S05.E11: Nia's Last Chance

[OnceSane]

The ALDC travels to Philadelphia with a risky non-lyrical routine. Nia, Maddie and Kendall feel the pressure with solos, and Nia is singled out with an ultimatum from Abby. Meanwhile, Holly makes friends with two unlikely allies when she tires of being victimized by Abby.

[trubellcurve]

Thanks so much to "Once sane".   I truly and really appreciate it.

 

I think Holly shows how difficult it can be to try to balance teaching a child good work ethics and standing "by your word",  yet I truly believe that the show wants to fit her into a certain role now that those other two Mom's are gone. 

 

Notice that Holly never says that Nia is the "best"  dancer.  However,   we, the audience,  do not get to see how much or how little work is being done to correct Nia's feet.    I know Holly has other children  but at this point,  should she not have extra income(from the show)  to have Nia do extra classes.  

 

 

 

I just don't know what to think because  a)   Is Holly becoming a pawn of the producer's and following script.  Nia is getting close to "aging out"  of the show and  by being following the show's producer's she chooses to follow script which might get Nia even more follower's.

 

Or

b)  Holly is showing how the years of this show has changed her thinking and it may not be in Nia's best interest.

 

To me,  Holly was the one who could get the most honest response from Abbey in the past.

 

Now it seems like the show is willing to portray Holly as unloyal  yet they want to show how little Abbey does to promote Nia.      I do not envy Holly.  I think she is in a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation and when she chooses her child over Abbey,  the show capitalizes on it.

[Loves2Dance]

I don't think Holly believes Nia is the best dancer on the team, but I do think that this season she is being treated as the pawn. With Brooke and Paige gone, Abby still had a pawn to play, ie. Chloe. Now that Chloe is gone, the only pawn she really has left is Nia. I like Kendall, but Kendall she still gets a lot of hate for her previous bratty moments on the show (from fans) and while people like Mackenzie and Maddie, neither have the undying love that Chloe has proven to have had. The show is down 25% in ratings just from losing Chloe and Christi---with Nia being the last 'good' girl left, I think the producers are doing everything in their power to script this season for the drama the show is used to having. Nia and Holly are those last pawns to play.

 

As for Holly and money goes, she lost a very good job when she was forced out after Season 1. I truly hope she's made enough from that because her job as a credible educator is done...this show has killed her credibility in any department dealing with the well being of children.  

[NextIteration]

As we move on in the season - I have to correct something I posted in a previous episode's thread - Holly and Nia are in fact in Australia, my bad. I think that Nia has a good head on her shoulders despite Abby and her mother's shenanigans.  I really don't like seeing any of the girls picked at on this show.  I still think it's probably Nia's last year with Abby.

 

 

However,   we, the audience,  do not get to see how much or how little work is being done to correct Nia's feet.

 

Nia could help herself a lot with daily exercises with a theraband, but we don't have evidence that she isn't doing that. Always remember, ha! Margot Fonteyn had "bad feet" according to Balanchine.

Edited March 14, 2015 by NextIteration

[Absolom]

 

Is Holly becoming a pawn of the producer's and following script.

I found a source and indeed the answer to this one is yes.  Potentially/probably willing pawn.  The one kid is the scapegoat each season is producer driven.  They view it as part of their signature of this show..  This season it's Nia and yes she knows that's her role and that what goes on in producing the show has nothing to do with reality or her life outside producing the show.  They are confirmed with Australia.  

[RedFire2000]

WTF, Abby compared what Holly and Nia did in LA (in her eyes) to if a murderer walked in and she was supposed to teach them a dance and forget they were a murderer. What the heck?! Please tell me that was scripted because that is just ridiculous.

 

I don't care for Abby, but I can't believe someone would use that as an example to express their feelings to a child. Nia tried to talk to Abby in a mature, fair manner. Abby wanted to focus on how hurt she, an adult, was by what Nia, a teenager, did. Pathetic.

[trubellcurve]

they are "confirmed with Australia" ?  what does this mean?  please,  I hope it is  a good thing.  

[notafanofabby]

MY child dances and if her dance teacher belittle her like she does Nia we would have a serious problem! You can become a great dancer through constructive criticism! What Abby Says & does is borderline child abuse This show is definitely scripted..... am I the only one who notice that Nia was not completing against her team mates due to her age, but yet it appeared that way on the show during awards. She actually has a top 5 metal on her neck with a trophy sitting next to her. I really feel in my heart that I should no longer watch this show and support such bad behavior toward children!! They need to cancel the show and have a Maddie and Abby show, because that's all she cares about!

[CoolMom]

WTF, Abby compared what Holly and Nia did in LA (in her eyes) to if a murderer walked in and she was supposed to teach them a dance and forget they were a murderer. What the heck?! Please tell me that was scripted because that is just ridiculous.

 

I don't care for Abby, but I can't believe someone would use that as an example to express their feelings to a child. Nia tried to talk to Abby in a mature, fair manner. Abby wanted to focus on how hurt she, an adult, was by what Nia, a teenager, did. Pathetic.

 

Holly is trying to teach her daughter how to handle adversity in a mature way.  I loved the pep talk she gave Nia after that conversation, I am sure there have been a lot of conversations like that off camera and in their home.

 

This is why I think Abby has an issue with Holly (which means Nia) because Abby has such anger at Holly when she says Holly is teaching her daughter to "be like her".  The first time she said it in an LA episode the camera went to Nia who had a little grin on her face.  My 14 year old said why does Abby think it's a bad thing for Nia to be like her mom, her mom is amazing.  By the look on Nia's face  (if that wasn't just editing) Nia agrees with my daughter, it's not a bad thing to be like her mom.

[Fallacy]

I hope the Nia situation is all for show because Holly is often ridiculous. When she made the comment at the end that Kendall would still get solos but Nia won't even though they both failed to place, which in her mind means Kendall gets special treatment, she failed to acknowledge that Kendall usually does place in the top five while Nia often doesn't.

She also hasn't acknowledged that she did go behind Abby's back when she contacted Aubrey so Nia could record a song. And her being mad at Melissa and Jill for not staying at the video shoot with her is also ridiculous.

Abby isn't a horrible person nor is she a kind person; she's too egotistical, and she's too sensitive to her own feelings but completely insensitive to others. Having said that, the moms are often greedy, arrogant, and delusional so they don't get any sympathy from me. This pact baloney is a perfect example of the moms feeding off each others' delusions just like Christi and Kelli did for years.

I'll also add that Chloe wasn't universally liked because I wasn't a fan. I thought she was great in the early seasons and then towards the end she bought into the victim story her mom was selling and turned into a Christi clone. I hated Christi and Kelli and I'm thrilled they're gone.

I do agree, however, that it's time for Nia to go as she's too old to be on the junior team and staying with 10-12 year olds isn't going to improve her dancing. I also think Nia has peaked as a dancer, and the teachers at ALDC (not Abby) have done miraculous work with her to get her this far, but she just doesn't have the talent of Maddie, Chloe, Kalani, or Kendall.

[CoolMom]

Oh, I had already forgotten about the "pact".  I thought it was so funny when Holly walked out, Melissa and Jill followed her but the members of her "pact" stayed behind.  One of them said, let them go they know her better or something along those lines.  OMGosh so funny the first time the pact is tested the ladies fail Holly.  This leads me to believe the pact may have been a producer thing and Holly being upset at the end wasn't.

[Tasya]

 

This show is definitely scripted..... am I the only one who notice that Nia was not completing against her team mates due to her age, but yet it appeared that way on the show during awards. She actually has a top 5 metal on her neck with a trophy sitting next to her.

Nia achieved a high gold at this event, which is the award given to all top solos that don't place in the top five. She didn't place in her age group or overall.

[Absolom]

OK, according to the source Holly didn't even contact Aubrey.  Production did.  Think about it.  No one can be a main part of the show without a contract.  Holly can't give the person a contract so production had to pick the person, make contact, and get them signed before they ever met Holly or Nia.  It's a totally staged set up.  Nia is absolutely in on it's a part she's playing.  I don't think that excuses what they are doing, but at least Nia knows it's a role and not her.  

 

Australia being confirmed means they are definitely in Australia this week.  

[Loves2Dance]

Aubrey was clearly staged given that she's 'friends' with Aubrey. Just like the staging with her choreo BFF when he went to work with Cathy. Nothing on this show is organic except the girl's tears; same thing with the battles with other gyms. I think Jeannette is crazier than a coo coo train but she made a very valid point on twitter when she tweeted 'do people really think anyone can just walk into the ALDC dressing room?' Something to that effect. The answer is no---it's all set up and allowed. Same with her, Cathy, and the whole lot of them. 

[Gloriosa]

Poor JoJo!  If they were going to set her up like that, at least the comments should have been anonymous.  But that was probably all fake too.

[Absolom]

Ratings:  1.588 M viewers and a .6 rating.

[RedFire2000]

I thought the whole "critiquing" JoJo bit was uncalled for.

 

Look at some of their bad comments: You’re loud, you’re crazy, you’re wild. Are those really reasons for her not being part of the team? That smacks more of “you’re not just like us so we don’t want you around.” I was an outspoken child with a strong moral compass. I would have read the good things out loud and told the Abby-Monster that Jojo and I would discuss any personal, negative feelings in private.

 

Like, "you've taught us that is an enormous faux-pas to ever critique a fellow dancer when they haven't asked your opinion, so I am going to use this exercise as practice for acting professionally." I would never say to a kid “I don’t want you to be part of this team because you have a weird personality.”

 

Because you don’t focus, sure,but it seems to me Jojo does pretty well at focusing. Because you struggle with the material is a good reason. Because you’re style doesn’t mesh with ours is a good reason (though Jojo blends a lot better than Mack does if you ask me). Why pick on Jojo? Abby said it herself, she wanted to knock her down a few notches, which is cruel in itself. The whole intent of the assignment was to hurt Jojo’s feelings. Jojo took it like a pro.

 

I’ve found the best way to handle kids like Jojo isn’t to bring them down, but to redirect their overconfidence. If they give you anything less than 100 percent look at them point blank and say “do you really think dancing like that is going to get you first?” “Come on, the kid next to you is outshining you” that sort of thing. And then when they give you 100 percent you constantly and enthusiastically through challenges at them.

[RazzleberryPie]

They really hate Jojo, but can't get rid of her bc she's a really good performer and her technique is better than Mac and Nias, as good as Kendalls. I like Jojo, and that child is becoming the new Chloe to me - the more the knock her, and the more Jojo takes it with some sass, the more I want to see her.

 

Kalani looks way too mature to dance with these kids, and Nia isn't far behind her maturitywise. Just admit they're aging out and let them go. Don't villify Nia in the meantime. She can't help it if she's peaked as a dancer and isn't cutesy anymore. Don't get me wrong, she's a cute girl, but she's maturing and out of that little girl cutesy stage, as all young ladies should do at that age.

 

This was the first time in years that Maddie has impressed me. The whole Mannequin costuming was very close to that damn Chandelier dance that Abbey just won't let go of, but the choreography was impressive. Brynn is a better technical dancer and I think can go head to head with Maddie, if given the same choreography, but Maddie did well.

 

Kendall is my favorite, but I don't even remember her this episode. Mackenzie looks like she's having a hard time keeping up with the bigger girls. 

[hqtextbook]

I didnt like Nias comment that JoJo "takes opportunities away from other kids." Really? What is she supposed to do refuse her solos? JoJo is totally growing on me too. 

 

And yep, Maddie CRUSHED that solo. 

[LexiconDevilOne]

Ratings:  1.588 M viewers and a .6 rating.

I'm kinda of 'rating stupid', what does this mean? Could you, please, explain? Thanks in advance.

[trubellcurve]

Razzleberrypie

 

very close to that damn Chandelier dance that Abbey just won't let go of.

 

Yes,   Thank  You.    

 

It isn't just that Abbey continually brings this up at any opportunity-  confessional's,  talking with the Mom's and the kids.

 

When she mention's it,    she gives herself a whole lot of credit for it.  

 

I don't blame her,  she should be proud of her student's accomplishments but I just wish she wouldn't shove it down the viewer's throat's so often.   I also wish she was just as complimentary of ANY work any of her student's get,  this would include  being a background dancer in a music video or getting any cameo role's.  

 

 

[Loves2Dance]

Razzleberrypie

 

I don't blame her,  she should be proud of her student's accomplishments but I just wish she wouldn't shove it down the viewer's throat's so often.   I also wish she was just as complimentary of ANY work any of her student's get,  this would include  being a background dancer in a music video or getting any cameo role's.  

 

That can't happen in the world of Abby lee. Though I've never treated her; it would not shock me one bit if she went into a Psychologists office and walked out with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Her inability to be happy for anyone else but those who she likes is one huge telling point, her inability to take responsibility for her actions and instead place them onto the shoulders of children is another, and the fact that she can not be happy for anyone unless she directly set something up or it's bringing her more fame is a third. There are tons and tons more that I've seen over the course of this series and I saw most of it in Season 1 when I don't think she was trying too hard like she is now. 

 

I won't say Abby Lee is necessarily a bad person, per say, but she's definitely not a good person. 

Edited March 19, 2015 by Loves2Dance

[dmeets]

I totally thought Abby was going to snap and go off on the judges for daring to critique Maddie while complementing Nia. I'm totally willing to call Abby a bad person since I can't find one redeeming thing about her. Refusing to break a contract is akin to murder? OK, crazy lady.

 

I hate that Holly is being forced to take on the role of antagonizer this season, but at least she can have an argument without taking it to "at least I'm not fat."

[Absolom]

The viewership is number of viewers in millions estimated to have watched the show live.  The rating is the percentage of 18 to 49 year old US population who were estimated to have watched the show live.  

[lonestar]

This show is like a traffic accident that I can't help watching. Regarding this week's episode:

1 . Nia had an award around her neck when they did the announcement for top scorers of the day.  She got an award for her age division, but when you combine all the age categories, she wasn't one of the top overall scorers.

2.  Do the producers ask Abby to have such a hateful face on when Nia performs?  Her mouth was so tightly clenched, even Jill's botox wouldn't have helped.

3.  Kendell had no award around her neck, yet Abby doesn't mind. 

4.  I'm surprised she is allowed to be so nasty to Nia, as Nia is the only girl of color on the team.  

5.  Nia spoke respectfully to Abby, requesting her to leave outside stuff outside and Abby responded like a low-class piece of trash.

Holly - move on, you and Nia are better than this show.

What I also found amusing was Abby telling the mother, that she(Abby) is the teacher and they are only dance moms.  Duh, the show is called Dance Moms, not Abby Lee, Dance Teacher.

[hqtextbook]

The viewership is number of viewers in millions estimated to have watched the show live.  The rating is the percentage of 18 to 49 year old US population who were estimated to have watched the show live.  

Really? Thanks, I didn't know that. so 0.6% of 18-49 year olds watched dance moms live in the US? Is that the correct interpretation?

[Absolom]

Yes, that's what they estimate based on sampling.  

[CousinAmy]

I'm pretty sure Maddie was a marionette, not a mannequin. But shockingly, I thought her performance was stunning. For once, her moves really connected with the character she played. 

 

What was with the judges critiquing Nia's eyes, not her actual movements? The two judges said very little about the dances - in fact one started to say that the group didn't take full advantage of the stage, but her voice sort of trailed off. Are those two women actual judges, dance teachers, or just actresses brought in to play a role on a TV reality show? 

 

All of the girls were very pretty flappers. 

[Loves2Dance]

Well I recognized only one judge from judging Season 2 of Abby Lee's Ultimate Dance Comp and then she came in to work with the girl's last season in an episode or two. 

[Loves2Dance]

Wasn't Rachelle Rak one of the judges?

 

She was who I was talking about.

[trubellcurve]

This show has been very , very circumspect as far as ethnicity/race and dance styles. Holly's argument's have been about the treatment of Nia and any opportunities afforded Nia based on her talent ability alone.

Holly could have called the race card season's ago.

I feel that Holly's approach, her education level and the fact that Nia is not bi-racial, has been a huge bonus for the show and network. It has kept the race card safely at bay for the show. Which is why I like Holly so much. She is able to see past it and look to the future - an individual being graded on their merit.

I truly commend Holly for looking past this and viewing Nia ( as well as having Nia view herself as an individual who should be rated by her peers - rather than a statistic).

That being said, the show has escaped that particular bag of worms for because of them. The Network should be giving them props for this.

That being said, when Nia ages out, I wonder who will take her spot. I guess Kalani (is she Hawaiian or is she multi racial)\\

BTW,

this refers to the show only. I know I have seen other ethnicities, races represented at the contests.

Edited March 20, 2015 by trubellcurve

[CousinAmy]

Hawaii is a state. Hawaiians can be any race.

[Vandy10]

Hawaii is a state. Hawaiians can be any race.

But there are also Native Hawaiians, who most would probably be classified ethnically as Polynesian or, more contemporarily, as Pacific Islander. Kalani is a Hawaiian name, but I'm not sure about her actual ethnic background.

[Tasya]

Nia did not win an award for her solo; in either her age division or the overalls. She received a "high gold" which is just the level her solo was scored on. It didn't place at all. As for the judges; Rachelle Rak and Joshua Allen are both in the dance world; i'm not sure who the other lady was. I think the commentary on Maddie, Nia's and Kendall's solos was actually very telling. Because Maddie and Kendall actually did pretty well technically there were things to critique without completely tearing the solos apart and demoralizing the kids. Nia is so technically behind where she should be that if they had commented on the technique of her dance rather than the performance, they would have torn her apart. I'm surprised that Holly's so proud of the judges commentary without realizing the truth behind it. 

[DoctorWhovian]

Abby doing that to JoJo in the beginning of the episode was just gross. You don't do that to a child. (Unless you're just doing the positive stuff.)

 

I'm glad to know that The Color Purple was a famous movie and broadway show... and not.. you know.. a book... Surprised she didn't require Nia to read the book and write a report on it, due before the competition, then grade it in front of the girls before saying it wasn't good enough so Nia can't compete. 

 

Abby is just an all around terrible person. The murderer analogy was amazing, although I saw it on The Soup before I watched the episode. Abby doesn't like sneaky people and liars? She doesn't like anyone that doesn't kiss her ass. Melissa is right in that her daughters get what they want because Melissa kisses Abby's ass. I'm so sick of Melissa's utter fakeness. She constantly has that like half-smile scrunch nosed smirk on her face, and looks totally fake when she claps, even when it's something positive for her daughters. I can't imagine something that Abby would ask her to do that she would say no to.

[CryingOnTV]

The JoJo scene was just hateful. It was a way to get her licks in without Abby having to hold the whip.

The "place or never solo again" BS was just as bad. No Nina is not on par with the other girls but when was the last time she had a dance class? Even Maddie, the favorite of favorites, is behind on technique because they don't spend enough time doing Barr work. How is Nina ever going to compete.

And FINALLY, Abby, without meaning too, admitted to stacking the deck in Maddies favor. Does she think we are to stupid to put 2 and 2 together. When she goes on her tirade about I will do lyrical cause lyrical always wins and we are to stupid to remember all of Maddies Lyrical pieces against the others themed pieces.

[DoctorWhovian]

Maddie's solo this week was the first in a while that I truly enjoyed. It was unique and fun to watch, and I felt like she actually emoted more than just pained-smile. I bet it's because of her work with other choreographers and teachers and professionals that aren't Abby.

[TOL]

Perhaps I am misunderstanding your point, but LaQueefa, "Black Patsy" and the fact that every one of Nia's solos has to do with her race (referencing a black historical figure, slavery, and a black drag queen) make me feel like race is a pretty big issue on this show. Even Jade (the Asian girl who was good at acro) one of the dancers from last season, had an dance with an Asian theme. Controversy = ratings, I guess.

Not just that, but there was an episode last season (or maybe the year before?) when she called Nia out on her hair. Everything Abby bitched about was a characteristic of African American hair. I couldn't believe Holly didn't go off on her (that we saw).

[NextIteration]

I totally think Abby is racist. Yeah, she doesn't walk around draped in a confederate flag; she's more subtle than that. It is sickening, especially since Nia is a CHILD. Holly is a complete idiot.

 

Racist is a little strong, I'll just say that she very consistently displays her implicit bias, imo.  And does it in a very offensive way.

[torus351]

Girls, please!, Jojo is not crazy or wild. She's positively energized and a shining light.
I was pleased to see her getting the ALDC jacket from Miss Abby. 

 

The Solos

 

Maddie: A very good performance, fluid and entertaining. 9/10

 

Kendall: Good overall and a vast improvement in her facial expressions. 7.5/10

 

Nia: A half baked routine, quite bland. 5/10

 

The Team Dance: Upbeat, fast, energetic, very good entertainment value. 9/10

[RedFire2000]

I didn't care about the moms being pissed about the pyramid. Their daughters just got through telling JoJo how she is "oh so beneath them" but they will let her on their team. Now they can be reminded that they are dirt under Maddie’s callused feet. Yeah, how does that feel girls? Smh