1. Abby Lee Miller
Image Source: Reddit
Makes sense to kick this off with Abby Lee Miller, the woman who started it all. Abby is known for her abrasive attitude and sometimes aggressive way of handling her dancers. Since leaving the show, she went to prison for felony bankruptcy and was also diagnosed with lymphoma. She returned to Dance Mom season 8 in 2019.Original content sourced from Femanin.com
2. Chloé Lukasiak
Image Source: Reddit
After leaving the show after season 4, Chloé has been pretty busy! She did a guest starring role on the show for Season 7, and she has a very successful YouTube channel. Beyond that she's also been in a few movies, went to college, and wrote a book! She's currently dating pro skater Brooklinn Khoury.
3. Christi Lukasiak
Image Source: Reddit
You probably remember Christi because she was always in a feud with Abby. Abby tended to favor Maddie Ziegler, and Chloé's mom did NOT like that. When Chloé left the show, Abby called her washed up - classy! Christi is active on social media with a huge Instagram following as well as a YouTube channel.
4. JoJo Siwa
Image Source: Reddit
JoJo Siwa has been thriving since her time on
Dance Moms. As an actor, singer and avid social media creator, she has a huge following on multiple platforms. She's also released a long string of JoJo-esque things like bows, bedding, makeup, and even ice cream. She's been on various TV shows and even started her own show called
Dance Pop Revolution.
5. Paige Hyland
Image Source: Wikipedia
Paige Hyland seems to have opted for a normal life. After the show, she distanced herself from dancing and from Abby Lee. Though, it's said that she has remained friendly with most of the girls from the show. Beyond that, Paige is focused on her studies and is currently in college at West Virginia University.
6. Vivi-Anne Stein
Image Source: Reddit
Vivi-anne has decided to keep her life private, and she doesn't have a public Instagram. Good for you, girl! After she left the show, she continued to dance at her mother's dance studio. As far as we know, she's still dancing there, and she also started cheerleading. Seems like she's just trying to be a normal human!
7. Maddie Ziegler
Image Source: Reddit
Maddie was on
Dance Moms from 2011 to 2016. She was considered a breakout star, and she used that momentum to build her career. Since then, she's been on
Dancing with the Stars, and she's also focused on acting. She's appeared in multiple films and music videos. She no longer talks to Abby Lee Miller.
8. Mackenzie Ziegler
Image Source: Reddit
Mackenzie Ziegler was also on
Dance Moms for six seasons, just like Maddie. Since then, she has focused on her music career, with her debut album coming out in 2014. She's also done multiple music tours and modeling work for brands like Ralph Lauren. It's good to see them both thriving!
9. Melissa Gisoni
Image Source: Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Melissa Gisoni is truly trying to keep it in the family. Melissa was considered a second mom to a lot of the girls who danced for Abby Lee. She's now focused on supporting Maddie and Mackenzie's careers, cheering them on however she can. She's also quite active on social media with a large following of her own!
10. Brynn Rumfallo
Image Source: Reddit
When Brynn left Abby Lee and the show, she went on to dance at a studio in Arizona. She was part of an anti-gun violence performance of "We Are the Future," and she's appeared on other TV series showcasing her talents as a competitive cheerleader. Shine on, Brynn!
11. Lilliana Ketchman
Image Source: Reddit
Lilliana, better known as Lilly K, was considered the biggest rival of Elliana Walmsley. Although they were rivals, the girls also considered each other friends. She now has her own dance wear collection with Oh La La Dancewear and has a massive following on Instagram.
12. Camryn Bridges
Image Source: Reddit
Camryn was often overlooked on the show and later said she was dealing with a lot of anxiety. It seems she still dances, but of course, she's no longer with Abby Lee. She said that a lot of her anxiety came from the bullying she was subjected to on the show. We're glad she's out of that situation and happy!
13. Asia Monet Ray
Image Source: Reddit
Asia went on to star in her own reality series called
Raising Asia. When the show was canceled, she decided to try to pursue a career in acting. She's appeared on shows such as
Grey's Anatomy and
American Crime Story. She's also focused on music and releases singles and EPs regularly.
14. Peyton Evans
Image Source: Dance Moms Wiki
Peyton Evans is still so young at the age of 14. When she joined the dance team, she was the youngest member of the team. Since then, she still focuses on dance and has also dabbled in modeling and music. She has brand deals through her YouTube channel and Instagram.
15. Gianna Martello
Image Source: Dance Moms Wiki
Gianna was only six when she started out at the Abby Lee Dance Company. Most people know her as Gia. She went on to become a teacher and choreographer on the show. She's currently working as a choreographer and dance competition judge. She also has a substantial social media following
16. Jessalynn Siwa
Image Source: Deadline
Before JoJo and her mom, Jessalynn, moved to Pennsylvania to join Abby Lee, Jessalyn actually owned her own dance studio. She is currently hosting a podcast called "Success With Jess." It's said that she's also selling rhinestones that are advertised to help make dancers' costumes "pop" on stage during competitions.
17. Kerri Evans
Image Source: Instagram
Kerri, Peyton's mom, was known for her explosive personality on the show. She got into a fight with another mom that was so intense, the police having to be called to diffuse the situation. She's currently acting as manager of Peyton's career and building a following on social media.
18. Cheryl Burke
Image Source: Reality Tea
Cheryl joined as a coach for The Irreplaceables in Season 7. She wanted to help the dancers keep their passion for dance. After the show, she stepped out of the spotlight for a while, but then joined Dancing With The Stars as a pro. While on the show, she met her future partner, actor Matthew Lawrence.
19. Elliana Walmsley
Image Source: Pinterest
Elliana was part of the elite team in Season 7 until that team was disbanded. She's currently still dancing, and she's also taken up acting. She's been in an off-Broadway musical, and she danced on JoJo Siwa's tour. She returned to
Dance Moms in Season 8 as part of Abby's new dance company.
20. Kelly Hyland
Image Source: Reddit
Did you know that Brooke and Paige's mom, Kelly, was actually a student at Abby Lee Dance Company herself? Because of this, there was often tension with Abby. She actually had a physical altercation with Abby, which caused her and the girls to leave the show, and it ended in legal action. Since then, she has written a book and started a podcast about these experiences.
21. Yolanda Walmsley
Image Source: Instagram
Although Yolanda's time on the show was brief, her impact was not. As a former competitive dancer herself, it's said that she put a lot of pressure on her daughter, Elliana, throughout the time on the show. Abby Lee consistently told Elliana that she was giving a second-rate performance, and Yolanda reinforced this. Yolanda's current life pursuits are unclear.
22. Nia Sioux Frazier
Image Source: Reddit
Nia is currently a student at UCLA. Besides studying, she has a YouTube channel and a podcast. The podcast is with her friend Teala Dunn. She's also dabbled in acting and her own TV series, as well as releasing some music. Sounds like she's definitely keeping busy!
23. Holly Frazier
Image Source: Reddit
We stan Nia's mom, Holly! She was always the calm and reasonable mom on the show. She's a smart woman with a Ph.D., and she's also a published author! She's currently active on Instagram, showing her love and support for her kids, and it seems she's dabbled in acting a bit making a cameo on
The Bold And The Beautiful.
24. Payton Ackerman
Image Source: Healthy Celeb
Even after Payton Ackerman left the show (Season 4), she decided to continue to dance at Abby Lee Dance Company until she graduated high school. She then tried to pursue dance out in Los Angeles, but she's currently living in Pittsburg with her now fiancé.
25. Jill Vertes
Image Source: Reddit
Jill Vertes was known for fighting pretty regularly with the other moms. Eventually she was able to become more part of the group, but she often said things viewers felt were unnecessary. When she left the show, she co-starred in a dance movie which followed dancers and their moms while they were on a tour in Peru.
26. Kira Girard
Image Source: Radar Online
Kira Girard famously left Dance Moms during Season 4, taking her daughter, Kalani, with her. At the time, she said that they both needed to focus on family time. But the pair returned the following season. It seems that now Kira focuses on fashion styling and her lifestyle Instagram, posting about her family and fitness.
27. Brooke Hyland
Image Source: Dance Moms Wiki - Fandom
It's safe to say that after the show, Brooke lost an interest in dance. She decided to go back to high school for the full experience of that type of life. After that, she went to Ohio University and then graduated and moved to Austin, Texas. As of now, she seems to still not want to revisit dance, as she has a YouTube channel and food blog that she's focusing on.
28. Kalani Hilliker
Image Source: Reddit
Kalani has gone off the grid, keeping her Instagram private. But since the show, she's continued dancing, and it appears she began modeling and acting too. She also dropped a sock line with the store Claire's which can be found nationwide, and she has a prom dress line! Pretty cool!
29. Maesi Caes
Image Source: Reddit
Maesi was known on the show as a hip-hop dancer. Before joining
Dance Moms, she had danced on tour with Justin Bieber for his Purpose Tour. She's had a more normal life since then, attending high school in Iowa. She's still dancing and she appeared on
Little Big Shots.
30. Kendall Vertes
Image Source: Reddit
Like many of the other girls, Kendall decided to focus on acting and singing after the show. She's appeared in a live-action remake of
Anastasia and in
Rapunzel: A Princess Frozen in Time. Beyond that, she's released some music and an EP under her stage name, Kendall K.
31. And Now: Dance Moms Secrets That'll Change How You See The Show... The 'Base Camp' Was A Doctor's Office
image source: livingmagazine.com
So just down the road from the ALDC was a doctor's office, that the show actually rented out to use as a space for filming. The doctor's office was used for offices of the crew working on the show, as well as the girls' tutoring room and also a place they all ate lunch!
32. Abby's 'Pyramid' Took 2 Hours To Film!
image source: channelguidemag.com
The show, as we know, had a regular 'pyramid' opener where Abby would stand in front of everyone, using their pictures as props, and then talk about how bad they were, most of the time. Apparently the girls had to endure this speech for two whole hours, when most of it was just criticism!
33. Chloe Got Kicked Out Of The Studio
image source: buzzfeed.com
At the beginning of season 4 of the show, Chloe apparently got kicked out of the dance studio - and why? Because she wouldn't sign a contract. But this wasn't any old contract, like agreeing to appear on the show.. it was a contract for her to agree for them to control things like her weight and appearance!
34. Some Of The Show's Stars Received Death Threats
image source: imdb.com
Payton Ackerman only had a brief time on the show, along with her mom, but it was a memorable one. And that's because they weren't portrayed as particularly nice. But according to Payton, the show edited them to look like 'villains', and they received death threats as a result: phone calls, and people showing up at their house!
35. Some Things Were Staged (Shock)
image source: seventeen.com
It's probably no surprise to learn that a lot of stuff we see on 'reality' tv shows these days isn't reality at all, as a lot of things can be scripted and staged. With Dance Moms, apparently it was never scripted, but the show's creators would literally create certain situations to get certain reactions that wouldn't have happened otherwise!
36. It Was Originally Supposed To Be A Short Documentary
image source: seventeen.com
At the beginning of the Dance Moms journey, the idea was actually supposed to be for a very short documentary: six episodes which would follow the girls for six weeks, and that would be it. It was never planned to be as big as it became, with as many seasons as it has!
37. Some Girls Were Homeschooled Across The Street
image source: j-14.com
The girls were very young, after all, and their time on the show was taking them away from a normal upbringing like attending school - and they had to study, after all. So the girls ended up being homeschooled in a place right across the street where they'd study for half the day, then go across the road to dance at the studio for the rest.
38. Abby's Behavior Was Apparently Even Worse Off Camera
image source: insider.com
Abby was set up to be quite a mean person for the show - and that wasn't set up just to add to the drama. Not only was it not set up, but she was apparently even worse once the cameras stopped rolling! Even though she was mean on camera, apparently she still didn't want everyone to hate her - so what we see is her 'toning it down'!
39. All The Girls Had The Same School Teacher
image source: youtube.com
All the girls had the same teacher across a 7 year span, based at their school across the road from the studio. Even though the girls were all at different levels, grades and years, they would have one teacher who taught them all everything! Nia actually went to a traditional school up until 7th grade, and then switched to this homeschool tutor.
40. There Was A Lot Of Superstition Around
image source: pinterest.com
A lot of performers will have certain superstitions and rituals, and the Dance Moms girls were no different! Apparently the number 22 was considered very lucky, so if the girls had that dance number, they'd be happy. They also made sure to do a '5-6-7-8' handshake, and a 'knock on wood' ritual.
41. Some Things Abby Did Were So Mean They Couldn't Air Them
image source: people.com
So it's true that Abby was pretty much as mean as they show depicted, but there were also some situations that got so bad they couldn't air them. There were times when she was perhaps a little too hard on the girls - no surprise there - and the show decided it was best to keep it out!
42. The Girls Had To Perform All Their Dances Twice
image source: dancemoms.fandom.com
When the girls were dancing in competitions, they had to do their first dance actually for the judges. But for the sake of the show and getting the best shots possible, they had to re-do the whole dance just for the purpose of edits being used for the TV show so they could get different angles!
43. The Dancers Had To Go To A Casting Call
image source: seventeen.com
In order to get on the show, the dancers had to go to a casting call and audition like anyone else would do. They were handpicked or invited personally onto the show or anything like that. They had a casting call with interviews, and then had to send a video of them dancing.
44. The Moms Totally Had A Lot Of Drama
image source: seventeen.com
A lot of the drama on the show came from the moms themselves, of course - and this was all reality, and one of the reasons all the girls were even picked for the show. If the moms weren't living off drama, they probably wouldn't have been picked. So the mom fallouts were all genuine!
45. And The Drama Negatively Impacted Their Daughters
image source: seventeen.com
Any kid will know that seeing their parents fighting - whether with each other, or with other parents - isn't a fun time. So it's no surprise all the mom drama affected the kids on the show. Maddie Ziegler in particular has said she was 'stressed' at only 11 years old, and she doesn't want to live through all the drama again by watching any episodes!
46. The Girls Had Very Little Time To Learn Those Dances
image source: seventeen.com
When you look at those routines, and also know that the girls had to attend school for half a day and complete school work, too, you might think they have weeks to learn these routines. Nope! They barely even get a few days. They would start the dance on a Wednesday and have to finish it Thursday/Friday before competing on the Saturday!
47. Cathy Was The Very First Person To Be Cast
image source: seventeen.com
You might have though that the dance girls and their moms were the first people to be cast to get the show in order, but the very first person to be cast was actually Cathy, from Candy Apples Dance Studio. She was given a spot on the show even before Maddie Ziegler.
48. Abby Wasn't Even In The Studio Half The Time
image source: seventeen.com
The way that the show is edited - and the way that Abby would be the first to give 'constructive' criticism - you would think that she was there all day every day. But the moms set the record straight by saying that she was hardly ever there - and they even had to wait hours for her to come and do her 'pyramid'!
49. The Moms Hardly Got Paid Anything
image source: seventeen.com
At least for season one. The moms barely got anything, and the dance kids didn't even get a paycheck! For the very first season, apparently the moms got about $600 - but that wasn't even each. It was between all of them, and they all had to split it, so they got barely anything!
50. Chloe Was Actually Super Happy To Rejoin The Show!
image source: teenvogue.com
When Chloe left the show originally, it was on quite a negative note - so you might have been surprised to see her back for the last season. You might have even thought she returned begrudgingly, but actually she was more than happy to return to the show and dance with her friends again!