I loved Dance Moms. I’m not ashamed to admit it was a guilty pleasure right up there with Bad Girls Club. The mix of extremely talented kids with unhinged parents was a recipe no one could replicate. It took me years to figure out why I got hooked on the series. There was very little dancing but a lot of fighting. The series helped make reality TV popular and not just a fad and the history of the series is fascinating. So, let’s take a look, shall we?
When did Dance Moms start?
Dance Moms hit the stage back in July 2011. At the time, Lifetime had no idea just how big of a hit they had on their hands. According to Christi Lukasiak’s perspective, John Corella, who was Mr. Dance of America, “knew people were obsessed with Toddlers & Tiaras and So You Think You Can Dance? John pitched the idea of this world or show revolving around competitive dance.” The casting agent was looking for moms and daughters because the original idea was to change the parent and child each week. As we now know, the series ended up being around the Abby Lee Dance Company.
Others have suggested that Abby Lee Miller actually came up with the idea while in LA during the summers. Now, whether or not John pinched it and ran to executives is up for debate. But the studio came back with a budget for six episodes for $100,000. Naturally, it was cheaper to use Abby’s studio than to go from place to place each week. The girls, who were not originally in a group, were put together because of their mother’s intense chemistry. And thus, a show was born.
Was Dance Moms scripted?
Dance Moms was not scripted. But it was heavily edited. Some would argue that these two terms are the same. However, I’d say use your critical thinking cap. Some parts of the show come across as emotionally genuine, and I believe they were. Multiple stars of Dance Moms have spoken out in the past about the validity of their series. Nia Sioux revealed in a YouTube video that the show was initially intended to be a documentary. At the time, she shared, “It was supposed to be a six-week documentary, and obviously, it turned into much more than that.” The fan-favorite then noted that producers would often manipulate certain situations, especially with the moms.
Maddie Ziegler once told USA Today, “It’s hard to do a reality show when there’s so much crying and drama. The producers set it up to make us all yell at each other.” A later series star, Payton Ackerman, also noted that the show was heavily edited but never scripted. However, some drama was scripted. For instance, the beef between Abby Lee and Cathy Nesbitt-Stein, owner of Candy Apples, was forced. The duo have been friends since 1988, but for the show, they were arch-nemeses.
Dance Moms highlighted a niche in reality TV
Like it or not, Abby Lee found a niche when it came to Dance Moms. She and others quickly figured out that there was an audience willing to watch young dancers while their mothers fought like cats in heat. Due to the series’ high level of drama between Abby Lee and literally everyone, it was hard for viewers to look away from the screen. The series was a creative and compelling narrative that kept fans hooked for multiple seasons. The interpersonal relationships between the mothers and girls were something that would not fly on television today. In fact, it would probably be canceled.
I think it is important to note the impact social media played on the success of Dance Moms. Apps like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok were just starting to become popular. Each dancer had their own profile, making it easy to find and follow them for more updates. Fans could feel that they were a part of the stars’ dancing careers. But perhaps the most important factor was the mothers. Each woman was willing to fight to the death for their daughter. And that was TV drama at its best.
Dance Moms can be streamed on Peacock.
TELL US – DID YOU WATCH DANCE MOMS? DID YOU LIKE IT?
