be sitting in the dressing room hashing things out?  I don't it screams set up to me.

[Chairperson Meow]

I'd watch a show about the opposing dance team. Seriously. I am glad that we are finally being rewarded for sitting through years of Maddie is the bestest and Abby Saves with Abby is Actually Probably Crazy. At this point, if none of the moms have gotten their kids out, then I'm like can I feel sorry for them... my sympathy is growing thin. I do feel for Nia and Kendall and Mac because I know she wants to watch tv and eat chips. But Kalani was free and returned. I just can't believe I miss Candy Apples.

[cali1981]

I don't know how Maddie beat Talia, who looked like a much more powerful, stronger, polished dancer. We've seen that solo before too, haven't we? I saw both her AND Kalani fall out of their turns in the group number. 

 

I had no idea that Nia wanted to be a singer? She was great in her audition, and Mackenzie was also better than I expected. The editing of that scene with Abby objecting that Nia changed it to the casting director--were they actually in the room with him? I didn't think they actually were. I think something was fishy there. And then they showed Holly yelling at Abby for being cruel--but it was clearly from before the audition when they were all standing outside. Strange.

Did anyone look closely at the judges when the camera panned on them?  They looked awfully familiar especially the guy wearing the cap.  Is it possible that the show uses the same "judges" at its phony competitions and that insures that Maddie will win?  I actually thought that Maddie was very good last night but it was still the familiar set of movements and the "Maddie face" that seems to be a constant. 

 

I would have liked to have seen more of the other group numbers because they would have exposed how Abby's rote and lame "teaching" isn't close to what real studio owners and choreographers are doing out there.

 

As far as Nia goes, listening to Holly babble on about how Nia is going to be a "star" and she's going to do whatever it takes to make that happen, makes me believe that she has drowned in a bucket of the kool-aid and is now as actively delusional as the other fools that she sits with.  Does she realize how absurd she now looks and sounds on this show? 

[Laurie4H]

Do we really believe any of this is real? So they all just pick up and move to LA? What about school, friends, husbands etc....? I love how they act as if Maddie is known for the Cia video and Mack for her vid. No they are know because of their reality show! The girl competing with Maddie might be technically better but Maddie has more heart. And we don't know what type of contract Holly is in. She might not be able to just leave.

[TomGirl]

True, Holly may be contractually obligated to stay, but Abby constantly tells her to take her kid and go if she's not happy.

[Kbilly]

I loved the shots of Abby chowing down in the car. Her behavior was so bizzare! And the fight over the parking space was crazytown!

That studio looked like a dump!

 

Agreed that Talia not placing even in top five was sad, because she was pretty incredible.

 

RIP Fruit Basket. You looked delish.

[Tasya]

Oh Abby, how ridiculous you are. I found this episode to be really sad; for the kids anyway. Dragging them all the way out there for them to have to deal with that is just crazy. I also thought that this episode did a good job showing the constant pressure that Maddie is under. Yes, she's Abby's favorite and benefits from all that entails, but she's also the one that has to always, always win and be perfect. If she isn't the hammer is going to come down harder on her.

 

I could write yet another clarification of what contests are true or staged or that the dance world is small but I think that people enjoy believing that Maddie doesn't really earn her wins so I'll leave it alone. Maddie wins not only at the filmed events but also at the likes of Vibe, Jump and NYCDA. The kid is a good dancer, I think she beat Talia because her dance had content. Talia did spins and stayed in just about the same space for her entire routine. 

 

What's interesting and what was not shown is that Kalani had a solo in this competition. In fact when the judges mention a tie for the overalls of two perfect scores it was between Maddie and Kalani. In addition the studio that they leased competed as well (the home studio for Gavin and Mckenzie from Candy Apples; who also competed). They had a lot of potential drama material for this episode that wasn't focused on. Also I think Erin Babbs was auditioning for her own show last night. I am all for supporting your dancers but stooping down to Abby's level with the antics was a bit much. We'll see if it pays off for her; it seems like Collins is holding auditions for another Dance Moms project that Abby swears she's not involved in and it isn't her team that will be accepting new dancers. 

[Laurie4H]

Funny how they show her chowing down now when it'd obvious she has lost weight. I just wonder if this whole show is completely fake at this point. I mean is it realistic that a teacher can get an addition for several girls at once? I would think those type of readings are like a cattle call.

[prolix]

I was also surprised that they edited out Kalani's solo!  You could see her backstage and in the wings in her costume, and they even showed her as the second overall winner in the lineup as Maddie went to get her award.  Why would they do that? They could have used some of the time they waste on the fake scripted drama to show us the things we actually care about, like the dances and the dance competition.

 

I do like how they featured the studios that the ALDC would be competing against. I wish they would do that more consistently.  It makes me care more about the competition results. 

[tessa]

I don't think anyone has implied that Maddie doesn't earn her wins but we've seen in the past how the producers juggle the results so that Maddie is seen to always be the best. Maddie has a lot of talent as seen in the Sia videos but it is seldom evident on Dance Moms with the same old choreography and faces. Again, you never know what judges are looking for but Talia was far superior to Maddie in technique, choreography and overall enjoyment, just as that dance studios group routine was.

 

After seeing Chloe's new dance studio numbers and the dance studio featured this week in LA - Abby's routines have a lot to be desired.

 

I also would have loved that fruit basket and thought it was a shame what Abby did to it. I'm sure there were homeless in the area who would have appreciated it even if she didn't. It amazes me the nastiness Abby displays to other dance teachers. When I danced, my teacher, who was well known in our area, gave classes to other dance teachers because she kept up with the changing styles. We often went up against these studios in competition and never was there the anger and ugliness that Abby displays. I'm really surprised she has any friends in the real world - but then maybe she doesn't. That's why I miss Dance Moms Miami - I thought the guys were great - great choreography - you still had the Dance Mom drama but not the ugliness when it came to competing studios or competition.

 

I was surprised that Nia wanted to be a pop star as she has never given that impression before. I always thought she liked to dance but it wasn't all consuming like it was for Maddie and that she's end up going to college and be a lawyer ect.. Holly, if it was for real, could only do better for her daughter by getting a diff. manager. Abby didn't do a heck of a lot for Brooke or Mac really and I still think the "manager" thing is just Abby's delusion as her name does not appear as the Ziegler girls manager on their sites.

[Lemons]

It was obvious to me that abby "falling apart" was part of the plot and abby was "acting." Its a tired plot, the same old "where is abby?"

There is no doubt that maddie should have won. The other girl is strong and a great turner, but maddie is a young artist. Artistry gets forgotten a lot in these dance competitions when teams try to do the most turns, the most tricks. The LA girls looked like cheer robots, not dancers.

I would much rather watch a dancer with atristry, musicality, grace, and the ability to execute small, nuanced moves than someone who turns on a dime. That gets old fast.

Funny how they show her chowing down now when it'd obvious she has lost weight. I just wonder if this whole show is completely fake at this point. I mean is it realistic that a teacher can get an addition for several girls at once? I would think those type of readings are like a cattle call.

It's the TV show Dance Moms that sets up things like the audition the girls went to, not Abby. Since they are on a TV show, they wouldnt have to go on a cattle call.

[Laurie4H]

Right I know the TV show set it up but making it seem like it was Abby makes the show seem completely unrealistic.

[Absolom]

I don't get the musicality and grace from Maddie.  She's the one who seems robotic to me as I don't have to see her head to know it's her dancing.  She performs the same move the same way almost every time without any changes due to the mood of the piece.  Plus she has those hideously over rehearsed faces that she's finally once in a while giving up.  

[leighroda]

I will say, this Maddie solo was a little different than her normal hand on the heart lyrical piece... Which I think goes along with the point the moms were making, they made Maddies solo a little edgier to compete with the west coast, but yet the team performed the same old tired lyrical.

Ps Abby was MIA making THAT costume? She wrapped a dirty afghan on that girls head!?

[cali1981]

I was also surprised that they edited out Kalani's solo!  You could see her backstage and in the wings in her costume, and they even showed her as the second overall winner in the lineup as Maddie went to get her award.  Why would they do that? They could have used some of the time they waste on the fake scripted drama to show us the things we actually care about, like the dances and the dance competition.

 

 

On the glimpses we get of Kalani actually dancing you can see that the kid has got it (as many of her YouTube clips also show) but she will never be allowed to take Maddie's spotlight away.  It's not that Maddie isn't a very good dancer.  She is but this ongoing dirge of "Maddie is the bestest, most wonderful dancer in the whole wide world" is absurd and not true by a long shot.  You have to wonder about what sort of contract Kira agreed to, one in which her clearly very talented and very good looking daughter,  is always playing second banana to some one that she's probably equal to and possibly better than.

 

As far as the contract goes, I wonder if it's as air tight as is purported. Maybe it's not analogous but when Clay Aiken realized how ensnaring his contract with American Idol's production company was he hired an entertainment lawyer from Atlanta who was able to extricate him from the almost slavish agreement.  Philip Phillips, an Idol winner a couple of seasons back has also now filed suit to get out from under 19 Entertainment's yoke.  Clearly, there are times when such contracts can be voided but would any of these Mama Roses on DM do that?  Probably not because, like Holly, they are convinced that their kids are going to be big stars thanks to the show and are willing to have them subjected to what can only be classified as child abuse in order to achieve that.  It's all really quite sad and depressing.

[Lemons]

  She's the one who seems robotic to me as I don't have to see her head to know it's her dancing.  .  

 

That would be true of any famous dancer.  If you put all of today's famous female principal ballet dancers and put bags over their heads, they could easily be identified by their own unique style of dancing.  That's where artistry comes in.  If a dancer is truly robotic (kind of like the LA dancers), they are interchangeable and cannot be individually identified. 

 

And it's true kalani is a good dancer, but I think the problem with competition dance is that people think dancers need to judged by whose best.  Maddie is a gifted dancer who is only 12.  Kalani is a talented dancer who is almost 15?  They are in different stages of development and shouldn't be compared. There is room for both of them.

[abc123baby]

I think abby is awful, just awful.  no words.  I watch this show though with my 12 year old dancer, and amazingly she always sees it differently.  When I say wow, maybe she could say that nicer, my girl says, why? she is probably very frustrated that these girls who are supposed to be way past beginners cant seem to watch their foot position. i'd be frustrated too. and then she says, i'd rather have someone yell at me and tell me the truth so I can fix it, and, these girls wouldn't have an issue if they could just follow directions and do what they are supposed to do!  so now I really don't know what to think!  (apparently my girl is harsh! because I still think abby is mean!)

and we liked to watch it together for the dance, but I find my own dancer likes to pick out the flaws. 

[Absolom]

I could pick Maddie out from the ALDC because hers are the only robotic repetitive movements I should say.  It isn't a style or a grace, it's the doing each move exactly the same way no matter which dance it is and it looks robotic in isolation in a way the other girls and the competition don't.  

[sofiah]

I could write yet another clarification of what contests are true or staged or that the dance world is small but I think that people enjoy believing that Maddie doesn't really earn her wins so I'll leave it alone. Maddie wins not only at the filmed events but also at the likes of Vibe, Jump and NYCDA. The kid is a good dancer, I think she beat Talia because her dance had content. Talia did spins and stayed in just about the same space for her entire routine. 

 

 

This.   I've also stopped mentioning how Maddie actually does win real competitions, against really good dancers and studios, and how it's actually really easy to find the results online if one is actually interested.  I feel bad for Maddie in a way, everyone is always going on and on about how she does the same moves over and over... of course she does - it's not normal for a kid to have to learn 20 solos in one competition season.  We see Maddie dance more then almost any other young dancer out there, things are bound to look the same sometimes.   

 

I'm not saying she is the best, or that she beats everyone all the time - there are kids out there better then her - but she is still a really good dancer.  Its a shame Abby's behavior has taken a lot of that away.  I had actually seen Talia dance before, she's pretty well known in the dance world and she's amazing...  when I saw that it was her, I thought she would win... but after watching them dance, in this particular case I wasn't that surprised that Maddie won, I thought her dance was more compelling.

 

 

After seeing Chloe's new dance studio numbers and the dance studio featured this week in LA - Abby's routines have a lot to be desired.

 

I also would have loved that fruit basket and thought it was a shame what Abby did to it. I'm sure there were homeless in the area who would have appreciated it even if she didn't. It amazes me the nastiness Abby displays to other dance teachers. 

 

 

 I also didn't understand why Abby was so nasty to the other dance teacher - she came in and said they were excited to "compete against the best" -- which I thought was a compliment, in a way.  I also agree about Abby's choreography leaving a lot to be desired.  I've always hated her choreography.  However, I wouldn't put Chloe's new studio in the same league as Murietta Dance.  Studio 19 is a successful studio in PA, but Chloe's new dance is pretty standard jazzy type teen choreography.  Sure, it looks better then a lot of what we see Abby's group do -- but the overall age there is probably way higher then the DM girls.   

Edited February 4, 2015 by sofiah

[Tasya]

Studio 19s girls (all teenagers) look good in comparison to ALDC's Junior team which contains kids as young as 9/10. You can check youtube for ALDC's older girls, there is no comparison. I had heard a rumor at one time that they would be doing a season of focusing on the older girls. I thought this would be interesting as you're much more likely to get more outspoken and truthful responses from the teens. 

[sofiah]

And it's true kalani is a good dancer, but I think the problem with competition dance is that people think dancers need to judged by whose best.  Maddie is a gifted dancer who is only 12.  Kalani is a talented dancer who is almost 15?  They are in different stages of development and shouldn't be compared. There is room for both of them.

 

Kalani is 14 and has a September birthday just like Maddie.  They're almost exactly 2 years apart.  I agree they shouldn't really be compared now, but there are plenty of youtube videos of Kalani dancing when she was 12 and she was pretty extraordinary - her improv was already very impressive, and I think that's actually the age she was when she won Junior Best Dance at the Dance Awards.  I'm a big Maddie fan, but even I have to admit I don't think Maddie's dancing now is at the level Kalani's was when she was her age.  But then again, Kalani just danced -- Maddie has fame, filming a tv show, a horrible teacher, music videos, etc. to contend with.  So who knows where Maddie will be at 14! 

Edited February 4, 2015 by sofiah

[Stella MD]

 

Also I think Erin Babbs was auditioning for her own show last night. I am all for supporting your dancers but stooping down to Abby's level with the antics was a bit much.

If that was an audition, she shouldn't quit her day job anytime soon. While the crazy Candy-Apple lady was always so over-the-top with her villianry that you could almost literally see her chewing the scenery with rage, the new coach last night was so flat and monotone that she seemed to be pushed in at gunpoint and rolling her eyes the whole time. You could practically see her thinking "Is my contractually-obligated two minutes of this stupid conversation up yet? Can I go now?" Honestly, if some variation of this idiotic staged fight with another studio didn't happen in every episode, I would have had no idea what she was doing there from her tone and the content of the conversation.

[tessa]

We also have to remember hat we don't see the whole dance performed. So while some may feel that Thalia stayed in one spot whereas Maddie covered a larger area or showed more heart - it's called editing. Maddie has to be shown as the best - it's the Maddie show.

 

I'm rewatching it a second time - stupid - but this whole thing is so staged when you sit through it a second time. It looks like Abby rented a studio from the Rage Dance school so of course there will be other dancers there. It's set up to look like this other group had their studio for Abby's 1st big meltdown as they then go quickly to their other studio room across the hall. Also the oh my gosh we don't have a dance teacher is another set up as Gianna is always where Abby goes and teaches and choreographs many of the dances. For all her talk - Abby does very little teaching and relies on her assistants. Who do we think is running the studio while she's gone?

 

Thalia is another set-up with Maddie dancing against her. If you google Thalia and Dance Moms - there is youtube video of Thalia actually performing a number on one of the Dance Mom after shows - the one where they all sit there and have the studio audiences. Thalia also has a page on the Dance Moms wiki. She's a very well known dancer and has won many titles or comes in second to Sophia - so Maddie winning that competition is a little unbelievable - sorry. If Maddie was that good - she'd be in all the national competitions that Sophia, Thalia and Mia compete in. Dance Moms would give her time off just like for the Sia video ect. because it would be nothing but positive exposure for the show if Maddie won these National Dance Titles. 

Edited February 4, 2015 by tessa

[Absolom]

It seemed so staged or scripted to me in this episode or as my grandson would say a pile of peacock poop.  

 

1.519 M viewers and a .5 rating.  This seems to be the new normal level for the show.  

Edited February 4, 2015 by Absolom

[LibertarianSlut]

It looks like Abby rented a studio from the Rage Dance school

Does anyone have any info as to where the ALDC girls actually have their dance studio? At the beginning of the episode, everyone kept mentioning the "Murrieta Dance School," or "Murrieta Dance Group,"which I could not find on the Internet. What I could find was Murrieta Dance Project, which is the dance group with whom Thalia dances. Their Facebook page says MDP is located in Murrieta, CA, which is NOT in LA, but close to Temecula Wine Country, and about as close to LA as it is San Diego. I thought this was just one more lie the show was attempting to perpetrate on us, possibly because Dance Moms: LA sounds a little flashier than Dance Moms: Riverside County.

But if they are renting space at Rage, then they're in LA, albeit deep in the Valley. This makes sense because there is an IHOP right by Rage & when the moms were standing outside, there was an IHOP behind them. If this is the case, why were the Murrieta girls practicing there, and not at the location provided by their Facebook page? Is this just producer shenanigans once again? I think I'm reading too much into it, but if anyone knows, please let me know. I would get such a perverse sense of joy if it was the case that, on top of all of her problems and disappearances and breakdowns, Abby hadn't actually moved to LA after all.

[Law Mom]

Given that 90% of the episodes are exactly the same, I admit it was interesting seeing a show that didn't follow the same tired formula.

 

I was super impressed with the other studio's group dance. This is more the style I am used to, more hard hitting West Coast. Of course, they didn't learn it two days before.

 

I have a question. If Jojo wasn't in the group dance, why did they get her a costume? Sure we saw her being told a million times she's not in the dance, but I wonder if maybe she was told off camera she might be, just so they can make her look even worse for asking. Wouldn't put it past them.

 

I am so over Holly's righteous indignation. You know what? I once went to a UPS store to ship something and the guy there was so rude to me for no reason. Wanna know what I did? I took my business elsewhere. I didn't yell at him or threaten to leave or call him names. I just went to FedEx instead.

 

I think Abby breached her fiduciary duty to her client by criticizing Nia in front of the casting agent. She has an obligation to talk her up. Even if Nia sucked (which she didn't!) it is Abby's duty to do everything reasonable to get her the job. I agree that there was something fishy about the editing. The group first stood around discussing the parking argument, then supposedly stood around discussing the Nia situation after the audition, but it looked like the same shots to me.

 

Forget Kendall's Dorothy outfit--WTH was Kalani wearing? It looked like sloppy pajamas and did not flatter her body type at all.

 

And to those who want to watch a show about real dancers, I just heard about a new documentary about competition dancers that is about to hit the film festival circuit. It's called "Like Air" and you can see a preview:

 

http://www.likeairmovie.com/

Edited February 5, 2015 by Law Mom

[Darknight]

Jojo is so rude. Her mother is a hot mess. I can't stand either of them. At least Melissa tries to hide and plays both sides. Jessa Lynn is would do anything to get her kids noticed.

[Gianthambeast]

Geez Abby what's wrong with fruit?  How can she think that she can succeed in LA looking such an unpolished mess? 

[DoctorWhovian]

Something tells me Abby was looking so stressed because she realized how big of a joke she is, and that no one actually wants to work with her. Sitting in on the "audition" like that? With the moms watching? Then telling a casting director how her "client" did? Ha. Good luck with that lady.

 

Oh, and her comment about how the mom's suddenly know everything and are "mom-agers"? Ha! Take's one to know one! You don't just call yourself a manager and become one. And then pull what she does. 

 

Also, Jojo may be an issue, but Abby has complained about girls not standing up for themselves, or asking questions for themselves. Then she gets mad because that's exactly what Jojo is doing? She may be a bit bratty but she seems to be asking politely 90% of the time, or at least really trying to. 

 

Still waiting for the day a girl snaps and tells off Abby. It will be glorious.

Edited February 5, 2015 by DoctorWhovian

[CDC]

Still waiting for the day a girl snaps and tells off Abby. It will be glorious.

I was pretty happy a couple episodes ago when Kendal (while crying, but 11-12 year olds cry, I know I did at that age) told Abby, "Stop it, you're embarrassing me" and Nia said to her "you're being disrespectful."  I think these kids are really starting to come into their own and understand what Abby is doing is wrong.

 

Also, while I agree that Maddie is overhyped, I thought that her solo was amazing.  I think she managed to emote without being distracting, and that let us really see her dance ability.  I remember that during her Birthday solo I thought she did a great job but all of the constant showing off of turn sequences took away from it, and I had similar thoughts with Talia's dance.

 

 

I also didn't understand why Abby was so nasty to the other dance teacher - she came in and said they were excited to "compete against the best" -- which I thought was a compliment, in a way

This was my thought as well- even though the woman was trying to be intimidating, she straight up said that Abby's students were "the best." And Abby couldn't even give a "thank you, nice to meet you" response.  It was inappropriate and completely disrespectful.

 

I never thought I'd say this, but I think Nia is the one out of this group who can make it.  Within the idea of a triple threat- singing, dancing, acting, dancing is probably the one you can most go without.  Nia's not a very strong dancer, but she has enough to get by with good singing and acting skills, and she seemed to kill it in the audition and the random clips of her singing sound great.  Again, we can never know what is and isn't making it through the editing room.

[Absolom]

I thought Nia did the best on the audition.  She was the only one who seemed believable and wasn't over acting.  

[missbonnie]

I have come to the conclusion that Abbey's cheese is sliding off her cracker big time. She would have never been caught on camera the way she was in this episode.

[tessa]

N Bluth - again editing makes this all a little confusing. The ALDC group actually arrived at the Rage Dance Studio for practice. That's where Abby rented space until her studio is done. The cameras show the Rage girls dancing and then cut away to Abby sulking in the parking lot. Then the cameras go to the Murietta Dance Studio to set up the Thalia vs Maddie, and Dance Project vs ALDC girls. Two different dance studios in 2 different parts of California - but yes - it does give you the impression they were all in the same studio.

[Julz]

All purely speculation but I'm thinking Abby had weight loss surgery.. When she got to LA she became stressed/anxious and over ate (we saw the shots of her stuffing her face). She then got really sick, which can possibly happen if you do that after having the surgery. If you don't chew food well enough, it can get lodged in/obstruct the lap band (not sure what kind of surgery she had, if any). If that happened, your doctor may have to intervene. Maybe she had to fly home to get her band adjusted or something. To me, she looked really ill when she came into the rehearsal looking very unkempt.

[DoctorWhovian]

If I never have to see another Abby's sob-story-of-the-week dance, it'll be too soon. They're never handled well (especially in how she explains it to the dancers), and she has no idea how to be subtle. I detest Cathy as a person/character (as much as these women are hamming it up for the camera, I can't imagine Cathy, or anyone, just especially Cathy is so far removed from how she behaves), I always enjoyed the dances she did, especially the second season where she had the older group. 

 

I know nothing about dance judging, but does it make sense that Talia didn't place? Her dance looked good and I liked it more than Maddies (but maybe because I'm bored of what she does).

[Law Mom]

It's silly to predict what place someone should come in without seeing every other dancer who competed. Talia could have been in 6th here because there were five dancers who were better on this one day. In another competition she could do the same dance, get the same score,and win. It's like bowling. Should a 200 win? Depends on what everyone else bowled that day.

[Diane Mars]

Regarding Thalia vs. Maddie, if you've got the opportunity, look at the arms and the hands of both...

I'm not a fan of Maddie, but,if I briefly summarize, she dances with her whole body, Thalia only dances with her legs...

[cali1981]

And to those who want to watch a show about real dancers, I just heard about a new documentary about competition dancers that is about to hit the film festival circuit. It's called "Like Air" and you can see a preview:

 

http://www.likeairmovie.com/

It looks like Kathrine McCormick, a SYTYCD Alum and a fabulous dancer who has done extremely well has a prominent role in the film.  Good for her.  I was a bit taken aback by the declaration that second place is like losing and "when you don't win, it's like a stab in the heart" from the girls.  It was refreshing to hear McCormick say that while she doesn't regret competing, the competitions have a negative effective on the dance industry.

So viewers have put up with Abby's shenanigans for four seasons and now Lifetime is rewarding us by letting us watch her crack up.  Christ on the cross, she's ready for her close-up, Mr. DeMille.

LOL!! Ah yes, Abby Lee Miller, the Norma Desmond of the dance world.

Edited February 5, 2015 by cali1981

[Amers]

I thought Abby looked like shed been drinking at the competition. Do we know if she's a drinker? She's had a lot of stress, I wouldn't blame her. lol some of the moms reactions and comments made me think they thought so as well. It didn't seem like acting, more, intoxicated or screw got loose.