S06.E09: Nia Saves the Day

[OnceSane]

Brynn and Maddie go up against Kalani and Kendall; the mothers step in when Kalani's back injury starts to act up and Kira is not there to help; drama ensues when Ashlee fills in for Abby's newly fired office manager.

[spanana]

Melissa and Jill have to be the two of the least self aware people in the world...or scripted Lifetime world.  How can either criticize another mother for being a kiss ass who will do anything to get their kid ahead?  I also liked how quickly Jill turned on Maddie when the opportunity presented itself.  At this point I think I watch to see how low Melissa and Jill continue to sink week to week.  

 

Also the more I see, the more I'm convinced Kendall is a straight up brat.  She's that kid that pouts and throws temper tantrums anytime things don't go her way.

[Clemgo3165]

Yep, she was totally blaming Nia for that performance even though she failed to hold up her end of the bargain. She's a mean girl plain and simple, though the apple doesn't fall far from the tree on that one.

Not sure why the dance wasn't just pulled rather than putting Nia in the spot of learning a fairly intricate dance in less than a day. Ties time to perfect a duet.

[RedFire2000]

Also the more I see, the more I'm convinced Kendall is a straight up brat.  She's that kid that pouts and throws temper tantrums anytime things don't go her way.

That girl is a huge spoiled brat. I always thought she was. She also strikes as a mean girl.

 

[KaveDweller]

Yeah, I had just assumed they would pull the duet, that's usually how they deal with stuff like that.

 

I was actually impressed with Abby saying she agreed Kalani shouldn't dance, and then she had to go and ruin it by saying Kira should abandon her newborn to come be on a TV show. 

 

I love how Jill is suddenly talking about how all the girls should be equal. Usually she's all about Kendall being above everyone else.

[spanana]

Jill is only about all the girls being used equally when Kendall doesn't get to pretend to be the #2 girl on the team.  Not that she ever really was.  At the beginning it was Chloe and now both Kalani and Brynn are far superior to Kendall.  I think it's starting to sink in that Kendall is now #4 at best and even that is questionable if you take performance skills into the equation.

Edited March 2, 2016 by spanana

[tessa]

Each week I shake my head - how many studios were at that competition besides the ALDC - 2? Were there any other duets in the teen category besides the ALDC teams? No way did Kendall and Nia come in 2nd with what was shown on TV.

 

OK - yet another "sponsored" competition - https://www.facebook.com/fiercedancecomp/photos/a.723351497749043.1073741829.478783972205798/971853952898795/?type=3&theater

 

I actually hope Jill and Kendall don't come back. Mac - maybe a Disney or Nickelodeon gig - and as much as I like Maddie - using kids as judges to me is bonkers - whether it be in competition or on shows.

 

The women are delusional thinking that Kira should leave the baby - I'm sure they wouldn't. And both Jill and Melissa are the biggest brown nosers every seen on TV - to attack Ashley like that. I'm not an Ashley fan but - I'm sick of the moms always attacking the new mom in the pack. Maybe next season it will be all about the new minis.

Edited March 2, 2016 by tessa

[sofiah]

Jill is only about all the girls being used equally when Kendall doesn't get to pretend to be the #2 girl on the team.  Not that she ever really was.  At the beginning it was Chloe and now both Kalani and Brynn are far superior to Kendall.  I think it's starting to sink in that Kendall is now #4 at best and even that is questionable if you take performance skills into the equation.

 

 

My thoughts exactly. She was never really number 2, she is just not a very good dancer or performer.  I do feel bad for Kendall,  she is supposedly Maddie's "best friend" in real life, and it has to be tough to watch your "best friend" do all these amazing things - that you openly admit to wanting to do yourself - while you are left in the dust day in day out at the ALDC.

 

Kalani doesn't suffer the same fate - there isn't a sense of "poor Kalani left in Maddie's wake" - and I think it's because she is such an exceptional and accomplished dancer, and dance is her number 1 passion (rather then ridiculous attempts at becoming a pop-star, etc.)

 

Jill I don't feel bad for, and reached new lows this episode.  I don't fully understand how Kendall was "set up" either, because Abby had no way of predicting that Kalani would end up not dancing.  So, theoretically Abby actually set up Kendall to do the type of dance she is best at (Jazz) with her best dancer (Kalani).  Jill is such a baby.  First, it's 'oh yay! Kendall has a duet!' then it's 'Oh yay Nia is stepping in so Kendall can do her duet!'... then when the dance isn't good it's 'YOU SET UP KENDALL TO FAIL!'  

 

I noticed there are a lot of good hip hop teachers, and good hip hop dancers - a lot of the well known kids - doing master classes at ALDC LA.  I think they are trying to break into the LA hip hop scene.  I've noticed the girls posting some pictures with these kids as well.  I'm glad, I am sure they are being exposed to a whole new world. 

[BusyOctober]

Is it me or are the hair extensions starting to take over Melissa's whole body?  Is she living out a Rapunzel fantasy?  Her "hair" is too long, too heavy & too fake for her face/frame. Ashlee needs to back away from the extensions too.  On another hair note- I loved Nia's short bob for the group dance!  Very cute.

 

Jill is beyond ridiculous.  When Kalani couldn't do the duet, Jill was all over getting a back up so Ken-DULL could still get her time on stage.  Then when poor Nia has no time to learn it to do it justice, Jill rants that it's Abby's fault for putting crap on stage.  If Abby had pulled the duet, Jill would have had a(nother) shit fit.  Unless her kid is crowned Queen Bee and all attention is on her, Jill is a miserable bitch.  And since Ken-DULL isn't the most charismatic, or talented one on the team, her time as #1 focus is exteeeeeemly limited. Jill should give up the quest to make her daughter a star of the dance world.  It ain't happening.  She is a very pretty girl and I think she is very photogenic.  Kendall could do well as a print model if she could learn to show some emotion in her face.  Maybe Tyra from ANTM could teach her to "SMIZE!"

[Maccagirl]

I totally agree with all the others' posts about Jill being just one of the hypocritical kiss-ups.  Does she not remember the bench she bought for the ALDC lobby in PA?  Jeez, lady, get a clue (or a more realistic script!)!!!

 

I also agree with the notice of Nia's cute bob for the Fosse dance - it looked so great on her.  On the other extreme hand, WTH was with the wig they put on Mackenzie for the same routine?  That was wrong in too many ways to count.  She has plenty of her own hair, couldn't they do something with her own hair, or get a better wig?  If Maddie were given that wig, do you think Melissa would have said something?  I sure as heck think she would've.  But, it's just Mackenzie, so who cares.

[MyFavShows]

In the fosse dance I thought the rest of them looked like a joke dance-wise compared to Maddie. Maddie was the only one pulling off that dance and the rest of them either looked like little kids playing dress up, or non-dancers.

Makes me understand why they keep Kalani around - she balances out the groups some so there isn't so much of a difference between Maddie and the rest of them.

[Clemgo3165]

I didn't think so. I thought they all did pretty well with it. Kendall had no personality and Brynn could have shown a little more, but the rest performed very well. Maddie does have the stylized Fosse glance and dance down better than the rest - she's a more polished performer, but she's also improved tremendously in the last couple of years since she's gotten away from Abby.

[Lemons]

In the fosse dance I thought the rest of them looked like a joke dance-wise compared to Maddie.

 

It's too bad now that Maddie is worth watching, she's leaving the show.  She was always a cute talented kid, but now that she's been working with professionals for awhile, she has grown tremendously. 

 

I cannot believe Kendall said "you set me up" to Abby in a pretty vicious tone.  Set her up for what?  And Jill yelling about how Maddie was given a genre that she's done since she was 3 years old.  Do they really begin lyrical when they are 3?  Maddie could do any style and win, obviously.  The style chosen was for Brynn who appears to be limited to lyrical and "competitioney" type dance. 

[MyFavShows]

Kendall was really out of line when she said "I'm sure she's very pleased w/ herself" or whatever it was about/to

Abby during the setting her up dressing room discussion. Very disrespectful for a child/teen to talk to any adult/authority figure like that - no matter what a witch Abby may be. She clearly has no respect at all for Abby or her mother - which can either be a symptom of her celebrity/being on the show, or that she is a just a complete entitled brat. Her mother really needs to reign her in before she grows up to be an awful/disrespectful adult (assuming it's not already too late).

[NextIteration]

Mackenzie and Nia looked absolutely ridiculous in those wigs.  Abby usually is so good on the details, I watch those moms sew headpieces on their heads weekly, and then she puts crappy cheap wigs on two of them.  Just awful.

 

My dislike for Kendall grows.

 

Are we there yet?

[Fallacy]

As usual, my primary thought is that these mothers are delusional. Bryn is a much better dancer than Nia and Kendall already. Is Holly never going to see the reality of Nia's limited dance talent? How about Jill? Is she ever going to realize how dull Kendall is on stage?

I do like Nia, so I don't want to bash her. She just isn't going to be a professional dancer, with the possible exception of music videos. Kendall might be able to be in the chorus line someday, but I highly, highly doubt it.

if Maddie and MacKenzie leave the show, Abbey should just start over with a new mini-elite team and a new set of moms because other than Kalani, who is too old now for the original concept of the show, I'm not interested in the rest of the girls or their mothers. Oh wait, Bryn can stay but only because she's talented even if her mother sucks.

[tessa]

I actually thought all the girls did well in the group routine. The only thing that stood out was Mac's back hair piece. I felt horrible for Nia being put on the spot like that with 1 day to learn a dance and even though she messed up - my eyes were o her - just like they were on Kalani in practice. Kendall is a non-entity to me - I don't even see her anymore. If Jill thought that Kendall becoming Maddie's best friend after Chloe left would open doors for her - she was wrong. Despite Chloe's eye - she was still a beautiful girl inside and out and a beautiful dancer. I agree with the above poster that Kendall is no where near the top and in my mind is probably at the bottom. Nia may not be the best dancer but her personality and facial expressions more than make up for the dancing.

[spanana]

I don't necessarily think Maddie is a brat, but I do think she needs to reign it in if she wants to be seen as a professional in this business.  I've noticed she has a tendency to gossip and take shots at the other mothers and etc. to random people, and while often she's right, it's just not professional behavior.   I've seen it 2 or 3 times already this season.

 

Maddie looked the best in the Fosse number, but I thought they all looked okay.  The only thing I noticed is that Mack was behind on a handful of moves and my eye was being drawn to her in a bad way.  Plus her wig was awful.

 

While normally I do not defend Abby, I really don't think she was that bad this episode.  She was totally reasonable, for her, about Kehlani being injured.  She wasn't over the top about Nia messing up the dance on one day's rehearsal.  And no, in this case I don't think Kendall was being set up considering she was originally doing a duet with one of the best dancers, if not the best (depending on who you ask), on the team.  Though honestly Kendall's lack of everything would have been even more prominent had she actually danced with Kehlani, since Kehlani would have blown her out of the water.  I agree that Jill would have bitched either way.  If the duet had gotten pulled she would have bitched about that too and Kehlani's injury certainly wasn't Abby's fault.  Plus last I hard jazz was supposed to be Kendall's specialty.

[Chewy101]

As usual, my primary thought is that these mothers are delusional. Bryn is a much better dancer than Nia and Kendall already. Is Holly never going to see the reality of Nia's limited dance talent? How about Jill? Is she ever going to realize how dull Kendall is on stage?

 

 

THIS.

When Melissa complained that Bryn has already had more opportunities than Nia ever has, I was thinking it's because Nia is not as good a dancer! She is only still on the team because her mom is a lunatic. Christi (Chloe's mom) was too harsh and mouthy, while Holly avoids swearing and uses her words. So she is a different crazy to swallow, and I think the producers are loving her more haughty drama. Holly seems the most desperate of them all to pimp out her daughter towards celebrity rather actual talent and it's unnerving. When she told Nia she was disappointed in her after her duet, I wanted to punch her. The kid is disappointed in herself, so you didn't need to knock her further. You're not her teacher or her coach.

 

And as for their demands on Abby, all of them need to remember that the dance business is cut-throat, and to stop expecting any loyalty from a casting director or coach. The girls would all fair better if their mommies weren't their managers and instead were a source of support at home. Although Abby saying Bryn can't be on the team because her mom isn't devoted enough is insane.

 

I don't know that I am ready to call Kendall a mean girl. I think that comment about being set up was something her mom put into her head. But I do think she is a lousy performance actor and she is too hung up on being pretty. If she left the group I would not even notice. I would notice if Hurricane Jill wasn't there, though. So welcome to another girl who is only still a part of the team because the show is really about the moms, and hers is a doosie.

 

I think JO JO's mom is thrilled that Bryn's mom is so unpopular with the girls. It means she is now on the "inside."

 

I liked the group routine, but Maddie's "come hither" face gave me the creeps. She is still so young, and it was so Lolita. I don't really care for such a provocative routine for their age group anyway, Broadway or not. And Mackenzie looked ridiculous in there. She couldn't keep up and she looks six. It was gross. This would not be my solution to the challenge of more "mature" choreography. Holly's face while watching the routine was disturbing.

 

Maddie and Bryn's duet was very good. Bryn held her own, IMO. Although her face goes in and out of character. And I thought Melissa making the comment that she can't take her eyes off of Maddie when she dances was to distract from Bryn's flawless response to the music going out. It was every bit as good as Maddie's.

Kendall and Nia were painful to watch. How they made second place, I dont know. No other competitors??

 

I am always so glad to see that the girls mostly get a good edit on how they deal with one another. They are still children and very competitive..... But for the most part all you see is them hugging one another, encouraging one another, and letting the crazy crap stay with their moms. I know some acting out is probably happening- not to mention some actual scripted acting, but I like that children are being protected from having the bad moments broadcast. The moms deserve that, the kids don't.

Edited March 3, 2016 by Chewy101

[Odelia]

The mums are fighting over whose daughter gets to dance with Maddie, gosh. Jill has turned into Kelly where nothing makes her happy and she always complains.
Is it just me or was Holly rather bitchy in this episode (to Ashlee)?
I think they should have replaced Kalani with Jojo, she's better at perky jazz than Nia is.

I can't focus during Nia's dances because of Holly's sucking her cheeks facial expressions she always does!

Wow, why did Kendall say she got set up? The dance was fairly nice, with Kalani it would have been very good, and the fact is that Kendall would have been the weak link. Even if it had been Maddie and Kendall, Kendall would have let the side down. And she wasn't much better than Nia, so she was being very silly/bratty, but it's Jill's fault, I mean Kendall is probably copying what Jill says (oh no, a mini Jill). And omg Jill, Maddie can win with more than lyrical. But her and Brynn were amazing.

They should have cut Kenzie and Kendall from the group, Kenzie looked ridiculous as she's so tiny and Kendall couldn't even emote this.

[RCharter]

First -- my sympathy to those of you who watch this show in HD.  I can see Abby's skin issues from my laptop, and I can't imagine what it looks like in High Def.

 

Oh boy, that was just painful.  Poor Nia.  Both Jill and Holly should have encouraged Abby to scrap the duet.  I normally feel for Holly, but she has no problem speaking up, and she should have spoken up here, instead of just thrusting Nia into any spotlight.  She set her child up to fail.  And yes, Abby should have known better, but I can't expect that of Abby because she is Abby.  I'm shocked that Nia/Kendall took second place, I didn't think they were going to place at all.

 

I get annoyed by Jill and Ashlee.  They each make me root for the other.  And, I don't care who you are, if you're going to try to pull a "tit for tat" you can't be that obvious about it.  The reason that Melissa has gotten everything she wanted is because she made Abby believe that they were friends.  You don't do something for someone and go "so, are you gonna give my child a solo to pay for my services?"  And Jill can miss me with her outrage at abby's look.  Yes, Abby looks messy, do you really think you rectify that by screeching at her?

 

I wonder how old Kira's baby was while this was taping?  Either way, I don't particularly have a problem with her leaving Kilani in Melissa's care.  Especially if her child is still breastfeeding, or she really needs that time to bond.  BUT I highly suspect Kira isn't giving Melissa a penny for Kilani's care, and I have a problem with that.  Kilani is her child, even if she can't be bothered to fly out there for a week, or a weekend, the least she should be doing is paying Melissa something for her caring for Kilani.  Not because Melissa doesn't have any money, but because its the right thing to do.

 

But on a positive note, I truly think the Fosse dance was my all time favorite dance to date on Dance Moms.  Loved it!  Only wish Kilani could have participated because she would have been the bees knees!

[RCharter]

I totally agree with all the others' posts about Jill being just one of the hypocritical kiss-ups.  Does she not remember the bench she bought for the ALDC lobby in PA?  Jeez, lady, get a clue (or a more realistic script!)!!!

 

I also agree with the notice of Nia's cute bob for the Fosse dance - it looked so great on her.  On the other extreme hand, WTH was with the wig they put on Mackenzie for the same routine?  That was wrong in too many ways to count.  She has plenty of her own hair, couldn't they do something with her own hair, or get a better wig?  If Maddie were given that wig, do you think Melissa would have said something?  I sure as heck think she would've.  But, it's just Mackenzie, so who cares.

 

That was a wigsaster!  That must have been on the "hot mess" rack at the wig store, because that wig was a steaming hot mess!

 

Kendall was really out of line when she said "I'm sure she's very pleased w/ herself" or whatever it was about/to

Abby during the setting her up dressing room discussion. Very disrespectful for a child/teen to talk to any adult/authority figure like that - no matter what a witch Abby may be. She clearly has no respect at all for Abby or her mother - which can either be a symptom of her celebrity/being on the show, or that she is a just a complete entitled brat. Her mother really needs to reign her in before she grows up to be an awful/disrespectful adult (assuming it's not already too late).

^^this all day.  All damn day.  I could feel myself getting riled up at the disrespect.  Nia has endured much, much worse from Abby and has handled it all without complaint and with a can do attitude.  I'm surprised Abby didn't pounce, because I know I would have.  If you want to talk to me like an adult, good, lets talk like adults Kendall.  No one set you up to fail, because no one needs to set you up for failure, you do that all on your own buttercup.  I'm not proud of myself, I ought to be ashamed that I hoped you could decently perform a routine you have learned at least 2 days in advance.  Kendall's attitude is too much, and I would just as soon have her just leave the team.  I'm sure a lot of that is what Jill puts into her head, but still.

 

. The girls would all fair better if their mommies weren't their managers and instead were a source of support at home. Although Abby saying Bryn can't be on the team because her mom isn't devoted enough is insane.

 

Abby is playing Ashlee like a violin.  And since I don't like Ashley, I find it hilarious.  She will always string Ashley along to get Ashley to do what she wants.  She would be a fool to put Brynn on the team at this point.  Not when there is so much free work she can get out of Ashley.  Abby should never hire another front office person, just get her "good friend" Ashley to keep doing it for free because she is hoping that the next phone she answers will put Brynn on the team.  

 

How many excuses has Abby given Ashley so far?  1. She needed to see if Brynn was good enough before she added her to the team, 2. Ashley had a personality conflict with everyone else so they had to straighten that out before she is added to the team, now 3) Abby needs to be assured that Ashley isn't going to leave before she adds her to the team.

 

I'll watch, just to see what excuse Abby comes up with next week.

Edited March 3, 2016 by RCharter

[NextIteration]

I think they should have replaced Kalani with Jojo, she's better at perky jazz than Nia is.

 

This.  Sooo much better for perky jazz than Nia.

 

I wonder how old Kira's baby was while this was taping?

 

Probably around two months, in other words, still at the edge of being a newborn that shouldn't really be on planes or around lots of people.

 

I know I'm an on again off again apologist about Holly (she gets my rage when she allows the stereotyping for Nia with the exceptions of Rosa Parks and Maya Angelou) and I'm not about to rewatch the show, but doesn't she often say the "opportunity to perform" when referring to Nia getting solos or duets?  I think she knows that Nia isn't as good of a dancer and never will be, but she wants Nia to have time on stage alone, for experience.  If Nia can act, (we know she can sing a little) she's got a shot at some little Broadway things.  Alternatively, if she's embracing funk and hip hop, maybe she could be a backup dancer.  East coast v West coast work.

 

Bryn matched Maddie in the duet, and it was an excellent one.  They all, even Maddie still, drop face when they execute leaps and turns, it's a problem.  Maddie does get an expression, but it's not what is meant.  I saw it rewatching the Bond Girl solo close up, it's sort of half the expression she has in most of the dance, if that makes sense.

 

I really enjoyed the group dance, except for Mackenzie's costume and wig, one of them is not like the others.  Nia's wig was appropriate and cute, it was just glaringly cheap.

Edited March 3, 2016 by NextIteration

[RCharter]

I understand the "opportunity to perform," I totally get it.  But in this situation, she WAS actually set up for failure, and Holly should have seen that.  If you're doing Rose Parks and Maya Angelou (both dances I enjoyed) or even LaQuisha or whatever -- at least Nia had the time to prepare for the dance and wasn't going to go on stage and embarrass herself.  Holly knew that a day to learn that dance was not enough, I don't think it would have been enough for any of the girls in a duet....where you can't hide behind anyone...where the timing has to be on point.....where the timing is fast.  Holly has railed against Nia being "set up" with easy choreography, or by twerking, but she wasn't upset that she was being given a day to learn the dance?  Just because "well at least she is going to be on stage?"  Well, by that logic, even if she was twerking, at least she would be doing it on stage, so whatever, right?

 

I mean...of all the times for Holly to suddenly decide to be quiet....this time?

[Chewy101]

I could feel myself getting riled up at the disrespect.  Nia has endured much, much worse from Abby and has handled it all without complaint and with a can do attitude.  I'm surprised Abby didn't pounce, because I know I would have.

 

 

Makes me wonder if that happens more often than we see, and it just doesnt make the final cut.

[NextIteration]

I understand the "opportunity to perform," I totally get it.  But in this situation, she WAS actually set up for failure, and Holly should have seen that. 

I mean...of all the times for Holly to suddenly decide to be quiet....this time?

 

I guess I wasn't necessarily talking about the duet, but the comments from her about new kids taking away Nia's opportunities.  I'm not claiming it to be level-headed or anything, but I do believe that Holly feels that anytime Nia gets to perform beyond the weekly group dance as an opportunity to hone her performance skills, and hopefully her dance skills as well.

[Lemons]

 

If Nia can act, (we know she can sing a little) she's got a shot at some little Broadway things.  Alternatively, if she's embracing funk and hip hop, maybe she could be a backup dancer.  East coast v West coast work.

 

 

Nia is terrible at hip hop and funk because of her training.  As stupid as that Laquesha thing was, Abbie has a point about race and dance.  Just recently Beyoncé hired all black dancers for the super bowl, Kanye hired 1,000 young black people for his show and Kendrick Lamar had all black dancers on the Grammys performing African dance.  With most dance jobs, race won't matter, but there will be some jobs that dancers like Maddie won't qualify for and Nia will.    When Abby dared try to help Nia with this aspect, people got all horrified. 

[RCharter]

I guess I wasn't necessarily talking about the duet, but the comments from her about new kids taking away Nia's opportunities.  I'm not claiming it to be level-headed or anything, but I do believe that Holly feels that anytime Nia gets to perform beyond the weekly group dance as an opportunity to hone her performance skills, and hopefully her dance skills as well.

To me, if she can see the damage performing a "twerk" can have on Nia, she should also be able to see the immense damage it will do to Nia to perform a dance style she isn't particularly good at and a routine she doesn't know in front of a crowd.  She should know that Nia won't say no, but just like Kira she should have stepped in and told Abby to scrap the dance because it wasn't fair to Nia.  The girls don't want to disappoint Abby or each other, its up to the parent to step in and say "no, I don't really think this is a great idea" not get all fired up to push their kid on stage to embarrass themselves.

 With most dance jobs, race won't matter, but there will be some jobs that dancers like Maddie won't qualify for and Nia will.    When Abby dared try to help Nia with this aspect, people got all horrified. 

....when she suggested that Nia should "naturally" know a style of dance because she is black?  That seems almost the opposite of helping -- but maybe thats not what you're referring to.

[Lemons]

....when she suggested that Nia should "naturally" know a style of dance because she is black?  That seems almost the opposite of helping -- but maybe thats not what you're referring to.

 

That's not what I was referring to.  Just in general, Abby had tried to get Nia to embrace the unique opportunities she might get because of her race and to train for them.  I'm not talking about "twerking" either because that was just a stupid fad.   

[sharkerbaby]

I believe Lemons is referring to earlier seasons (maybe season 2?) when Abby was giving Nia culturally inspired dances and costumes.  There was significant backlash from both Holly and viewers.

[Absolom]

Ratings:  1.288 M viewers and a .5 rating.

[Lemons]

I believe Lemons is referring to earlier seasons (maybe season 2?) when Abby was giving Nia culturally inspired dances and costumes.  There was significant backlash from both Holly and viewers.

 

Yes, thank you.  Over the years Abby would talk about different opportunities Nia might have based on her race and people somehow saw that as a negative. 

 

And I don't think Nia was "humiliated."  These are kids who are competing at amateur competitions.  She learned a dance on short notice and didn't do was well as she hoped.  Big deal. 

[catloaf]

Abby is such a disgusting slob, and it's more than the absurd skin condition, although that only makes her more physically hard to look at. I mean, she's always been a complete pig, but I don't think the stress of her "legal woes" that she brought upon herself are doing her any favors in the neatness department. That scene where Ashlee was "helping" Abby was utterly repulsive. I have a thing, which probably has something to do with my ASD, where even minor messes irritate the heck out of me, but argh! She was just so slobby and icky. And that other scene where Ashlee was whining to Abby in the dressing room was quite funny, actually. Abby might have been on something, did she strike anyone else as not being completely lucid? Ashlee was just carrying on and whatnot and Abby seemed very... distracted, I guess? I cannot think of the word. Struck me as odd.

 

I know the song stopping was likely just production. To further show how great Maddie and Brynn are, because my goodness gracious, they kept dancing and continued to do well even without the music! I remember when the song stopping during a dance was apparently so significant that I was a major plot point and shown in commercials for the next episode. Now, it just sort of happens and is barely mentioned afterwards. If we are to follow the story production suckers the more naive viewers into, what kind of amazing studios and competitions are these where this is so common. 

 

I used to have a lot of back issues when I was a bit younger. I certainly hope that wasn't made up for production. If it isn't, I hope Kalani is okay. :(

Edited March 4, 2016 by catloaf

[RCharter]

Yes, thank you.  Over the years Abby would talk about different opportunities Nia might have based on her race and people somehow saw that as a negative. 

 

And I don't think Nia was "humiliated."  These are kids who are competing at amateur competitions.  She learned a dance on short notice and didn't do was well as she hoped.  Big deal. 

Difference is that Nia's dance was on TV for millions to see.  It is humiliating for a girl Nia's age to have everyone see her fail on TV, and have it live on in YT and discussed and picked apart for however long people choose to do that.  And, over time the background story can be forgotten and it just looks like an example to prove that Nia isn't a good dancer.  Its all part of reality TV, so I don't blame people for picking apart the performance, but I blame Holly for knowing the situation and blissfully allowing it to happen.  

 

If Nia is at least prepared for a dance, maybe she wins, maybe she loses, maybe she doesn't look great.....but at least she has a shot.  She didn't even really have a shot here...all things considered.  And thats on Holly.

[NextIteration]

To me, if she can see the damage performing a "twerk" can have on Nia, she should also be able to see the immense damage it will do to Nia to perform a dance style she isn't particularly good at and a routine she doesn't know in front of a crowd.  She should know that Nia won't say no, but just like Kira she should have stepped in and told Abby to scrap the dance because it wasn't fair to Nia.

 

Well, lol, I was the one that noted where the "twerk" should go and as she was supposed to be Cookie, thought it was okay.  I do agree that the duet should have been scraped or possibly given to JoJo from the start.  My whole premise about Holly and Nia having the chance to perform is in the context of the "new kids taking away her opportunity" and is completely decoupled from what happened with the duet this week.

Nia is terrible at hip hop and funk because of her training.

 

Didn't Nia win a little dance off we saw doing hip hop/funk style dance?  How do we know this?  We don't get to see the girls doing this style very often, and I thought that Nia was a stand out in the hip hop a while back.

Edited March 4, 2016 by NextIteration

[tessa]

I don't think Nia does bad at hop hip - kendall is a disaster tho!

[sofiah]

There are a lot of new videos of the ALDC girls doing hip hop.

 

If anyone is curious, look at this channel:  

 

https://www.youtube.com/user/rumernoel/videos

 

Hate to say it, but I do kind of think Kendal is the most awkward.  Kalani has improved a lot with this type of dance, as has Maddie... and Mackenzie and Brynn are not bad! None of them look good if you put them next to kids who have been training in this style for a while, but that's to be expected.

[Clemgo3165]

I think Kenzie's really good at it. Kendall looks like she's doing ballet. Nia's not bad, but she's not nearly as good at isolating the movements as Kenzie is.

[spanana]

Nia is terrible at hip hop and funk because of her training.  As stupid as that Laquesha thing was, Abbie has a point about race and dance.  Just recently Beyoncé hired all black dancers for the super bowl, Kanye hired 1,000 young black people for his show and Kendrick Lamar had all black dancers on the Grammys performing African dance.  With most dance jobs, race won't matter, but there will be some jobs that dancers like Maddie won't qualify for and Nia will.    When Abby dared try to help Nia with this aspect, people got all horrified. 

 

I get this and I'm not arguing the fact that there are jobs that Nia can audition for that Maddie can't, but I want to be clear that this works the other way as well.  I don't really buy that with most dance jobs "race won't matter".  It does.  It's not going to be blatant racism in the sense that nobody is going to stop Nia from auditioning for a certain role because she's black, but there are plenty of things that she won't even be considered for because of her race--before people bother to see if she's capable or not.  And yes, I'm taking dance talent out of the equation for a second.  I fully realize that Nia isn't a great dancer and so her not being cast in things specifically may be for other reasons, but I think we are getting into interesting territory here when it starts sounding like claims are being made that it's actually easier for black people to get jobs in Hollywood based on their race, which is is far from the truth.  Just because a handful of black artists make it a point to hire black dancers does not mean that is how most of the industry works.  I get what you are trying to say, but the whole idea that Nia will have opportunities that Maddie won't leaves a bad taste in my mouth considering all of Hollywood and the entire dance industry cater to kids/adults that look like Maddie and not Nia.  A large reason Beyonce, Kendrick and others hire black dancers is because they know it's harder for these dancers to get actual opportunities elsewhere, not to mention so that little black girls/boys get a chance to see people that look like them represented in a positive light.

Edited March 4, 2016 by spanana

[SunnyUnicorn]

Hey guys, I'm now here but I've been a big Dance Moms fam since Season 1! In fact, my 1 year old loved to dance along with the girls whenever they performed and she's loved dance so much she's been doing it at a studio for the past 3 years now!

Anyway, I had a question that I've had for a long time but that really came out again watching the last episode. I don't know anything about dance (I know Maddie looks graceful when she dances and that Kendall is incapable of changing her facial expressions) but I know nothing about technique/ feet. I've always read that Nia doesn't have very good technique and especially feet and I was wondering- is that because Abby isn't a very good coach? Or is that natural dance ability really something your born with? Do you guys agree that Nia gets bad choreography like Holly always says, or is she just plain not that good of a dancer?

Sorry to bombard you with slightly OT questions but I just found this website and these questions have been bugging me forever!

[Jax7917]

I agree about Kendall being non-existent when she dances. She just doesn't shine on stage and always has her shoulders up when she dances as if shes very uptight. I don't know if it's because I work with suspended kids that Kendall doesn't seem like such a mean girl to me. The kids I work with blow her out of the water with that. Yea she comes off bratty and talks back sometimes, but the thing is I'm not that sort of person who talks back to adults , but even I would talk back to some of the things Abby says to the kids. The amount of abuse these kids endured over the years is just sick. I can only imagine how stressful dancing for Abby on a daily basis must be, never being good enough and well let's face it, never being Maddie. Mix the stress of the way Abby treats the kids with having Jill as a mother, and I'm sure we would all get fed up.

[Jax7917]

I don't disagree with Abby putting Nia in dances that she is portraying a black person because in the real world, if they are doing a broadway show, the directors will be auditioning only black women for a part of say Rosa Parks.  It's not racist, it's just what they need for the particular part. The same way they are not going to put a black person in the role of Sandy for Grease. 

 

I totally believe the music stopping was a set up to show how great they are. It happens way too often in these competitions for it to be real.

[Lemons]

 but I think we are getting into interesting territory here when it starts sounding like claims are being made that it's actually easier for black people to get jobs in Hollywood based on their race, which is is far from the truth.    A large reason Beyonce, Kendrick and others hire black dancers is because they know it's harder for these dancers to get actual opportunities elsewhere, not to mention so that little black girls/boys get a chance to see people that look like them represented in a positive light.

No, no claims that it's easier for black people to get jobs in Hollywood.  No.

 

The instances I mentioned about Beyoncé and Kendrick were specific to black dancers because Beyonce's dance was about the Black Panthers and Lamar's was about slavery and African dance.  Beyoncé usually just hires the best.  I'm not sure about Kendrick Lamar. 

 

Nia has improved in Hip Hop but she is not strong in it at all.

[Clemgo3165]

I don't disagree with Abby putting Nia in dances that she is portraying a black person because in the real world, if they are doing a broadway show, the directors will be auditioning only black women for a part of say Rosa Parks.  It's not racist, it's just what they need for the particular part. The same way they are not going to put a black person in the role of Sandy for Grease. 

 

I totally believe the music stopping was a set up to show how great they are. It happens way too often in these competitions for it to be real.

 

I don't think this is actually true in the real world. A Nina Simone biopic starring Zoe Saldana is getting a lot of flack lately in part because Saldana had to be painted to be as black as Simone, when there are many other actresses equally capable of filling the role who actually do have Simone's dark black skin. 

 

And why can't Sandy be black? Other than the reference to Sandra Dee there's no reason she would need to be a white woman.

[KaveDweller]

Hey guys, I'm now here but I've been a big Dance Moms fam since Season 1! In fact, my 1 year old loved to dance along with the girls whenever they performed and she's loved dance so much she's been doing it at a studio for the past 3 years now!

Anyway, I had a question that I've had for a long time but that really came out again watching the last episode. I don't know anything about dance (I know Maddie looks graceful when she dances and that Kendall is incapable of changing her facial expressions) but I know nothing about technique/ feet. I've always read that Nia doesn't have very good technique and especially feet and I was wondering- is that because Abby isn't a very good coach? Or is that natural dance ability really something your born with? Do you guys agree that Nia gets bad choreography like Holly always says, or is she just plain not that good of a dancer?

Sorry to bombard you with slightly OT questions but I just found this website and these questions have been bugging me forever!

 

I think it's a combination of natural talent and training. With a great coach and lots of practice anyone will improve. But some people are born with talent and don't need to practice as much as others. And some people can practice all they want with the greatest coach and never get to the same level others can. 

[NextIteration]

I think it's a combination of natural talent and training. With a great coach and lots of practice anyone will improve. But some people are born with talent and don't need to practice as much as others. And some people can practice all they want with the greatest coach and never get to the same level others can. 

 

And some people are born with bad feet, and Nia is one of them.  

 

I think that Abby is a middlin' coach/choreographer but she probably had some very good staff back in Pittsburgh.  I think she probably primarily worked with her older company dancers before this show.  I've watched a couple of the Q&A "masterclass" things that they've done on the road and she does put emphasis on proper stretching and foot exercises, and the corrections we see her giving on the show are generally sound.  I'd be really curious about her mother, who started the studio, and I wonder when Abby rolls off her Broadway stats, whether that includes dancers that primarily trained under her mother.

 

The correction we never really see is for Kendall, who wears her shoulders like earrings, and this is one that should have been started and repeated as often as Nia gets corrections about her feet, or Kendall gets about lack of proper expression.

 

I'll tell you that it's really important to have your little one in a studio/academy that starts with and emphasizes proper technique from the start, because unlearning bad habits from a studio that doesn't teach proper technique is much harder than learning properly from the start, and will stall a dancer's progression for years.  Of course the problem is, you start your child not thinking that it will become a lifetime love/commitment for them and just a fun activity, and then it can all change and your child lives for it.  Putting some time into making sure that they are in a safe space is important, I know I failed on that initially and my dancer paid for it.

[NextIteration]

And why can't Sandy be black? Other than the reference to Sandra Dee there's no reason she would need to be a white woman.

 

She can be, but the story would have to change like the recent Annie did, or it would have to be like the 90s Cinderella that Brandy starred in.  The recent Grease Live had KeKe Palmer playing Marty.

 

@spanana has it right though, typing in an audition can occur before anyone even learns a step of choreography.  If you don't have the "look" the want or they can't see you in what they are auditioning for, casting won't waste a minute on you.

[sgomes]

Those hip hop videos are cringe worthy. The chorography is simple, and none of them can pull it off.  Kalani comes the closest to pulling off the moves, but none of the girls are good.  Maybe it's lack of training, or they just don't have the dance chops for that type of dance.  It's hard to believe Abby is in LA trying to sell this weakness. 

[RazzleberryPie]

Answer to question about feet - 'good feet' is partially genetics and partially training.

'Pretty' feet - like Kalani's - talking about the shape - high arch, great curve, very pointed toes - you're born with or your not. There are dozens of stretching and shaping exercises and devices, but they can't do much if you aren't born with that shape. Those contraptions always just looked to me like they would do more damage than anything.

'Trained' feet - making sure your feet are pointed, not flexed unless it's on purpose, not pronating or supplinating ankles, (my phone refuses to spell sicle ing), not flopping, etc. that's all training.

Nia's 'bad feet' is a combo of the way their built and her lack of picking up on training. I really do like Nia, but Abby tells her over and over to watch her feet. It still isn't automatic to her, and may never be.

[Diane Mars]

Regarding "bad feet", Kendall also have that problem (mostly visible during turns)... Brynn has amazing feet, as Kalani does.