S06.E30: Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like Ab-bee

[OnceSane]

Quote

The elite dancers prepare for a commercial shoot, hoping to redeem themselves from last week's loss. Later, the elite team's moms take control of the choreography, leading to a huge conflict with Abby.

[Jwd]

I've watched this show since episode one.  With that said, if the girls go to another dance studio (or start their own with a new teacher), I have 0 interest in watching them.  In my opinion it is the moms on the elite team that have ruined it for the girls.  Sure Abby probably had a hand in it, but for crying out loud, for weeks now if any dance wasn't what the moms want (specifically Jill) then they go ahead and just change the dance or do what they want.  Last I checked Abby was the teacher and it's her studio and show.   I say if they want to go, good riddance, just please the powers that be, please do not make us have to watch them AT ALL with some other studio.  It's just wrong.

Also to be honest, I'm with Abby here.  I much more enjoy watching the little ones dance, they are just adorable. :)

Edited November 2, 2016 by Jwd

[KaveDweller]

I agree the elite moms suck. They insisted on dropping the other girls and expected Abby to tell them they were cut? Also, they were bitching the whole episode about Abby ignoring them, but they complained as soon as she showed up at the commercial shoot.

I can't believe Abby had the nerve to lie about what she said to the competition director right in front of him. No wonder they didn't win after that. He seemed really pissed off.

I did like the look on commercial guy's face when Jill was telling Abby she shouldn't have criticized the commercial. It seemed like he was thinking, "just keep her calm!"

[RedFire2000]

Ugh..... I'm over this elite team vs mini team storyline. It's boring, tedious, and most all uninteresting.

All the elite moms do is complain constantly, especially Jill. Can somebody put a muzzle on this bitch! She's either insanely jealous at somebody's kid or i running her mouth complaining. She's insufferable! Their rudeness towards the mini girls is also childish and petty.

[Rylee]

40 minutes ago, Jwd said:

 

Also to be honest, I'm with Abby here.  I much more enjoy watching the little ones dance, they are just adorable. :)

I, too, enjoy watching the minis more than some of the older girls. (I very much enjoy watching Kalani and Brynn dance, not so much with Nia, but I do like the kid, and Kendall, not at all.) If they want this show to continue, I think they need to continue with younger kids. Many shows, sit-coms and dramas have brought younger kids on to keep viewer interest. Where they failed though, is they should have been doing this all through the seasons so viewer attachment and interest was formed in wanting to watch the children grow and succeed. The problem with the mini team is they were all brought on about they same time, and besides being unable to keep all the "Lilies" and the "- ana's" straight, their mothers came on with such a level of anger and entitlement, they're truly unlikeable.

I, too, am sick of the Elite vs Mini storyline. It is boring and it's ridiculous. Ridiculous because in the past when Abby had more dancers on her team, and especially in season 4, when she had the Elite and the Select teams, she had to divide her attention and choreograph and run just as many dance numbers.  

Didn't miss Jess at all. I didn't miss Jojo, either. She's a cute kid but I think her only talent is showing off.

I kind of miss the old Abby, the Abby who was in control and ran her studio with a, "My way or the highway" attitude.

Having a performing family, 3 daughters who studied danced for years, all 5 children performing in numerous musical theater productions, and a husband who graduated from AMDA in NYC and performs and sings for our supper, I have never known a director of any sorts willing to give up their artistic direction. The mothers and girls controlling the dance choices and choreography just doesn't ring true. That's manufactured drama and reality TV for ya!

[tessat]

Producers - if someone from the network does indeed troll the forums - please keep the minis! I'm over the elite team despite still loving Nia, Kalani, and Brynn - the moms are worst than Christi and Kelly.

I do think numbers will go down when the eliminate the minis as this show needs that fresh shot in the arm. The girls are older now - we know what to expect - and the moms have become unbearable - even Holly. Why should Abby be there when they're learning the dance for the commercial - they have an outstanding choreographer that was hired for the routine yet the moms b*** and moan - while later telling her she's not needed at the actual shooting.

Even in the commercial routine - Kendall looks drab - when Abby went to call someone out - I thought it was going to be Kendal for not pushing her chest out farther and looking sharp on the last move - instead she called out Nia. Since we don't know what the music was - and we didn't see the dance - I don't know if the original dance was good or not. I personally liked the pink shorts and gloves - much better than our Dorothy costumes in previous dances.

Kendall is horrible in hip - hop - please release us from the pain of watching her dance at all. You're right Jill - it's time to move on - you can't criticize Abby for not being invested in the girls when you used someone else's choreography and still lost. The competition is much more fierce in the teen category and your daughter doesn't belong there - even Nia does better because she has strong expressions.

[BusyOctober]

Other than the word "bee" in the dance title, what the hell did the mini duet have to do with Muhammad Ali???  How was that a "tribute"?  Actually, I think most of Abby's tributes are ridiculous, but this one made no sense.  I see her animal cosh-tumes, pigtails and hand under the chin endings are back with a vengeance.

It is so obvious none of what goes on with the Jr team is real.  Aside from the nearly empty auditorium every week, anyone who has ever been to even the most amateur dance recital knows there is no effin' around with the dances or the show runners.  I'm over the Mom's lamenting every week that "Abby doesn't care!  She doesn't pay attention to us!  The dance isn't good/challenging enough!"  Here's a thought...if you were really concerned about your kid's dance and future careers and reputations, drag your asses to another studio!  In LA or PA there are literally dozens of dance studios that focus on technique.  Most studios that have competition teams work on a few dances per season...no reputable dance company tells the kids to learn and perform choreography in 24 hours.  Then again, Abby's choreography (or who ever does it it for ALDC) is just recycled steps from previous dances set to new music.

I love how Jill goes on and on about Kendall's "career" in the entertainment world. Delusional til the end...

The light up shoes looked cool, but I feel like I've seen them somewhere before...Shark Tank?? Definitely a great accessory for hip hop style dancing. 

I know people cannot help how they look.  I know I should never snark on someone's physical appearance.  I know I'm am no perfect human specimen myself.  However...the dark haired Mini Mom (Wanda? Yolanda?) and her crossed wonky eyes are distracting. And so are her daughter's darkened Chiclets teeth. There, I said it and now I will just get in line for the Hell-bound bus.

[tessat]

Her eyes are distracting and I've mentioned it before.

[Cherry Cola]

The mini's are just so darn cute!  It was nice to see Abby smiling and happy watching them practice.  What was up with her straight up lying to the produced though?! I was on her side until then.   Not cool. 

 

Yeah, the Elite moms need to go.  Ick.  Enough already.  Squabble sqauabble. 

[WildFlower87]

Can the producers stop with these tribute dance for every celebrity that passes away! David Bowie died last week, let's do a dance about him. Prince died last week, let's do a dance on him. Muhammed Ali died earlier in the week, let's do a dance about him. It's lame and uninspired. Ali had nothing to do with this dance and the girls probably barely knew who he was, just like Prince and Bowie. Prancing around in pink boxing gloves and shorts isn't a tribute, it's a gimmick. The worst was the horrible Michael Jackson baseball dance, which.... was more so Jackie Robinson than MJ. The Madonna tribute dance from a few episode ago was pretty bad as well.

[Misslindsey]

So bee costumes equal Muhammed Ali tribute? I am not really a fan of really gimmicky dances in general though.

I will be at my table for one for disliking the mini's. I do not find them cute. It might be because I am not really a fan of little kids dance routines. A lot of the time they seem so cutesy for me. Abby watching them all gleeful seemed so fake to me. Almost like it was for storyline purposes that Abby is favoring the mini's. I did dislike Abby saying that the mini's won because she kept Peyton out of the group dance, while Peyton was in the room. 

I prefer the elite girls, but I think they should add some new people on the team. I wasn't a fan of the boxing gloves and shorts for their initial dance. I did not see enough of the dance to really judge it. It could have been fine. 

I hate the mini's vs. elite storyline that is going on. I dislike the elite moms and the mini moms. I think the girls are all fine though.

Jill and the rest of the elite mom's asking to use the commercial choreography for the elite routine instead was not a smart move, but I also thought Abby was being petty and passive aggressive about it after she said they could use it. I guess I would be fine to Abby being a bitch to the moms, but I hate when she takes out her issues with the moms on the girls. The whole lying to the competition director was not cool. Also, Abby being a bitch to the commercial guy was not great either. 

[EVS]

I think the minis are adorable, but I do not want them to stay for several reasons. First, the moms are awful. Worse than the original moms in season 1, imo. Second, I did not miss the cutesy acro numbers and have no desire to see them return. Finally, I want the minis to leave before Abby and the elite moms crush their little spirits. 

Having said that, I am not enjoying the elite team that much either. I agree that a lot of the choreography, especially the theme dances, has been really bad. I could watch Kalani dance all day, but preferably not Abby's choreo. I enjoy Brynn as well. She looked like she was enjoying the hip hop routine.  I do not enjoy watching Kendall and Nia dance, and I can't stand any of the elite moms. 

So basically I think the show needs a couple strong dancers who are close to Brynn and Kalani's level, new choreographers, and a box of muzzles for the moms. 

[Absolom]

With ratings like these we may not have to worry about what they are going to show us: 746K viewers and a .25 rating. 

[cali1981]

This show really needs to be cancelled. It has completely run out of steam .  I find the mini mom's to be as reprehensible as the advanced moms .  They are just as delusional as the old timers and just as nasty. They have no respect for them or the fact that the ALDC,  as a TV entity,  was built on the backs of their daughters. Of course Abby, being the miserable,  manipulative shrew that she is,  has done her best to encourage this.  I hope that the advanced team really has gone to the other studio but I have a feeling that's it's just another head feint by the show runners. 

[cali1981]

4 hours ago, EVS said:

 

Having said that, I am not enjoying the elite team that much either. I agree that a lot of the choreography, especially the theme dances, has been really bad. I could watch Kalani dance all day, but preferably not Abby's choreo. I enjoy Brynn as well. She looked like she was enjoying the hip hop routine.  I do not enjoy watching Kendall and Nia dance, and I can't stand any of the elite moms. 

 

Kalani is a beautiful dancer but at 16 years old I have to wonder if her growth has been stunted by her tenure on this show.  I hope that she has far more vocabulary and technique than she's been allowed to show here.  I keep thinking of some of the 18 year olds on SYTYCD (when it was real dancing show) and what they could do and I see little of that in Kalani ,  at least on DM. 

[glow28]

18 hours ago, BusyOctober said:

Here's a thought...if you were really concerned about your kid's dance and future careers and reputations, drag your asses to another studio!  In LA or PA there are literally dozens of dance studios that focus on technique. 

I think ALDC does focus on technique - the Moms don't want it - they are looking to make their daughters stars without any of the effort.

At this point I think Abby subconsciously is done with the Elites - a term I chuckle at every week - as apart from Kalani & Brynn - there is nothing remotely elite about the team.

It must be hard for Abby to deal with such average dancers and their disloyal rude mothers who expect her to be at their beck & call for their kids non-elite feet & legs.

Jill go somewhere else - be done - lets see what comes knocking - not.

[glow28]

6 hours ago, EVS said:

Second, I did not miss the cutesy acro numbers and have no desire to see them return.

One thing I will say I hate is Abby's obsession with acro - not only is it not real dancing - there is no seamless flow between movements -

- I am sure it really hurts these kids backs & stunts their growth.  I think back to Mackenzie & Brooke etc. 

[hellohoping]

See I am actually enjoying the mini/elite 'drama', or at least the fact that we have both teams on the show. It means that every now and then we get to see some good choreography like Suicide Hotline, but there's also new life with the minis who are adorable. With a couple of new members on the elite team, plus the mini team, I could keep watching this show for the foreseeable future.

 

Knowing what we do - that production ultimately axe the mini team - why do you think that is? It seems like such a good move for the show and the audience seem to be getting behind them. Could it have been because the diva elite mums threatened the producers that they'd walk? I can see them doing that - they are obsessed by the notion that this has to be THEIR show.

Edited November 4, 2016 by OnceSane
Added spoiler tags

[Cabarb]

Quote

Knowing what we do - that production ultimately axe the mini team - why do you think that is?

I somehow managed to completely miss this!  When and how did this happen?  Will we see that play out in this season of DM?

Edited November 4, 2016 by OnceSane
Quoted post was edited.

[OnceSane]

Please remember to use the spoiler tag when discussing/posting spoilers.  Thanks.

[Loves2Dance]

On 11/3/2016 at 0:54 PM, Cabarb said:

I somehow managed to completely miss this!  When and how did this happen?  Will we see that play out in this season of DM?

Spoiler

Abby tweeted about it; no clue whether or not it'll appear in the series, but I imagine it would. 

[Jamie Satyr]

With IMDB mb going away in a couple weeks, you should be getting more traffic! Good luck!

Jamie/Fiero425 - http://fiero4251.blogspot.com/2014/05/dance-moms-abby-lee-dance-company-aldc.html