It's another day, another boy dance drama in the world of Dance Moms. On last night's episode, Abby Lee Miller seems to totally lose her cool, but not before she can be a major bee-atch to her sweet dancers. Lifetime is sinking to an all new low!
After their surprise victory, the moms and daughters are back in the studio. Of course, Christi and Chloe are nowhere to be found after storming out after the last competition. The girls are happy to have won, but Abby isn't happy that they only beat the Candy Apples by a tenth of a point. Can't they do better than that? Abby decides to buck convention and start at the top of the pyramid. Kendall's friends almost seem more excited that she does to learn it's her first time in the best spot. Jill is thrilled, and Abby warns her that Christi isn't going to like that Kendall beat national title holder Chloe. Oh, give it a rest. The middle tier is comprised of Maddie and Nia. According to Abby, they were good, but not great. The bottom rung is Paige, MacKenzie, and a suspended Chloe. Kelly is happy to learn that due to Chloe's indefinite suspension, Brooke has regained her spot on the team.
Abby warns the group that the Candy Apples will also be at this week's competition in Detroit. Jill can't believe her luck. Her daughter finally gets to be on the top of the pyramid, and now she'll be under added pressure to beat Cathy's crew. Everyone will be participating in the group dance, and Kendall gets a solo. Paige and Nia will perform a duet. Maddie gets the final solo, but Abby tells her not to be too excited because there is really no one else to compete against Cathy's boys. How sweet of her…
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In the most scripted display of the season, Kelly asks Holly if she thinks Nia is excited to do the duet with Paige. It's almost as if the women are reading cue cards. We learn that Nia suffers from a neurological pain management disorder that is brought on by stress. Foreshadowing! She hasn't had an episode in two years, but she's been complaining of foot pain. Holly wants to make sure it's not pain resulting from physical injury. When Melissa learns that kids with Type A personalities are predisposed to the disorder, she's surprised that Maddie doesn't suffer from it as well. Give me a break. Meanwhile, in Ohio, Cathy does her own tiny pyramid, and she reminds her mini boy band that they need to beat Abby this week after barely missing first place in the last competition.
We learn that Nia spent a lot of time in the hospital and unable to walk three years ago due to her pain management disorder. She is in a lot of pain, but she's worried that her best won't be good enough for the duet. Holly tries to get her daughter to focus on the excitement of duet instead of the stress. The following day, the troupe is practicing their contemporary group dance Avalanche. Paige is chosen as the token dead girl, and Kelly isn't keen on her daughter being painted blue. Out of nowhere, Sophia and Jackie show up at the studio. Abby immediately puts Sophia in the group number, and Melissa hopes that Sophia won't steal Maddie's solo. Kelly wants to get Jackie's Los Angeles contacts so she can get Brooke and Paige more involved in show business…I think Kelly's nose looks a tad brown as she dishes on the studio gossip to Jackie.
Cathy's boys group is called the Apple Cores. That is hilarious! How had I missed that before? In their group number, they are supposed to be ogling models in fashion magazines. Cathy is excited to be surrounded by dance dads. Back at ALDS, Jackie is both proud and worried because Sophia has been given a solo. Jackie is concerned that her daughter will be taking either Kendall or Maddie's solo, and she urges Sophia to be a really good sport to whoever's spot she takes. This is going to go over really well!
Kelly is upset that Christi won't call her back…she didn't mean anything when she blurted out that Chloe was the only one to drop her hat last week! Her feelings are hurt. Jackie feels like she's walking into the lion's den when she enters the viewing room. Jill clearly wants her daughter on Abby's shiz list, so she goes to complain about Maddie getting more rehearsal time for her solo. After seeing her mother and Abby fight, Kendall is in tears. Abby taunts Kendall, calling her a crybaby, and she tells her leave until she can pull herself together. She then turns her attention to Sophia. Jackie is appalled to see how Abby chastises Kendall. After another group practice, Abby reveals that Sophia will be taking one of the solo spots as she's a secret weapon that will surprise Cathy. Maddie and Kendall are put on alert that one of them will have their solo jacked.
Cathy is furniture shopping with Vivi-Anne and getting her daughter's thoughts on the boys' group. Cathy picks her daughter's brain about whether she should use a real girl instead of a magazine to entice the boys in the group number. I guess this is Cathy's way to get her daughter into the dance…isn't that why she started her studio in the first place? However, Vivi doesn't take the bait and recommends another dancer to play the role. Cathy then gets her daughter's opinion on a gift for Abby…like a cheap piece of jewelry.
Sophia and Jackie are no-shows the following day, and the moms think that Jackie can't take Abby's teaching methods. Is that supposed to make her weak? Her daughter is in movies…she doesn't need Abby Lee Miller. Abby starts to worry about Nia's foot pain, and she tells Holly that Nia must get a clean bill of health from a doctor before she'll let her compete. Thankfully, the doctor clears her for the competition, but she urges Nia to rest her foot as much as possible. Working with her new boy dancer, Cathy is trying her hardest to amp up her soloist to Maddie or Chloe status.
At ALDS, Jackie is still MIA, and she won't answer anyone's phone calls. Abby doesn't seem mad…she knows that Sophia has too much going on in L.A. to worry about a little competition. In Detroit, Cathy and her crew arrive in a limo, and she begins heckling Abby and company on the sidewalk. Classy! Abby tells Cathy to go to hell, and Cathy chastises Abby's language in front of the children. The next thing you know, Abby and one of Cathy's dance dads are having words.
When the moms question Jackie's whereabouts, Abby claims that she sent her away. Holly wonders why Jackie's absence is okay while the original moms' parking lot walk out was so terrible. Abby tells her that had the moms allowed their daughters to dance while they boycotted, things would have been better. Holly reminds Abby of when Nia would come to dance while she had to work, and how Abby belittled Nia for having a mom that didn't care enough to come to her rehearsals. Abby lets Holly know the situations are totally different…mainly because Nia is immature. That makes total sense…? When Holly yells at Abby that Nia's condition is real, she calls Abby evil. Abby punishes her by pulling Nia and Paige's duet.
Abby storms off and Cathy comes in to show her studio parents how pitiful Abby's mothers are. Cathy thinks it is hilarious that both Chloe and Sophia are missing. Wait, I thought Cathy didn't know about Sophia? Holly hopes that she can convince Abby to reinstate the duet, but Abby wants Nia to know that her mother needs to keep her mouth in check. Nia is in tears, and she's comforted by poor Paige who also wanted to dance with her friend. Abby makes me want to vomit. If I didn't think she'd take it out on the girls even more, I'd want Cathy to beat her.
Kendall performs her solo, but Abby isn't sold. Cathy's soloist follows, and he is amazing. Kelly tries to support Holly, and they hope they can convince Abby to bring back the duet. They prepare their daughters in the event they are allowed to dance. Abby is putting all of her eggs in Maddie's basket for the win. She is phenomenal, as usual, and she leaves her mother in tears, praising Abby for the opportunity for her daughter to dance. Cathy's boys do their hip hop group dance. It's energetic and fun to watch, but they aren't exactly in sync. Abby has tunnel vision regarding her girls' group dance. She refuses to reinstate the duet even thought Paige and Nia are dressed and ready to go. Shame on her. Holly refuses to feel badly for calling Abby evil…good for her.
The girls are so cute pumping each other up backstage. The group dance is actually really cool…and not just because they all supposedly froze to death. Abby only sees their mistakes, of course. Cathy's boy dancer lands in eighth place for the solos, and Maddie takes the win. Unfortunately, the ALDS group dance places third with Cathy's boys winning the group category. After awards, Cathy tries to stir the pot by antagonizing Abby, and Abby, Cathy, and Jill get into it insulting kids from each studio. Abby retaliates by dousing Cathy with water. Cathy clocks Abby with her pocketbook, and Cathy and Jill get into a water bottle fight. I love how Abby is pretending to be injured by Cathy's "attack." These women are pathetic. These dance dads need to run for the hills before they look as foolish as these ladies! It may be too late for them…Back in the rehearsal room, Abby calls her mom in tears, and Melissa is fearful for Abby's health. Abby tells her mother she's finished with the madness, and she storms off from the troupe. Oh, cry me a river!
Next week, Christi and Chloe are back, but Abby intends to make them both pay for leaving last week's competition. Paige and Nia are finally able to perform their duet, and Christi and Kelly get into a heated argument thanks to hurt feelings.
TELL US-WHAT DID YOU THINK OF LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE? WHAT WAS ABBY'S MOST RIDICULOUS CLAIM?
[Photo Credit: Lifetime]
