Dance mom's are wack

[MouseJunkie]

Okay, I'll confess, I can't turn away from a good train wreck either. I love this crazy kinda dumb show!

I kind of have to go with the I'm about to get flamed point of view also.

While I think Abby is a little harsh at times, I think she's really just preparing them for the "real world" of dance or competition in general. This is probably a walk in the park compared to what it's really like out there in THAT world.

I do however, think the, "You have to win. Maddie is out this week." is little, okay A LOT over the top, but if you noticed she also stopped to tell Chloe that she has what it takes and sounded like she was genuinely, while maybe for a micromillisecond, giving her some credit and words of encouragement.

And yes, I think the parents can be a little nuts...and well Cathy, she's just from another planet. She's just plain nuts! Talk about pushing your kid to do something she really does not want to do, so she/Cathy can selfishly live vicariously through her daughter, since she couldn't achieve what she wanted to on her own, when she was a kid.

I think I have to agree with a couple of things the parents complain about though...such as getting costumes and music at the eleventh hour or not at all. I don't agree necessarily that Nia is being typecasted either. I think she will have an advantage in the real world by being able to do lots of different genre's of dance and I don't think all dancers are necessarily able to do all types of dance, but maybe some are better suited for certain types of dance. I kind of the think the more the merrier or in this case the more marketable.

I can also see why she gets a lot more critique. She appears a bit unpolished or lazy in her technique, if you will.

Just my opinion...and you know what they say about those. Dawning my flame suit now and off like a shot! Poof!

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

 

[MouseJunkie]

 

[MouseJunkie]

 

[No.17CherryTreeLane]

Okay, I'll confess, I can't turn away from a good train wreck either. I love this crazy kinda dumb show!

I kind of have to go with the I'm about to get flamed point of view also.

While I think Abby is a little harsh at times, I think she's really just preparing them for the "real world" of dance or competition in general. This is probably a walk in the park compared to what it's really like out there in THAT world.

I do however, think the, "You have to win. Maddie is out this week." is little, okay A LOT over the top, but if you noticed she also stopped to tell Chloe that she has what it takes and sounded like she was genuinely, while maybe for a micromillisecond, giving her some credit and words of encouragement.

And yes, I think the parents can be a little nuts...and well Cathy, she's just from another planet. She's just plain nuts! Talk about pushing your kid to do something she really does not want to do, so she/Cathy can selfishly live vicariously through her daughter, since she couldn't achieve what she wanted to on her own, when she was a kid.

I think I have to agree with a couple of things the parents complain about though...such as getting costumes and music at the eleventh hour or not at all. I don't agree necessarily that Nia is being typecasted either. I think she will have an advantage in the real world by being able to do lots of different genre's of dance and I don't think all dancers are necessarily able to do all types of dance, but maybe some are better suited for certain types of dance. I kind of the think the more the merrier or in this case the more marketable.

I can also see why she gets a lot more critique. She appears a bit unpolished or lazy in her technique, if you will.

Just my opinion...and you know what they say about those. Dawning my flame suit now and off like a shot! Poof!

I agree with you about Cathy. She's a nut. Did you see the episode where the moms dance? Cathy gives 90 seconds of pure crazy in that one.
And poor Vivi-Anne. That child does not want to dance.

 

[Swimnoid]

Where are the dads in all this?

 

[castmember19]

Where are the dads in all this?

This is what I'm curious to know about too! All the dads seem to be in the picture with the exception of Maddie's. In the first episode her mother Melissa stated that her ex-husband (she is in the process of a divorce) claimed that dance ruined their marriage... and went on to say that her new boyfriend knows how much dance costs because he signs the checks.

That made me go WHAT?

 

[CurlyGirl]

I'm saying no self respect because Nia(?) watched her mom back down from Abby about the stupid afro and type casting her. It was an exercise in teaching her how to let someone push her around to do things she doesn't want to do. Because it was obvious, at least to me, that the mom wasn't happy with it and wants it to stop. Yet, she's still there and I don't recall Abby having a change of heart.

Again, what choice did Holly have? If her daughter wants to be a dancer, what choice is there but to back down and give Abby Lee her way? Abby Lee is the most successful thing there is in that area and if you want your kid to be successful, you do whatever it takes. Abby Lee gave Holly two choices -- put up or walk. Holly knew that walking was not an option since Nia wants to be a professional dancer. It's not like Holly can take Nia somewhere else and have the same success rate. When you are part of a company with a recognizable name that turns out countless success stories, you stay there if you want your child to be successful.

Push hard I get, obnoxious, mean and rude, no.

But she is never sneering and nasty and sarcstic like Abby is. You can be strict and demanding without humiliation.

Agreed that you can be strict and demanding without humiliation. However, I honestly think that is how Abby Lee is to everyone. We've seen her treat everyone - from the girls, the moms, and even the busdriver = disrespectfully. I think she's just a nasty, snarky, sarcastic person who says what she wants regardless of how it effects people!

ETA: I wonder if Abby Lee is bitter that she is teaching these kids and wasn't a professional dancer herself? Maybe that's why she's so mean with them? Abby said that, at 14, she chose to choreograph instead of dance. I wonder if she lacked in dance skills and had to resign herself to being a choreographer? You never see her showing the girls technique ... only correcting their technique. Who has taught them technique? Maybe that's why she's the way she is with the girls -- bitter because she was never an "accomplished" dancer herself.

 

[CurlyGirl]

I agree with you about Cathy. She's a nut. Did you see the episode where the moms dance? Cathy gives 90 seconds of pure crazy in that one.
And poor Vivi-Anne. That child does not want to dance.

I loved the looks on the other moms faces when Cathy took over with her own "solo" at the recital. Talk about someone who is dying for the limelight! Cathy is totally living vicariously through Vivi (aka the daughter that doesn't want to dance).

 

[kacaju]

http://www.ciccidance.com/

here is the catalog

 

[CurlyGirl]

http://www.ciccidance.com/

here is the catalog

Looked through the entire 2011 catalog and didn't see those skanky costumes that the girls wore for that one dance. Most of the costumes looked like the traditional recital costumes. Nothing too exposing, nothing sleazy. Most were cute and looked like they were better quality than the costumes that Abby Lee's girls wear.

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

They were the worst. What a skanky routine.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Looked through the entire 2011 catalog and didn't see those skanky costumes that the girls wore for that one dance. Most of the costumes looked like the traditional recital costumes. Nothing too exposing, nothing sleazy. Most were cute and looked like they were better quality than the costumes that Abby Lee's girls wear.

Don't let the appearance fool you--some dance costumes aren't that great in quality. I don't know one catalogue from the other, but I do know that we have had workmanship issues with costumes before that made you wonder who in the world was making these things.

Abby Lee's costumes are custom--and it seems they are just as guilty of quality issues ever now and again.


I only noticed 2 girls (Maddie and Brooke) in the catologue.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

http://www.ciccidance.com/

here is the catalog

No Vivi...

 

[MouseJunkie]

No Vivi...

It's a good thing they don't make costumes Cathy's size as I'm sure she'd be in the mag, trying to upstage the kids, no doubt.

 

[debrapagliasotti]

Love this show...such drama. DD is a dancer and thank goodness her teacher is nothing like Abby!...or Cathy!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I know what you're saying. Their transitional movements aren't very fluid. There is no "flow". It's almost like you can hear the kid saying the routine in their head as they're performing -- "Chasse, now arabesque, then spot turn, ok aerial cartwheel" in their head. It doesn't come from just letting the music "take them". They focus on the technique (good turnout, perfect landing) and just don't let the movements flow. It's like they know the steps and are repeating the steps but aren't letting the music take them.

ETA -- I would guess that a lot of that has to do with the fact that they have a week to learn a new routine before presenting it in competition. They can't get the "lyrical" format of fluid movement down because they're so focused on remembering the steps.

I think I get what you are all saying...

I also think that is what (sort of) is the difference between Maddie and Chloe...

When I see Maddie dance--it looks beautiful, even for her age. Her moves do seem to flow together to my untrained eye.

Chloe just doesn't look the same way at all to me and I couldn't understand why. I figured it was because Maddie may be "gifted" for dance or something. Just something about how she does it looks special. Other kiddoes there...not so much.

And I do think Contortinist/Acrobatics is Brooke's forte.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Wow! Who says that those girls will be two bit chorus girls? Abby Lee allegedly puts out some great dancers with successful careers. And, honestly, with the amount of opportunities that there are to dance on Broadway and the number of dancers wanting to fill those few spots, I don't think anyone dancing on Broadway is considered a "two bit chorus girl".

You don't think those girls have any self-respect? How do you come up with that? I would bet that they probably follow direction better than most kids in their class, handle stress better, and take criticism better.

Do you think that a choreographer on Broadway is going to be any different than Abby Lee? Do you think a choreographer or director is going to mollycoddle his dancers? Please. Those girls have been trained to hear, accept and handle criticism. They've been trained to listen and take direction. Abby is hard on them because she knows what it'll be like for them in the dance world. They'll have choreographers and directors yelling at them.

Believe me, most girls put in that situation would be begging to quit. Abby is just weeding out those who are serious from those who are not. Plain and simple. Abby won't deal with special snowflakes because she knows that they won't handle what's thrown out at them in the dance world.

ETA: I don't have any daughters. I have a son. He is in sports. His coaches are hard on him, they push him to do better and I'm fine with that. He is fine with that. He knows that if he wants to be successful, he has to work hard.

Personally--I think Abby just uses it as an excuse to abuse her girls verbally. But there is no reason that a child of age 8 who wants to become a dance when she "grows up" (about a decade away) needs to be exposed to that kind of treatment now.

At our prior competitive studio--that also won national titles, first places awards, blah blah blah (channeling Abby Lee --they just didn't talk to the 8 yo's that way. The teenagers would be treated much more firmly--because you do what you gotta do and they are older and can handle it...but they don't even get spoken to in the abusive manner that Abby treats 8 and 9 year olds.

It is simply an excuse to be abusive and when such a low percentage of all dancers actually make it to levels where they must take the abuse on a daily basis--it isn't a valid reason to treat them like that now.

Could you imagine a classroom of 2nd or 3rd graders and a the elementary school teacher being hard nosed like a college professor. "They're going to college some day and if they want to make it, they'll have to learn to deal with professors like this" just wouldn't fly as an excuse to abuse grade schoolers.

 

[lilmissdisney216]

Personally--I think Abby just uses it as an excuse to abuse her girls verbally. But there is no reason that a child of age 8 who wants to become a dance when she "grows up" (about a decade away) needs to be exposed to that kind of treatment now.

At our prior competitive studio--that also won national titles, first places awards, blah blah blah (channeling Abby Lee --they just didn't talk to the 8 yo's that way. The teenagers would be treated much more firmly--because you do what you gotta do and they are older and can handle it...but they don't even get spoken to in the abusive manner that Abby treats 8 and 9 year olds.

It is simply an excuse to be abusive and when such a low percentage of all dancers actually make it to levels where they must take the abuse on a daily basis--it isn't a valid reason to treat them like that now.

Could you imagine a classroom of 2nd or 3rd graders and a the elementary school teacher being hard nosed like a college professor. "They're going to college some day and if they want to make it, they'll have to learn to deal with professors like this" just wouldn't fly as an excuse to abuse grade schoolers.

Couldn't have agreed more! I've been in competitive figure skating for 14 years and when I was 8 my coaches were tough but they were never verbally abusive to me or any of the other skaters. Now granted when I entered high school and college and I was skating with a national level coach, he was tough and really pushed me and provided constructive criticism, but he was never like Abby is to the girls (even when there were little ones doing things at the same level I was). Just because she never had the chance gives her no right to treat them like that. You should encourage them to want to dance. I remember in an interview I think they did on abc in LA maybe that the interviewer asked the girls 'should I take some lessons from Miss Abby?' they all shook their heads and said 'nooooo! shes scary'.

Not gonna lie, but if I was Mackenzie's (maddies sister) age I'd be a bit at Abby too.

 

[kacaju]

I only noticed 2 girls (Maddie and Brooke) in the catologue.

Nia and Paige are also there