Tonight’s Dance Moms was filled with mini meltdowns and mega drama. The ALDC mothers are concerned because Abby Lee Miller is introducing a new, younger team to replace their girls. She barely has time as it is to coach her competition team, and now these little ones are going to eat up even more of Abby’s time. Abby can’t be bothered with their fears…she needs to find her next Maddie, and the way the ALDC performed at last week’s competition has her convinced it’s the best decision. Her girls didn’t have one first place finish!
Kendall is on the bottom of the pyramid for not being able to express emotions through her facial expressions. She’s tired of Kendall just being pretty…not to mention, Kendall placed third in her solo division. Nia and MacKenzie round out the bottom…they both have super successful videos and songs on iTunes, yet they can’t snag a win. Brynn takes the third spot from the top for being middle-of-the-road, and JoJo is excited to be second with Abby praising her stand-out performance in the group routine. Kalani takes her rightful spot at the top of the pyramid for rocking the group dance…and becoming a big sister. Kira and her baby brother are healthy and happy. Kendall is given the promised solo for having the highest individual score, and Jessalyn reminds Abby about Kendall’s make-up breakdown. JoJo gets the second solo, but she’s going to have to give up the bow for her dark hip-hop number. The girls cheer when they learn that the group routine will also be hip-hop, and Abby brings in their choreographers. She’ll be too busy working with her minis.
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Lifetime introduces us to the moms of the minis and these women are vying for Abby’s attention something fierce. The veteran mothers can’t decide if Abby’s latest distraction will work to their benefit or detriment. Jill grills the girls about their feelings on the minis. She personally finds them to be adorably distracting. The other hens cluck about how difficult it is for the ALDC to win a group number with a hip-hop routine, but Abby surprises them with three boys who she claims will be her secret weapon. As Kendall works on her routine, Abby informs the mothers that Brynn will learn Kendall’s solo (and Nia will learn JoJo’s). Abby wonders aloud what will happen if the understudies are better? Brynn’s mom takes the bait and starts needling Jill. Holly interrupts to remind the women that Abby is purposely trying to get under their skin.
At every turn, Abby tells anyone who will listen that Kendall is too closed off with her dancing. Jill takes offense to Brynn dancing in front of Kendall while they practice. Brynn’s mother Ashlee interjects, saying that Abby is in the studio and she would tell Brynn to move if she saw a problem. Being the queen of blowing things out of proportion, Jill starts screaming that if Brynn had a brain, she’d know to dance at the back like Nia is doing with JoJo. Ashlee storms off to complain to Abby, and when Brynn leaves the studio, Jill starts yelling (well, heatedly speaking) at the poor girl. She explains that as the new kid, she needs to learn her place and not dance in front of Kendall. When Brynn politely tries to defend herself, Jill chastises her about talking back to adults. Her tirade has both Brynn and MacKenzie in tears.
The following day, Abby is focused on her minis and the veteran moms are focused on giving dagger eyes to the distracting minis. When a six-year-old has a meltdown, her mother allows her to leave, but Abby follows them out to sweet talk the little girl. Minis are high-maintenance, and Abby is happy to take the crier under her wing. Jill snidely remarks that if Ashlee thinks Abby loves Brynn, she’s wrong…she loves that crier ten times more. Ashlee again tries to cajole a much deserved apology out of Jill, but Jill stands firm that Brynn was in Kendall’s way. Jill wants Abby to remember Kendall is part of the team who made the ALDC brand. Brynn? Not so much. Geez, Jill! Take a chill pill, or some champs and Xanax, at least!
The day of the competition, Jill is still harping on Brynn’s mirror hogging ways and JoJo’s crazy stage make-up…it’s clearly a slap in the face to Kendall crying about her latex make-up last week. Well, duh. Ashlee is still hoping for a sincere apology, and while Jessalyn stirs the pot, she and Jill have an awkward apology exchange. Thankfully, it’s brought to a halt by JoJo’s terrifying solo make-up. Of course, JoJo’s zombie face is interrupted by a call from Abby’s attorney wielding bad legal news. Abby is crying backstage and misses Kendall’s solo routine. Before Kendall can take the stage, Abby peels out of the parking lot and Jill sets up a scenario to blame Brynn in the event that Kendall loses. Brynn was, after all, dancing in front of her in rehearsal. Kendall’s dance is cute and upbeat and sassy, but she barely changes her expression. Technically, she is great, but her face is blank until she remembers to punctuate a move with a smile. On the other hand, JoJo absolutely kills her solo…or I should say it kills her. It’s one of her most impressive dances to date.
To quote Holly when it comes to the hip-hop routine, the girls “nailed it.” I wasn’t quite sure if the boys were the secret weapons Abby had described, but it’s a fun and energetic number. JoJo totally stole the show, but she gets robbed in the pre-teen solo division when her number places second. Kendall somehow wins first place in her division, and I think Jill may be a bit peeved that she can’t blame Brynn for Kendall’s downfall. Instead, Jill complains that Abby didn’t get to see Kendall take the top spot. The ALDC wins the deserved top spot in the group routine. Melissa finds a backstage experience sans Abby to be relaxing, and Holly knows regardless, things are about to get interesting.
TELL US – WAS JILL OUT OF LINE WITH HER BEHAVIOR TOWARDS BRYNN? DO YOU THINK KENDALL SHOULD HAVE WON HER DIVISION?
[Photo Credit: Lifetime]