Dance Moms - Lifetime "reality" series

[Rob]

The majority of these schools couldn't teach a dog to pee, much less give a child the basics they need to build on for dance. I've been watching this all my life.

HAHA, thank god my mother knew enough not to let me start at one of those schools. I fell in love with ballet at age 3 and by age 4, I had pestered so much and was walking around on my toes with bare feet that my mother went to a local school (Chicago suburbs) that took 3 and 4 year olds. She thought that was too young for serious ballet so she didn't take me with her. She said the teacher was chewing gum and yelling "kick, kick" and these 3 and 4 year olds were clinging for dear life to the barre while kicking so hard/high that their supporting legs were coming out from under them. No form whatsoever. No wonder because the reputable schools don't take them that young. I didn't take ballet until we moved to DC. She got involved in after school programs and found a Washington Ballet School alumni to teach an after school pre-ballet (6-7 year olds) and ballet class (8 and up) at my elementary school. Then I upgraded to a ballet school associated with a professional company at age 9 or 10. I won't watch this show either - it will hurt my eyes.

[PDilemma]

Then I upgraded to a ballet school associated with a professional company at age 9 or 10. I won't watch this show either - it will hurt my eyes.

I took one year of adult beginning ballet and it hurt my eyes.

[Rob]

When we were bun head snot teens, we used to call the adult beginners "goons." How rude! I figured I would get my payback if I took adult beginner skating and all the little skaters could call me a goon.

[kwanatic]

The costumes were pretty similar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir8BO4-7DkM

^^This was exactly what I thought of when I saw the little girls come out in those outfits. I have to say that the "Single Ladies" performance was amazing; awesome technical moves and great choreography...where it hits the snag is the age and costume of the girls performing it. Were the girls a teenage group, I think the dance would have been more appropriate. But the fact that the girls were all of 8 or 9 years old, dressed like that and doing those kind of moves...that's just not right.

I've watched the show a couple of times (I keep forgetting when it comes on!) but I have to say, I'd have beaten that Abby b*tch down a couple of times! When the girls walked out in their little blue outfits, were I a mother to one of those girls, I'd have had to put my foot down. One of the moms said it best: they looked like prosti-tots. No way would I have signed off on that. And I love how they went out there, did their little number and didn't even place...only then did the mothers start complaining about how they disagreed with the outfits.

I do think the show is staged to a certain degree, particularly the whole bit where the mom was fussing at Abby and Abby tried to "call the police"...none of that felt real to me...

I find the show interesting, but I don't like Abby and would never send my child to a person who's motivation technique is to tear people down in an effort to make them build themselves up...that's not right...

[Garden Kitty]

I'm just at her making these girls do a different routine every week for competition.

I'm assuming the new routine each week was done just for the show, to add to the drama and variety.

[PDilemma]

When we were bun head snot teens, we used to call the adult beginners "goons." How rude! I figured I would get my payback if I took adult beginner skating and all the little skaters could call me a goon.

Our class was late enough that we didn't really encounter the young ones. And half the people who take it are their parents, so the ones we did encounter were waiting for mom and pretty gracious to us. Several of them were actually kind of in awe of the fact that we were learning pirouettes (at least quarter and half turns) in a few weeks whereas starting at five or so they had to wait for a long time to try. They also seemed to get that we were doing it for fun and fitness and don't expect to be dancers.

[newbatgirl]

I do think the show is staged to a certain degree, particularly the whole bit where the mom was fussing at Abby and Abby tried to "call the police"...none of that felt real to me...

I find the show interesting, but I don't like Abby and would never send my child to a person who's motivation technique is to tear people down in an effort to make them build themselves up...that's not right...

As a mother of a dancer around this age, I was mortified that these moms allowed Abby to dress her kids up like that and then kept sending their kids to the school! This must be staged. No mother could be that stupid, right?

[kwanatic]

It was interesting last night!

For once, that felt like a fight that wasn't staged or scripted. I think that mom (Chole's mom, I can't remember the name) was completely out of order. I get that she's frustrated that Maddie gets most of the attention, but typically that's how it is. Your stronger dancer (or skater even) gets more attention because they have the most promise...but to start yelling like that in front of the kids...that was just wrong. She should have waited until they got back to the studio and addressed that directly with Abby; not in front of everyone and definitely not in front of those girls.

I think the person who should have been mad was Paige's mother--the little girl who got up there and froze. I felt so bad for her! I think Vivianne's mom needs to wake up and realize that the only reason that child is dancing is because she wants to make her mom happy. She said she didn't like makeup or costumes or dancing...

One of the other girls said she really wished she could just hang out with her friends instead of dancing...again, this goes back to where it gets dicey. If your kid is running to grab their dance shoes and practice all day long, that's fine. But when it feels more like work, or something they hate doing...that's when it's time to pull back and let the child decide what they want to do.

[Karina1974]

I get that she's frustrated that Maddie gets most of the attention, but typically that's how it is. Your stronger dancer (or skater even) gets more attention because they have the most promise...

I wonder if Abby has any set criteria for selecting the students who get to compete in group numbers. I do remember, at the studio I attended, there were certain skills that were required before you could be considered for either the Acrobatic Team, or the Performing Arts Co. (the PAC was the group of students who got to do the group dance numbers in competitions, and there were actually 3 PAC's to fit into the competition age divisions). I remember for the dance they required (amongst other things) full splits (both side and front) and at least a triple piroutte in both directions and, naturally, the more dance styles you were studying the better. All Acro students had to take either Jazz or Ballet, whether or not they were planning to be on the competitive Acro Team.

Also, does she actually offer truly "private" private lessons to students competing solos. A real private lesson means there is only one teacher and one student in the room, no one else waiting around for attention from the teacher while she gives all of her attention to her "star".

[kwanatic]

^^I agree with that. It does seem like many of the girls aren't at the same level of dance as some of the others. And yeah, if Maddie's mom is paying for private lessons, she should get her money back. I noticed how there were one or two other girls milling about while she did her individual sessions...

[Octoberopals]

And I thought the Kids/Beauty Pagent programs were garbage!!!

[Cachoo]

I watched with my mother today as we were remembering my sweet dance teacher. We were also most appalled when the dance teacher was angry at a child for forgetting her choreography. And for fighting in front of the children and and and...actually we thought it was all fairly awful but we liked Maddie's tap dance.

[Holley Calmes]

HAHA, thank god my mother knew enough not to let me start at one of those schools. I fell in love with ballet at age 3 and by age 4, I had pestered so much and was walking around on my toes with bare feet that my mother went to a local school (Chicago suburbs) that took 3 and 4 year olds. She thought that was too young for serious ballet so she didn't take me with her. She said the teacher was chewing gum and yelling "kick, kick" and these 3 and 4 year olds were clinging for dear life to the barre while kicking so hard/high that their supporting legs were coming out from under them. No form whatsoever. No wonder because the reputable schools don't take them that young. I didn't take ballet until we moved to DC. She got involved in after school programs and found a Washington Ballet School alumni to teach an after school pre-ballet (6-7 year olds) and ballet class (8 and up) at my elementary school. Then I upgraded to a ballet school associated with a professional company at age 9 or 10. I won't watch this show either - it will hurt my eyes.

It's amazing how people shove their kids into ballet at 3 and 4 and then want them to be on pointe at 8! Because the next door neighbor's kid is on pointe at 8....How many little bodies have been ruined by this disgraceful situation? It breaks my heart. Creative Movement is fine at 3 and 4, but ballet itself....I see it at 6 or 7. Rob, when did you go on pionte? My Vagaonva friend said age 12. I think I was on them at 10, but my training wasn't as good as it should've been until I was 13 and it was too late for my turnout!

[skatemomaz]

It's amazing how people shove their kids into ballet at 3 and 4 and then want them to be on pointe at 8! Because the next door neighbor's kid is on pointe at 8....How many little bodies have been ruined by this disgraceful situation? It breaks my heart. Creative Movement is fine at 3 and 4, but ballet itself....I see it at 6 or 7. Rob, when did you go on pionte? My Vagaonva friend said age 12. I think I was on them at 10, but my training wasn't as good as it should've been until I was 13 and it was too late for my turnout!

I started ballet when I was 4, desperately wanted to be on pointe by the time I was 8. I remember every teacher I had telling my mother that it wasn't permitted until I was at least 11 or 12. It seemed like an eternity to me at the time.

I tried watching the first couple of episodes, gawd what a trainwreck I refuse to believe it isn't scripted.

[Rob]

Rob, when did you go on pionte? My Vagaonva friend said age 12. I think I was on them at 10, but my training wasn't as good as it should've been until I was 13 and it was too late for my turnout!

Just a few weeks before my 12th birthday.

And regardless of the crotch-shot, I prefer this to a tilt anyday:

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lj469mEOL11qgxwpy.jpg

[Elise]

It's amazing how people shove their kids into ballet at 3 and 4 and then want them to be on pointe at 8! Because the next door neighbor's kid is on pointe at 8....How many little bodies have been ruined by this disgraceful situation? It breaks my heart. Creative Movement is fine at 3 and 4, but ballet itself....I see it at 6 or 7. Rob, when did you go on pionte? My Vagaonva friend said age 12. I think I was on them at 10, but my training wasn't as good as it should've been until I was 13 and it was too late for my turnout!

I started ballet when I was 3 1/2 - 4 and went on pointe a few weeks before I turned 10. It depends less on the age than on the level you're at and how strong your feet, knees and ankles are. I think 9 to 12 is a good age to start...

I really can't stand that Abby Lee and I feel bad for the girls... IMO the moms (at least some of them!) are not the worst part, she is... I had a ballet teacher who was really hard on us, but every time, there was a good reason behind it, and she really wanted us to get better. I feel like Abby Lee just yells at the girls to evacuate her frustration and not because she cares about them... that's sad...

[Karina1974]

I feel like Abby Lee just yells at the girls to evacuate her frustration and not because she cares about them... that's sad...

ITA. In one of the first episodes, she was saying how "stressful" the competition was, when she only had IIRC 2 or 3 numbers in the whole competition. That's nothing compared to the number or routines the studio I attended brings to competition. If she can't handle that, then...

One thing on one of the last episodes had me puzzled. It was when Chloe's mom was throwing a stink fit because Maddy had 2 solos in the competition when Chloe only had one. Abby starts screaming at her that maybe Chloe has a national championship, but Abby could take that away from her.

What??? How can an instructor take away something that's already been won? I would think that the only people who could "take away" a championship title would be the people running the organization putting on the competition.

IMO Chloe's mother was very much out of line. My dance teacher would probably have had her banned from attending competitions if Chloe were her student, and being that her studio has been around since 1954, she definitely has the clout to do that.

[Holley Calmes]

And regardless of the crotch-shot, I prefer this to a tilt anyday:

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lj469mEOL11qgxwpy.jpg

Amen, Sister.

[Rob]

I started ballet when I was 4, desperately wanted to be on pointe by the time I was 8. I remember every teacher I had telling my mother that it wasn't permitted until I was at least 11 or 12. It seemed like an eternity to me at the time.

11 or 12 is what most orthopods think is a good proxy for sufficient bone growth. So unless the student goes for an individual exam and gets an early release for pointe work, 11-12 is the most common age for commencing pointe work. But in addition to sufficient bone growth, there needs to be sufficient technique, ability to hold turn out from the hip, body alignment and placement, etc.

[danceronice]

IMO Chloe's mother was very much out of line. My dance teacher would probably have had her banned from attending competitions if Chloe were her student, and being that her studio has been around since 1954, she definitely has the clout to do that.

I really couldn't believe that Chloe's mother went back (or that even with the mile-long release form Abby allowed her back.) She was utterly unhinged. Even the other mothers looked freaked out. I really feel sorry for Maddy-I'd be scared if I were her mother to have Chloe's mother around as she's clearly got a hate-on for that poor girl. (You know...it's possible she's just *better* than Chloe and there is no grand conspiracy on her behalf, lady...)