S06.E03: Mini Dancers, Big Drama

[RCharter]

The make up on the minis is purely for the show.  People don't put make up on kids just to go to dance class unless they have an issue in real life. 

Oh yuck, this makes me think they are hoping some yucky pedo's will be watching because who else is dying to see little girls in full on makeup to practice dance?

[NextIteration]

This atree with you. Kalani is good, but stick her in a room with other kids her age and she doesn't stand out. Also puberty didn't agree with her. She's a pretty girl but looks like a grown woman

 

She looks like a teenager that went through puberty and is beautiful.  She managed to avoid that really awkward stage to boot.

 

being a beautiful girl doesn't have anything to do with it. like it or not, dancer's body types matter in the professional world. Its a lot easier to dance certain forms of dance like ballet and contemporary without extra weight, curves or really large breasts.

 

Ballet, and most specifically New York City Ballet is the only dance genre that has strict body typing anymore.  And there are quite a few of the more prestigious ballet schools that accept teens with less than sylph like bodies if the talent is on board, not ABT or SAB, but places like Walnut Hill and Interlochen.  My daughter dances with a number of young women like this at college, most of whom intend to pursue contemporary dance professionally.

 

I think pubert absolutely agreed with Kalani. She definitely looked like a teen now, but never really went through a hideous awkward stage.

Body type doesn't seem to matter as much now as it used to, even in ballet. Dancers are looking much more muscular now instead of super gaunt and willowy, even in ballet.

Look at Britney Spears or Madonna - neither are drop dead gorgeous, have much vocal talent, are trained but not perfect dancers, but boy can they entertain, and are wildly successful. Are these girls the next Britney's? Probably not, but as much as I love Britney, she's always been more hype than talent.

 

All of this.  And actually, Madonna was pretty decently trained in dance, she received a scholarship to the University of Michigan Dance program (well respected and small department) and when she dropped out and headed to New York took class at Alvin Ailey and danced professionally.

 

I sure wish they wouldn't doll up the Minis for class, I get why fame seeking mothers would paint them competition like for auditions, but leave their baby faces alone for class!  The Hip Hop was okay, but it didn't have to be very good to place at a fake competition.  I thought JoJo rocked her solo, and she and Mackenzie stood out for me in the group dance.  Kendall once again brings the meh factor.

[RazzleberryPie]

Kalani is definitely the beauty of the group if you had to choose one. I also thought Paige was very pretty. Kalani is also extremely talented and has excellent lines/technical skill, so I think she gets noticed for that more than her face.

Kendall - I like Kendall - but her face outshines her technique and her showmanship.

The rest of them are cute pretty - none are ugly, but I wouldn't call any of them stunning, gorgeous, etc, except for Kalani, Kendall, Paige and Brooke. Kalani could go from Disney girl to high fashion to exotic very easily with her features.

Maddie, Mackenie, Nia, etc are all very girl next door, Jojo is cute as a button, and Asia and Chloe weren't traditionally classic beauties, but both are pretty. The little Lia Sophia whatever her name was with the too tight bun was the only odd looking one, and half of her oddness was that really slicked bun.

[meatball77]

UUGH, that pageant makeup is terrible.  They're not on stage, they don't need stage makeup.  There's a point where mini-dancers blend in with pageant kids with the rhinestones and makeup and absurd hair, all the new minis have that problem.

 

Sophia Lucia has moved to a ballet school (one known for doing well at competitions).  She looks so different than she did on dancemoms and the bit of dance I've seen from her instagram account is just in a completely different place than what the dance moms kids are doing.

[takalotti]

I know it was super cheesy, but being a Pgh girl, I got a huge kick out of the 412 on some of the girls' costumes. 

[RazzleberryPie]

Sophia is beautiful now. I thought she was really odd looking and half of it was that bun, but she looks like a very pretty teen now. 

[StayingAfterSunday]

On 1/31/2016 at 10:28 AM, RazzleberryPie said:

Kalani is definitely the beauty of the group if you had to choose one. I also thought Paige was very pretty. Kalani is also extremely talented and has excellent lines/technical skill, so I think she gets noticed for that more than her face.

Kendall - I like Kendall - but her face outshines her technique and her showmanship.

The rest of them are cute pretty - none are ugly, but I wouldn't call any of them stunning, gorgeous, etc, except for Kalani, Kendall, Paige and Brooke. Kalani could go from Disney girl to high fashion to exotic very easily with her features.

Maddie, Mackenie, Nia, etc are all very girl next door, Jojo is cute as a button, and Asia and Chloe weren't traditionally classic beauties, but both are pretty. The little Lia Sophia whatever her name was with the too tight bun was the only odd looking one, and half of her oddness was that really slicked bun.

I think Kendall is beautiful.  I do agree with you about her face outshining her actual showmanship.  It's too bad because I have always thought she had the face of a ballerina and have waited to see the rest of her live up to that perception.  I still think Kendall is a beautiful dancer; she is just not the lithe, graceful dancer that makes it all "look easy," to use Abby's words.   

Both Kendall and Maddie do, however, share one common facial advantage: Both girls have magnificent eyes --large, well-spaced, soulful and expressive. The eyes are such a critical component for performing artists, and Maddie has learned to use those eyes to her advantage when she dances before an audience. Kendall, too, has caught on to the importance of connecting with an audience via the eyes.  But another poster mentioned Maddie's recent lacklustre affect during the talking-head segments (I've also noticed this flat affect during her conversational scenes with Abby).  It wasn't just her lack of expression, though, that gave me pause; it was the dullness in her usually bright eyes. I actually found myself feeling sad for her. Maybe she wasn't feeling well that particular day, or perhaps it's more... maybe Maddie is getting tired, or burned out.