Several former cast members of the popular reality series “Dance Moms” will be reuniting for a two-hour special on Wednesday, five years after the show’s finale. The reunion will feature stars such as JoJo Siwa, Chloe Lukasiak, and the Hyland sisters, who will reflect on their experiences under controversial dance instructor Abby Lee Miller’s guidance. The special will also include discussions on the most infamous moments from the show, with some cast members expressing their feelings through tears.
Following the reunion episode, Lifetime will air “Dance Moms: Epic Showdowns,” which will feature some of the biggest fights from the series. The episodes will be hosted by Christi Lukasiak, who appeared on the show as Chloe’s mother. Both the reunion and “Epic Showdowns” will be available to stream on the Lifetime app the day after they air on television. The show has remained popular through social media platforms like TikTok, where clips regularly go viral, with Siwa stating that she believes the show has become even bigger now.
Notably, Abby Lee Miller will not be attending the reunion, with some cast members reportedly requesting her absence. Some original cast members, including Maddie and Mackenzie Ziegler and Nia Sioux, will also not be in attendance. Siwa expressed disappointment in the absent cast members, suggesting they may be trying to distance themselves from their past experiences on the show. Despite their absence, the trailer for the reunion features discussions about Miller, with cast members sharing their thoughts on her controversial methods.
Of those attending the reunion, only JoJo Siwa and Kalani Hilliker remain in contact with Abby Lee Miller. Maddie Ziegler, another former cast member, previously stated that she is at peace with no longer speaking to Miller, describing her dance studio as a toxic environment. The “Dance Moms” series, which premiered in 2011 and aired for eight seasons, gained attention for Miller’s strict teaching methods and the intense verbal confrontations between the mothers and Miller. The show faced controversy for Miller’s behavior towards the young dancers and the revealing outfits worn during some of the choreographed dances.
The series also experienced legal issues, including a physical altercation between Kelly Hyland, the mother of Brooke and Paige, and Miller, which led to assault charges against Hyland in 2014. Hyland and her daughters departed from the show not long after the incident and filed a lawsuit against Miller, which was dismissed in 2015 due to insufficient evidence. Miller faced legal troubles of her own and served time in prison for bankruptcy fraud and concealing income. Despite the show’s controversies, it remains popular with fans, and the upcoming reunion episode is highly anticipated by both former cast members and viewers.
