Dance Moms on Lifetime

[AJane]

Actually, you might be surprised. Kids who are at an elite level of a sport (I would call the girls who dance on this show athletes, as well as artists and performers) often do well academically, simply because they are by nature driven and perfectionists. Parents play a huge role, of course, but it's extremely difficult to strong-arm a child who really doesn't want to dance, play hockey, etc. There are schools that accomodate these kids, plus I guess a parent could hire a tutor. Where I live, athletes are given school recommendations by their coaches and clubs. For instance, there are a couple of high schools that accomodate hockey players - the kids do schoolwork till about 2pm, then spend about 4 hours afterwards on the ice. This is in addition to regular team practice and games. It's not an easy road for these kids - they have to want it badly and love what they're doing.

My kids are certainly not at that level, nor do I expect they will be, but as an involved parent I do spend time with kids who are. They are exceptional (as are the parents). Actually, they scare me a little bit.

It can be difficult to parent a child like that, because it's hard to know if you're doing the right thing by limiting their school and social time so they can work on their talent. The Dance Moms mothers are very over-the-top and I hope the ridiculous drama is confined to the bits we see on the show...but I understand there is stress when you're parenting great kids as well as troubled ones (or just average ones ). The real problem with this particular group is Abby. Great coaches are passionate and demand the best effort from their athletes, and all I have seen from Abby is anger and volume. If this group of kids flourish, I believe it will be mainly because of who they are - not because of Abby's training.

[Critical]

I studied at two studios 5 days a week. I did pretty well in school, although not great - that had more to do with me than with time spent in the studio. A girl in one of my ballet performing groups was a great student and working toward a college scholarship. She's about the only one I remember who consistently brought her books to the studio to study during breaks.

These girls are, what, 7-10, most of them? Some nights, they aren't getting out of there - and, granted, this was when they were really in a crunch preparing for a competition - before 9 pm. How late can they stay up at that age? I don't know about anyone else, but my bedtime when I was that age was maybe 8:30. The mothers even admitted last season that they let school take a backseat. They have to be missing some school for these competitions. Heck, I missed days here and there for shows and competitions, although not many.

I just wonder when they have time to study. They probably don't get huge amounts of homework at 7 or 8, but that changes soon enough, right? Forgive my ignorance, since I don't have kids.

ETA: Did anyone find it jarring that the new little girl seemed to be wearing full makeup during her little interviews? She was wearing casual clothes and not a costume. Isn't she 8?

[MHcarrollton]

My daughter is heavily into dance, but I would never allow her to miss school this much for it. She is nine years old, and the latest she is in bed on a school night is nine. The only make up the girls are allowed is during performances and it is red lipstick and purple or blue on the eyes. The instructor makes them take it serious, but is never ever like Abby, nor would I tolerate it. I also would not allow my children around a mother who uses the language that these mothers use. Noone is going to say the word whore around my child like that. It is a disgrace that this is allowed to continue.

As for Abby, it is clear that she had brutal parents when it came to getting attention. She clearly is jealous of the emotional bonds she sees with the girls and their parents. Her goal seems to be to tarnish any resemblence of a bond between them that she can. She wants to be top dog in the girls eyes. She clearly competes for that attention still as an adult. I think she needs therapy badly. She obviously did not live up to any of her parent's expectiations, and now carries that weight, no pun intended, into adulthood.

[jadewarlock]

Just a few points here, as I didn't see all of it. This is hard to stomach start to finish - and I've seen "Death to the Daleks" and "The Horns of Nimon" from "Doctor Who" (These however are just plodding - in both the anger is at least justified).

1. Abby getting into a tizzy about the snoods - the judges are not going to care if the snoods are exactly the same. They're not as popular as one would think so they'd have a bit more give than people think in judging. And to go after Holly - if I were Holly I'd told Abby "All right, I'll go to seven, but wait until you get my mileage bill for it." Of course Abby would call her names, but when you go to four locations just to find enough snoods to begin with... that says enough.

Secondly, I think it was new mom who tried to curry favor here, and that isn't even working right.

2. Cathy assuming the judges were questioning the age because of Abby - I'm sorry Cathy, but there are OTHER dance groups there who probably have danced against your company. THEY TOO could've - and probably did, challenge it. (I say that others probably did because I think they'd obviously shown which mom it was who told the judges).

Cathy however, automatically went after Brooke out of retaliation for something that may or may not have been their doing.

That said - Kudos to Brook's mom for working hard to get that birth certificate. She called the dad, had the proof faxed over. Cathy could've done this, but chose not to because she knew that her dancer was in the wrong category.

3. The new mom - simply put a brown-noser. It also looks like her daughter will be going back to the normal dance group if they continue. Said mom should NOT have also gone to challenge Abby in the dance room.

4. Kelly I do think gets picked on a tad too much the more I'm watching it. Next week with Brooke will tell a lot. I really wish she'd realize being on TV is not worth making her daughters miserable. (also makes me wonder

5. Simply put, Abby Lee's group number was better than Cathy's. Going after one dancer for being out of sync (which had to be something we didn't see) or something was out of line. New Mom was right there. I wonder though if Cathy's group also lose the second place in that category.

6. The Soiree with Cathy - SO WHAT ABBY?! You know as well as the rest of America the moms aren't going to divulge information to Cathy about the dances. What would it do anyway? Maybe they did like her socially if not competitively.

Seriously... If I were any of these moms, especially ones who have been attacked for overall little reason, I'd be pulling out my daughter.

[jenniferboston1]

Who calls their kids coach a who**? That's crazy! No amount of fame, fortune, or money would be worth it to me. Don't get me wrong though, I do like Kelly, but it's just...wow!

BTW, kids are amazing today with balancing academics & activities. My youngest son leaves at 6:30am for school, then has rehearsals (drama, not dance) 2-5, fencing 5-7 doesn't get home until 7:30, and still makes high honors. Don't know where he gets it from though.....definitely not me! LOL

[PA Snow Bunny]

I didn't get to see alot of this show last night. I did see the spolier for next week. If Brooke wants to be a cheerleader, go to football games & have a boyfriend then that is what she should be allowed to do. IIRC last season Brooke wanted to quit then but her Mom didn't want her to regret quitting dance like she did when she was Brooke's age.
Brooke has always said she wants to be a part of Cirque de Soileil so if that is the future she imagines giving up dance to be a cheerleader won't get her to that goal. I also remember Brooke kept having problems with her shoulder popping out of place so maybe giving up competative dance is a smart move.

[jadewarlock]

I didn't get to see alot of this show last night. I did see the spolier for next week. If Brooke wants to be a cheerleader, go to football games & have a boyfriend then that is what she should be allowed to do. IIRC last season Brooke wanted to quit then but her Mom didn't want her to regret quitting dance like she did when she was Brooke's age.
Brooke has always said she wants to be a part of Cirque de Soileil so if that is the future she imagines giving up dance to be a cheerleader won't get her to that goal. I also remember Brooke kept having problems with her shoulder popping out of place so maybe giving up competative dance is a smart move.

Actually - Cirque doesn't require this level of dancing, but athleticism and flexibility. Both of these Brooke has - and then she'd still learn choreography the circus she ended up getting that is needed.

If she keeps the flexibility work in the cheerleading - and they do with today's cheering, she will still have a shot at her dream. I worry for her though that if she keeps competitive dancing with Abby yelling at her all the time it will hurt that chance. Watching the training for the "Varekai" show, they were harsh, but not cruel like Abby is where she yells just to yell IMHO.

[Tilden]

Not that you have to be an exceptional dancer to be a good teacher of dance, but did Abby Lee ever have any kind of a career as a dancer? The reason I ask is that she seems so determined that little girls of seven or eight should be thinking about being professional dancers. Kids that age aren't typically thinking that long range. What they want to do "when they grow up" might change daily. Even someone Brooke's age may change her mind fairly frequently about what she wants to do as an adult. Heck, college students change majors and career goals too. I just don't get why Abby Lee is so focused on these children being "professionals" when only three of them--Maddie, Chloe, and Brooke--seem to have shown any particular interest in being professional dancers. And heck, even Maddie, as talented as she is, may change her mind about that in a couple of years--and any of them, sadly, could get injured and have to give up the idea. The only reasons I can come up with for Abby's focus on professionalism is that either she's living through them or expecting them to make her career as a coach/choreographer for her. Either way, she shouldn't be putting that kind of pressure on kids.

[jenniferboston1]

Wow Tilden you're so right! My niece excelled at dance since she was around 2 until her freshman year at college. Years and years of beautiful dance work, then all of a sudden, no interest. She had always talked about Broadway, as well as being a dance teacher as a back up.

[Lizard]

Interesting to watch

The burnout pace will burn out. Stage practice is useful for confidence though.