S05.E18: Showdown in Pittsburgh, Part 2

[OnceSane]

The ALDC prepares for its final competition in Pittsburgh before moving to Los Angeles, but when only two girls show up chaos ensues and tempers flare.

[TOL]

Well, that was a mess. I haaaaate the way Nia is treated, and even though Holly is super-annoying, you bet your ass I'd be advocating for my kid. A team is not a team if they aren't together or treated the same (Maddie's talent aside). My heart hurts when kids are excluded, and I have to say Nia takes it well.

Also, I really don't want to get all Abby-ish, but Ava is just uncomfortable to watch.

[leighroda]

This is so producer driven it's ridiculous. NO studio owner would attempt to have their students in a competition and convention on the same weekend, let alone days. Made even more obvious by Jill and Melissa staying at the competition and not with their children. Could they not start doing hair and makeup on the way to the competition?

If it was so important to have the kids at jump, then all the kids should have been at jump.

As annoying as Holly is getting to be, I thought it was funny when Jill was telling Cathy to leave out of respect for Nia, wand holly said "you don't respect Nia".

This Nia storyline is just so played out we've already seen it twice, with Paige and Chloe (I'm not sure if I should include Brooke because while she was mistreated it was not the same as the other 2).

And Jill acting like Holly should be so grateful for a solo... It's not such a great thing when it's the last minute and you're not prepared. It's just another opportunity for Nia to mess up and Abby say "I told you so". And we've already seen this plot too! When Abby wanted to give Paige a solo the day before the recital.

[Lablover27]

Every morning, when I wake up I'm going to watch Nia's video to give her more hits.  Maybe after dinner too.

 

Then, I'll send Abby a Minnie "Eat My Shit Pie".  I bet she'd eat the whole thing.  THAT will be my ALDC video - hope it goes virtual - world wide.  Makes everyone want to vomit when seeing Abby like I do.  

Along with the fugliest hair, Jill also has the worst wardrobe. No excuse for that fringed atrocity she wore this episode.

"I'm controlled by my child and what makes her happy." Yeah, good luck with that strategy when Kendall goes through puberty. She already has a mouth and she's what, 12?

Amen.  Is she going to call Abby when Kendall screams at her to "Get out of my room, leave me ALONE!  You're not the boss of me!  YOU hang it up!  I'm out of towels.  What do you do all day!  You are 6 minutes late!  You are so embarrassing!  Stop it mom!  Where's YOUR video!"  Pass the popcorn....

Edited May 6, 2015 by Lablover27

[tessa]

I go to bed early as I'm up early so usually watch the shows the next morning. Unfortunately, Lifetime lately doesn't seem to be working properly - black screens with sound, sound with pics but it's like the old flip through pics thing as it's not streaming - so I was only able to watch the 1st 10 minutes today. From what I've seen - I can tell you that I'm really disliking this show more and more. The exclusion of Jojo and Nia was horrible - why would you not want your whole team at Jump?

 

No reg studio owner would schedule the kids to be at a competition and a convention but this is Abby Lee Miller. She very well knows that her days are limited - she is trying to get as much exposure of her "good" students as possible because she now has double the expenses with the LA studio. So yes - I can see her doing this.

 

Jill's attitude is doing nothing for her daughter. Many dislike Kendall because of her mouth and attitude. Jill just makes it worst. Social media is not in either of their corners nor in Abby's. The Dance Moms Facebook page is full of neg comments and the adage that any comment good or bad is good news because people are watching is not true. I loved The Biggest Loser - but myself and friends stopped watching it a few years back after the horrible bullying incident by some of the contenders that went unchecked. Cameras are there so they can edit - even in reality TV - but how they've chosen to edit is tanking this show.

 

 

I actually miss Kelly and Christi because really what they said all along was true. I also miss their getting together, drinking and blowing off steam. Jill for years whined about Kendall not getting any chances, complained about Maddie, the inequities, and even left the studio ( not! but for a production storyline ) Jill is someone - I'd never have as a friend and hopefully never as a neighbor! While I was upset with Holly at the beginning of the season, when she was agreeing with Melissa and Jill about what Kelly and Christi were doing - I still like her and believe she's right. When all the girls didn't show up at Jump - did the moms ask Abby where they were or text Holly or Jess - no. I actually quite like JoJo's mom, who wasn't one of my favorites on AUDC - and I really see Cara's true colors.

[Loves2Dance]

Here is why I love Kira---she isn't fake. And, she reveals all the lies via twitter. LOL 

https://twitter.com/kiragirard/status/595761249650081795

 

Just go through the comments, she posted quite a few things. 

[iluvobx]

Did I hear Holly right?  She said that Nia deserved to go OUT on top.  (I caught this when I flipped over because my other show was in commercial-I have struck this show from the dvr and might watch a minute or two when my other show is in commercials.)  That implies that Nia and Holly are now done.  It seems that her contract should be up also.

This show really needs to go away.

[dmmetler]

First of all, props to Nia and JoJo for going along with this and seeming pretty sensible about the whole thing. I wish they'd just shut up and let the kids dance!

I don't like Vivi being used as a prop, but I really liked Candy Apples dance this time.

If they could enter two dancers at the last minute for solos, couldn't Gianna have reworked the group and done the group as a Duo? It would have been less dramatic (and still tough on the girls), but would have saved a potential DQ.

Or for that matter, just PLAN on having Nia and JoJo do all the dances while the others go to JUMP! (Which is what I expect happened behind the scenes on the solos). You still would have the drama of David vs Goliath, since Nia and JoJo are weaker than Maddie and Kalani, and neither would be expected to beat Ava and Candy Apples.

[TomGirl]

Lab lover, I'd watch that Kendall Show in a heartbeat!

[Clemgo3165]

Here is why I love Kira---she isn't fake. And, she reveals all the lies via twitter. LOL 

https://twitter.com/kiragirard/status/595761249650081795

 

Just go through the comments, she posted quite a few things. 

 

She actually doesn't reveal the lies, she just tells you to bug off if you believe what's seen on the show, but never tells the full story.

[tessa]

First off - special thanks to Diane Mars for sending me a link to last nite's episode - Lifetime is still goofy. Now that I saw it all - there was mention of the girls at Jump not being able to leave as they wouldn't get their scholarships. Maybe one of the regs here know what that's all about - but I still think that all the ALDC girls should have been at the convention then and bypass the competition all together.

 

I don't like Vivi being used as a prop either but she has definitely improved since we last saw her. I did like the dance and kudos to Cathy. I feel horrible for saying this as Ava is a beautiful girl but every time I see her I think of a flamingo standing on 1 leg. She really stood out in the group dance because of her height.

 

Abby's dance was pretty but I didn't think the dance went with what they called it. And again Maddie front and center and exiting by herself on the other side of the stage. I don't want to dislike Maddie because I applaud her accomplishments whether I liked them or not - but between my dislike for Abby and Melissa and Maddie's preferred treatment - which I do believe is real and not producer driven - I get turned off on the whole Maddie thing. I liked it much better when the attention was there but more subtle than it being the mainstay of the show.

 

I think they should put this show to rest and do a Kendall show - I'd like nothing better than to watch Jill tear her hair out over that insolent little brat. Of all the girls there now - Kendall and probably Mac for me don't stand out. Mac had the personality factor until I saw that Meet and Greet. Kalani is talented and beautiful but don't let it go to your head Kira. Maddie is talented dance wise and Nia has great stage presence. Jojo doesn't even bother me anymore - the kid is happy and seems to have settled in her place but I can see her going far due to her personality. Can't wait to see next week - looks like Kira is not in the special group anymore.

[BusyOctober]

So...Nia and JoJo getting solos was a last minute substitute solution?  How did the cosh-tumes fit so well?  Did the girls just reuse old choreography they already knew from old dances?  I can't believe the girls learned "new" moves in one hour, (no matter how talented the kids are).  Yes, I know the real answers...Lifetime, manufactured drama, scripted crap.

 

Jill and Cathy need to get out more or look at some current style magazines.  The multi-stripey highlights are 15 years behind the times.  I expect to see them both with that "ombre" dye job that swept the hair world...5 years ago. Jill's "bump-it" needs to put in a time machine and sent back to 2004 as well. 

 

If the kids attending "Jump" get scholarships and Nia and JoJo were excluded from that opportunity (as well as the education/experience), that would piss me off more as a parent than missing a fake competition.

 

Poor Vivi.  A prop in her mom's life and on stage.  I hope she can survive until she is 18 and escapes.

 

The lady from Detroit has a good dance troop.  Her daughter is very gangly and awkward looking now but she will be a stunning girl when she adapts to her height.

[Lemons]

This is so producer driven it's ridiculous. NO studio owner would attempt to have their students in a competition and convention on the same weekend, let alone days. Made even more obvious by Jill and Melissa staying at the competition and not with their children. Could they not start doing hair and makeup on the way to the competition?

 

It is a TV show, so of course it's producer driven.  It has a plot, however loose it is.  The plot last night was to pretend that Nia and JoJo were left out of the Jump convention.  And the plot was to pretend that they got solos at the last minute. 

 

I thought Nia looked good in her solo.  I'm also seeing potential in JoJo that I didn't see before.  She needs better training though, or she won't keep up with her peers in non-competition schools. 

 

The dancer with the obnoxious mother/dance teacher named Jeannette?  She has no musicality at all.  Just a lot of limbs flung around with multiple awkward turn sequences.  Nia should have beat her just on her musicality alone.  Nia danced.  The awkward girl didn't.  It shows just how much turning counts in these competitions.  And her hip hop was pure embarrassment. 

[leighroda]

If they could enter two dancers at the last minute for solos, couldn't Gianna have reworked the group and done the group as a Duo? It would have been less dramatic (and still tough on the girls), but would have saved a potential DQ.

No, because group dances are a whole other category than duos. They replaced solos with different dancers, but they were still solos, but a duo is entered differently than group dances.

Did anyone notice Rachelle Rak in the judges... I guess she's been contracted as a judge, I don't see how she could just "happen" to be a judge at almost every competition, after she was a judge on Abby's competition show, but we've never seen her as a judge in any other season.

Someone asked how could Jojo and Nia learn dances in an hour, I don't think they did... Nia has done that solo before, and Jojo was doing an improve, so that's not choreographed, but I'm guessing that she just used old choreography or combinations she's done before.

I really hope this is it... This season was so producer driven it was over the top... They ran it into the ground.

[Tasya]

Guys, Nia and Jojo were both AT Jump. They performed in several of the dances but not as many as the other girls. I believe they did all of the junior dances at the least. Kalani and Maddie did both junior and teen. Kendall did just the juniors and Mack did juniors and mini. I can't recall exactly because Jump was a bit ago, but I watched it live and they definitely participated. This show is just so full of crap. 

[serenitynow]

First off - special thanks to Diane Mars for sending me a link to last nite's episode - Lifetime is still goofy. Now that I saw it all - there was mention of the girls at Jump not being able to leave as they wouldn't get their scholarships. Maybe one of the regs here know what that's all about - but I still think that all the ALDC girls should have been at the convention then and bypass the competition all together.

 

 

 

 

 

Awards and scholarships are handed out on Sunday afternoon.  Even if you aren't there, you still get your award or scholarship if you are chosen.  My friend and I were driving back from Jump this winter - we left before the award part - and our studio director sent her a text that her daughter had won one.

It's possible that the girls from ALDC that stayed at Jump were chosen to dance in the closing ceremony and that might have been the reason why they couldn't leave. 

Edited May 6, 2015 by serenitynow

[allonsyalice]

Did I hear Holly right?  She said that Nia deserved to go OUT on top.  (I caught this when I flipped over because my other show was in commercial-I have struck this show from the dvr and might watch a minute or two when my other show is in commercials.)  That implies that Nia and Holly are now done.  It seems that her contract should be up also.

This show really needs to go away.

 

Holly meant going out of Pittsburg (sp?) since this is their last week there. (i hopes Nia would be done too, espically after this.)

[KaveDweller]

This is so producer driven it's ridiculous. NO studio owner would attempt to have their students in a competition and convention on the same weekend, let alone days. Made even more obvious by Jill and Melissa staying at the competition and not with their children. Could they not start doing hair and makeup on the way to the competition?

 

They did start on the way.  When the girls walked in I saw that at least a couple of them already had the blue lipstick on.  I don't know if they were rushing around for show or because there was more make up that needed to be done.

[RedheadZombie]

Also, I really don't want to get all Abby-ish, but Ava is just uncomfortable to watch.

 

Ava is extremely awkward.   The problem is her costumes always magnify her protruding bones, rather than camouflaging them.  Bless her heart, she seems to have a healthy self-esteem. 

 

As annoying as Holly is getting to be, I thought it was funny when Jill was telling Cathy to leave out of respect for Nia, wand holly said "you don't respect Nia".

 

Yes, but Holly doesn't always put Nia first, either.  When Cathy came into their dressing room, and was causing all that trouble, Holly just sat there with a big grin on her face.  Totally uncaring that Nia was attempting to rehearse her solo while the adults were screaming about her.  Holly should have shut it down instead of encouraging it.  I don't think Nia would feel half as neglected, if Holly didn't constantly tell her that no one cares about her or has her back.

 

Abby's dance was pretty but I didn't think the dance went with what they called it. And again Maddie front and center and exiting by herself on the other side of the stage. I don't want to dislike Maddie because I applaud her accomplishments whether I liked them or not - but between my dislike for Abby and Melissa and Maddie's preferred treatment - which I do believe is real and not producer driven - I get turned off on the whole Maddie thing. I liked it much better when the attention was there but more subtle than it being the mainstay of the show.

 

I have extreme Maddie fatigue.  She showed up again on Dancing with the Stars.  I took one look at that huge grinning face, and fast forwarded right through her performance.

[DoctorWhovian]

Here is why I love Kira---she isn't fake. And, she reveals all the lies via twitter. LOL 

https://twitter.com/kiragirard/status/595761249650081795

 

Just go through the comments, she posted quite a few things. 

 

Twitter make me release just how stupid so many people are. You are adults people!

 

Blah blah more fake drama. More producer shit. Vivi is still a prop although she.. ran in with a flag and did a leg extension? I feel bad for her, she should be dancing with girls her own age and being trained, rather than used to bring down the average age.

 

The worst worst worst worst thing that happens in this giant clusterfuck of a show is how the moms visiting the other studios' dressing rooms. I can't imagine this ever being allowed or okayed if it wasn't forced. On the plus side: we get to hear the lamest smack talk known to mankind. This is what it feels like watching 10 year old girls fight.

[NextIteration]

She seems like a monster bitch. If your kid can't get attention from industry professionals after being on national television every week, what will one convention do?

 

 

Maybe one of the regs here know what that's all about - but I still think that all the ALDC girls should have been at the convention then and bypass the competition all together.

 

I haven't watched the show yet - but I thought I'd take on these two things before I do.  jump is one of the competitions that feeds into the national Dance Awards competition in the summer.  This is in the top five of the most prestigious nationals.  Winning a regional jump VIP makes you eligible to compete as a finalist at the Dance Awards.  Here are the results from jump Pittsburgh, Mackenzie, Maddie and Kalani all won VIP, Payton was a runner up.  It looks like the whole studio attended, not just the Dance Moms kids.

 

Kalani won Jr Dance Awards a couple summers ago - I think what winning does is affirm that these girls are the real deal, top dancers in their age group in the country.

 

VIP finalists spend extra time working on choreography for the closing ceremony that usually occurs around 4 p.m. on Sunday, the audition that determines the finalists usually takes place late in the morning on Saturday, the competition part of the weekend generally takes place starting late afternoon through the evening on Saturday.

 

As to competing at two events over the same weekend, while it's highly unusual it can and does happen, though I have to say, I've never heard of attempting it with a competition and a convention simply because you're in classes at a convention.  I know that when we were at a highly competitive studio - a couple of our dancers did this, you can finagle solo performances and make it work.  Sometimes it's all about qualifying at a regional for the top competitive spots at nationals.

 

eta:  For the seriously obsessed and needy dance moms/dancers - some will travel around to different cities and compete again and again in order to win VIP at jump, Outstanding Dancer at NYCDA, Champion at West Coast Dance Explosion or hrmmmm, Protegé Champ? at The Pulse (I can't remember the name).  Anyways, yup - some kids and their parents fly around the country doing what I think is cheating sort of - because the same choreography is used in every city for the audition part of the convention.

Edited May 7, 2015 by NextIteration

[B3cky50]

Did I hear Holly right? She said that Nia deserved to go OUT on top. (I caught this when I flipped over because my other show was in commercial-I have struck this show from the dvr and might watch a minute or two when my other show is in commercials.) That implies that Nia and Holly are now done. It seems that her contract should be up also.

This show really needs to go away.

I also took this to mean out on top in Pittsburgh. They kept saying this is our last competition before we move to LA, our last competition in Pennsylvania, etc.....

Also - thanks to whomever posted the link to the Jump awards/scholarships. It just proves that all the girls - even Nia and Jojo were there. Their "Garden" routine won a lot of awards. Here it is at Jump:

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=IL6d2PGjiCA

As far as I can tell, Nia and Jojo were the only two who didnt receive awards, so maybe that's why they were allowed to leave. They most likely didnt have solos anyway.

Edited May 7, 2015 by B3cky50

[NextIteration]

As far as I can tell, Nia and Jojo were the only two who didnt receive awards, so maybe that's why they were allowed to leave. They most likely didnt have solos anyway.

 

That was sort of my point.  If JoJo and Nia were "out" at the audition - it's not as big of a deal if they missed a couple workshop classes - I should have explained that once you are chosen as a finalist in the audition - you are more closely watched to determine if you'll be a VIP or a runner-up.  Kendall was a runner-up.  Mandy Moore used to run the Jr auditions and it was always a jazzy musical theatre type piece - I have no idea if this is still the case.

 

eta:  So of course this was all producer driven drama for the story line, there was no way they could have known for sure, (for the sake of argument, yes I agree the two most obvious not to make the audition would be Nia and JoJo, which sort of proves how nasty Abby is to allow that as part of the story) I was just trying to outline how a weekend at jump works so you all could fit the "time lines".

 

Here is a clip of The Garden from jump, note that there aren't massive amounts of turn sequences and most of the movement displays control, flexibility and technique.  This is what usually wins as dancers age up.

Edited May 7, 2015 by NextIteration

[goodbyeglittergirl]

I have no sympathy for Holly. Holly has allowed this crap to go on season after season - she protests and whines and wrings her hands, but in the end keeps Nia there. If she had a backbone and any real confidence in her daughter's star qualities, she would walk. 

[iluvobx]

I also took this to mean out on top in Pittsburgh. They kept saying this is our last competition before we move to LA, our last competition in Pennsylvania, etc.....

Also - thanks to whomever posted the link to the Jump awards/scholarships. It just proves that all the girls - even Nia and Jojo were there. Their "Garden" routine won a lot of awards. Here it is at Jump:

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=IL6d2PGjiCA

As far as I can tell, Nia and Jojo were the only two who didnt receive awards, so maybe that's why they were allowed to leave. They most likely didnt have solos anyway.

Sarah Hunt won a scholarship also.  I'm going with no solos for Nia or JoJo.  

Edited May 7, 2015 by iluvobx

[Absolom]

Ratings:  1.451 M viewers and a .4 rating.

[Loves2Dance]

Ratings:  1.451 M viewers and a .4 rating.

For a mid-season finale that is LOW!

[shillyshalley 74]

After I watch the finale I am not going to watch the show again.  It is repetitive, the choreography is moronic and the atmosphere for both the girls and the mothers is toxic.  The only girls who I think may have a future in dance are Maddie, JoJo and possibly Kalani.  The girls need emphasis on clean technique, but this is neglected due to their need to learn new dances quickly.  It has just become boring and I am done with it.

[Darknight]

I don't feel bad for Kira. She chose to put her daughter out there.

[NextIteration]

Finally watched the episode.  Yup, it's very clear that Abby (er the producers, for more drama) decided that Nia and JoJo didn't need to bother with classes on Sunday since they weren't in the running for VIP - who knows if that's what really went down or if Nia and JoJo just left at lunch on Sunday (when the other four would have had to stay for choreography for the closing ceremony while they were being evaluated for VIP).

 

This is interesting,

 

Mini VIP Results 

Jr VIP Results

Teen VIP Results

 

if you watch, only Kalani is there to receive her VIP award - Mackenzie, Kendall, and Maddie are gone.  (In the beginning of the Mini results they describe The Dance Awards nationals.)  I went looking for the VIP dance but it's not posted on jump or YouTube, jump is notoriously slow at posting some stuff on their site.  

 

(Most other competitions/conventions don't do a dance the weekend of the competition - but "elite dancers" (special judges awards generally based on solos or picked out of group dances) chosen at regionals are eligible to do one at nationals.)

Edited May 9, 2015 by NextIteration

[NextIteration]

Based on what you said, Jump seems like an important competition for dancers. Is missing the awards unusual? It seems like a snub.

 

It is one of the more important ones because of the Dance Awards nationals (it's also one of the more important workshops because of the faculty), I think one of the most honest quotes from Abby during the episode was something like "these are industry heavy hitters, master teachers and choreographers, I can't snub them" when she was talking about the importance of having them attend on Sunday.  Most of the time when she says this kind of thing, it's pretty exaggerated imho, but about this, I think it's true.

 

For those that watch SYTYCD Mandy Moore (also DWTS) and Mia Michaels are on faculty; at Nuvo, one of the other workshop/competitions in the group that leads to the Dance Awards you have Ray Leeper, Stacey Tookey and Travis and Denise Wall.

 

If a dancer is a winner/finalist at these workshops year over year, and attends nationals the dancer will be remembered, the premise is a little silly for these girls anymore because they are already on national television, but winning like I said in a previous post is affirmation that they are actually amongst the top cross-trained dancers (making a distinction from pure ballet training) for their age group in the country, if the region is weak their will be less winners.  Because they are who they are (Dance Mom dancers), and also dancers in general - I don't think missing out on the last bit would be a snub, kids and families have other things in their lives and it is a long weekend and some people drive hours to get to them or have flights to catch to get the kids back to school on Monday.

 

For advanced dancers at any age level all these workshops are great because they expose the kids to new choreographers that are also respected master teachers, they have to learn to pick up choreography very fast and it includes the audition process which is important and this is all outside of winning or going to nationals - just the experience is great for all dancers.

 

The show could have taught viewers much of all of the above and left out the drama, the episode would have been much better for it.

 

(Short story about my dancer, when she was little and I was just learning about dance and started realizing that she might have a bit of talent I also realized that we were at a really bad dolly dinkle - I started taking her to outside ballet technique classes - I got caught and they threatened to kick us out because "kids shouldn't be exposed to too many teachers and methods of teaching" I knew it was time to put on my sneakers and RUN at the end of the season!!!!  The truth was that they knew that having exposure outside of the their studio would lead me to understanding just how bad they were, and they feared that I would share this knowledge - I found a number of other moms at this point who'd gone through the same experience with them.  This is something I tell anyone looking for a studio for a very young child, even at the Mommy and Me level - make sure that you are at a quality studio because you never know what will happen and unlearning bad habits from bad studios is really hard.)

Edited May 11, 2015 by NextIteration

[hatchetgirl]

Vivi was like a dancing Bear. That was so very sad. The dance itself as terrible.

I felt bad for Detroit mom. She doesn't seem as awful.

Nia looked just like Holly with her hair down. I felt bad she didn't win for her solo.

[hatchetgirl]

I know. Can we start a set Vivi free campaign on kick starter?

[missbonnie]

 

This is interesting,

 

 

if you watch, only Kalani is there to receive her VIP award - Mackenzie, Kendall, and Maddie are gone.  

Ok, I watched those twice and I saw all four of the girls?

[NextIteration]

@missbonnie, if you watch closely, Mack, Maddie and Kendall don't come forward when their names are called, Kalani does.

[Tasya]

You need to watch each category individually. All of the girls were there to accept the awards. 

[NextIteration]

I did, two or three times which is why I posted about it, now that I watched a fifth and sixth time, I take back Mack - she did come forward - still don't see Kendall.

 

I literally counted the bodies that came out with the names - someone else in an Abby Lee jacket came forward for Maddie.

[Tasya]

At 45 secs on the junior video Maddie comes out for her award; that's definitely her. 

[torus351]

I liked Jojo's improv solo, quite good.

 

I thought Nia did a good job with hers too.

 

I wish i could see more of the other contestants routines,  and less of these bickering moms!