Christina POV.
I woke up and did my morning routine, then I went downstairs, Mommy gave me my vitamins before handing me a plate of pancakes. When Chloe and I got home from school, when got our dance bags and got in the car, mom drove us to the studio. We got out of the car, we got our dance bags and went into the studio into the dance den where we got ready.
"Girls! Let's go! Come on, girls!" Ms. Abby yelled.
The girls and I came in studio A and formed a straight line in front of Ms. Abby. Our moms stood a straight line on the side.
|All in all, I would call North Carolina mediocre. They were cute, their costumes were adorable, they were sloppy.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"I want to start off talking about little bit about dance troupe in Greensboro, North Carolina. The was not the group in Lake Tahoe that just won a national championship. Obviously, cute still works in Carolinas. Kendell, you did your solo scared to death. That was face was not an Abby Lee Miller face, that's for certain." Ms. Abby explained, as Kendell nodded.
"Well, Abby, that was her first time." Jill tried to defend her daughter.
"Uh, shh. We don't get to talk. It's my turn. This weekend, we are heading to Columbus, Ohio. You know who lives in Ohio." Ms. Abby said.
"Candy Apple! Whoo!" Chloe said, doing a little clap and a cheer, making Ms. Abby and the moms laugh a little.
"We are going there, and she will be at the competition." Ms. Abby said.
I saw my mom out of the corner of my eye rolling her eyes.
|Cathy.... She's like a cold sore that just keeps coming back, like, "I'm her, I'm her, I'm here." And you're like, "God, go away already."|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
"I don't want any squawking between the mothers. You are all on the same team, and we're all gonna take a bite out of that big apple." Ms. Abby said, as the girls and I laughed.
"All right, we're gonna start with the pyramid. On the bottom. Kendell." Ms. Abby said, ripping the paper off revealing Kendell's headshot.
"You are on probation. That means that I'm watching you like a hawk. Do you understand me?" Ms. Abby said, as Kendell nodded.
|I'm really sad that I'm at the bottom of the pyramid, cause I thought I did my best.|Kendell Vertes| Jill's daughter
Ms. Abby pulled the paper off revealing Mackenzie headshot.
"Mackenzie, I keep giving you little parts. Your dancing is not up to where the rest of the girls are. When Maddie was seven, she could've done the Choreography." Ms. Abby said.
"Maddie and Mackenzie are two different girls. Stop comparing them." Mommy defended Mackenzie.
Ms. Abby ignored her and pulled off the paper to reveal Brooke's headshot.
"Brooke, you knew the number. But the crying and the hysteria, that's not a young adult." Ms. Abby said.
Ms. Abby ripped off the paper to reveal Paige's headshot.
"Paige, you did a nice job this weekend. Then, on the bus coming home, we told you to sit down 32 times. I counted. That's 31 too many." Ms. Abby said.
"Every single one of them were playing on the bus." Kelly said.
"It doesn't matter it right! She's your kid." Ms. Abby said.
"So tell them, yell at them, too!" Kelly yelled.
|No matter what I do, my kids are always gonna be at the bottom of the pyramid. I just think it's Abby's way of torturing me.|Kelly Hyland|Dance mom
Ms. Abby ripped off the paper to reveal Maddie's headshot picture.
"Maddie. You didn't place in your solo, but you did a nice job in the group number." Ms. Abby said.
Ms. Abby ripped off the paper to reveal Nia's headshot picture.
"Nia, I left you here in the same spot that you were in last week. Maybe somebody from Nia's family could show up at the competition and watch her and clap for her." Ms. Abby said.
"Next we have Chloe." Ms. Abby said, ripping off the paper to reveal Chloe's headshot picture.
"Chloe, you did a great job. You won in your category and I was very proud of you." Ms. Abby said.
Ms. Abby ripped off the paper to reveal my headshot picture.
"And on top of the pyramid is Christina. you did a great job. You beat Maddie but I've seen you dance better. I want you to be exactly where you were in Lake Tahoe." Ms. Abby told me.
Christina
Chloe Nia Maddie
Paige Brooke Mackenzie Kendell
"Every single person is gonna be in the group dance. It is called Bad Apples." Ms. Abby said, making the girls and I laugh.
"It's a little 40s, has a little novelty, but it's a little Katy Perry. It's a little kicked off. So I want the pin-up girl look. We have the rat, we have the snood." Ms. Abby explained.
|I'm not putting a rat in my hair. And a snood? What's a snood?|Mackenzie Ziegler|Melissa's daughter
"If you don't know what a rat and a snood is, go google it and figure it out. When you go onstage for that for that competition, you'd better be on fire. Brooke, you're doing a solo. Cathy has a girl entered your age. I want you to make apple sauce out of that kid. Backstage, freak that kid out. I want that kid in tears before she ever steps on that stage." Ms. Abby said, as Brooke nodded.
"All right, Candy Apple's-- apple sauce. Squish'em." Ms. Abby said, as the girls and I pretended to stomp on the candy Apple's.
"All right, moms, you're dismissed. Girls, spread apart. Let's warm up and start doing the number. Let's go. Music!" Ms. Abby said.
Christi POV.
The moms and I went upstairs to the dance jail.
*Five Days To Competition*
"Good Lord. I just want to say, "Stand up tall." Jill said.
"So what did you think of your first pyramid?" Melissa asked.
"Yeah, you never know-- I didn't know what to expect. I really didn't think she'd be on the bottom." Jill replied.
"Yeah, but, Jill you're new." I said.
"I know. I-I know. But I still-- I thought that was a lot of pressure on a little kid." Jill said.
|Kendell absolutely should be on the bottom of that pyramid. I think Kendell should take a permanent residency at the bottom of the pyramid. We've been dealing with this one for a long time. You've got, like, three days under your belt, sister. Get use to the bottom row.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
Christina POV.
*Group rehearsal*
Dance style:Jazz
"I do this. Big! Little!" Ms. Abby said.
|The number we're doing for Rising Star is call The Bad Apples. It's a 1940s number. A little Andrews Sisters, a little Katy Perry. And also a little jab to Cathy from Candy Apple.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
Christi POV.
"Three days, she learned her solo, they switched the music the night before." Jill said.
"That's what they do every week." Melissa said.
"Welcome to our world." I added.
"My kid still has no music." Kelly said.
"I just don't understand why she couldn't have thrown her a little bone." Jill argued.
|Jill was up there bitching because Kendell was at the bottom. I just don't get it. I've been at Abby's studio for 30 years, and my kids are always at the bottom. she's already starting off on a bad foot.|Kelly Hyland|Dance mom
"I don't think it's fair for her to put the new kid, who did a solo, and did well, at the bottom of the pyramid." Jill added.
"But do you think it's okay for a kid who's been here for nine years to br put at the bottom of the pyramid?" Kelly asked.
"Basically, Nia, Christina, Chloe or Maddie have to be bumped down in order for it to be okay. Is that what I'm hearing." Holly said.
"Well... Sorta of, yeah." Jill admitted.
"That's what I'm hearing." Holly said.
|In order for Kendall to go up, someone on top has to go down. Who has to go down? Is it Nia? Is it Christina? Is it Chloe? Is it Maddie? I had an idea of who she suspected should be at the bottom of the pyramid.|Holly Frazier|Dance mom
"It's so subjective...." Jill said.
"Do you think she's better than Nia?" I asked.
"Well, I think, had Kendell and Nia competed directly against each other, I-I do. I mean, that's just-- I'm just being honest, Holly." Jill said.
|Kendell was the star at her studio, and now she's not the star. And I think that's really hard for Jill to handle.|Melissa Ziegler|Dance mom
"You say you want to get accepted and you want to be part of the group, but th n you come in here and-- like, you can't lay down the gauntlet, saying, "My kid's better than all of your kids." I kind of think of this group a little bit like a sorority. Like, you pledge w little bit, you kind of, like, mm, you sit back, you pay your dues, and then you get to the top. Like, I don't think you can come in here expecting to be, like, boom, "I'm at the top because I say so." I explained.
"I think she deserves it." Jill said.
"We know. We all were." I said.
"I can't worry about your kids. I got to worry about mine." Jill said.
"Don't worry about my daughters. I'm just telling you, she's not gonna give you everything, cause she doesn't give me everything regarding Chloe, and I've been here a whole hell of a lot longer than you." I said.
"But wait a minute, you're in your honeymoon period. You probably could get away with talking to her. Whereas, the rest of us could never say s word, you might be able to catch her ear and, like, speak your peace." I added.
"Do I interrupt this class?" Jill asked, pointing to the class.
|I-I suggested that Jill go down and talk to Abby, because I think everyone needs a little initiation when you join our group. And the bist way to get that is to go right in there and tell Abby Miller how you feel.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
Christina POV.
"Hold eight, flick at one. Point your feet, Mackenzie! " Ms. Abby yelled.
Jill walked into Rehearsal.
Okay, ready? Don't move!" Ms. Abby said.
"Abby, I need to talk to you. Can we-- two minutes? Two minutes?" Jill said.
"But you shouldn't even be in here with those shoes on." Ms. Abby told her.
|Jill doesn't understand how the dynamics in my studio works. She's been at this a long time. She spends thousands of dollars on competition entrance fees when she should've been spending all that money on technique classes.|Abby Lee Miller| Dance Coach
Christi POV.
"Does anyone have any popcorn?" I asked the other moms.
Christina POV.
"You really need to go stay with the other mothers." Ms. Abby said.
"I just wanted to talk to you about Kendell. Give me a minute." Jill said.
"Christina, count it out." Ms. Abby told me.
Jill POV.
Abby came over to me.
"We played by your rules." I said.
"Right." Abby nodded.
"I'm a little disappointed that Kendell's at the bottom of the pyramid. Abby, I need to know what you need from me to get her up. She's a platinum dancer." I said.
"I don't need anything from you." Abby said.
"Ladies, I don't hear anybody counting. One and two and three and four and.... Look at her feet. They're not even together." Abby said, pointing to Kendell's feet.
"Look at her feet. They're still not together." Abby added .
"Kendell, squeeze your feet, honey. Put your ankles together." I told my daughter.
"But-but you can't-- "Honey, honey, honey, honey...." Leave it up to me." Abby said.
"I-I will. I will." I nodded.
"She will sink, or she will swim." Abby said.
"And I'm counting on you." I told her.
"Right, just like..." Abby started.
"And I... I have faith in you, and my trust is in you." I said.
"You're going to pay a lot of money to go to Harvard. Someone's going to be the valedictorian, and thousands of other people aren't." Abby said.
|I liked watching Abby shut Jill down, just because Jill de has ulterior motives. I think she'll do anything to get Kendell ahead.|Kelly Hyland| Dance mom
Christina POV.
"Does everyone want to be at the top of the pyramid?" Ms. Abby asked.
The girls and I raised our hands. I don't know why I was raising my hand, I was already at the top of the pyramid.
"Okay?" Ms. Abby said.
"All right." Jill said.
"Let's go." Ms. Abby said.
"All right." Jill said.
"Work it." Jill added, pointing to Kendell.
Christi POV.
Kelly and I decided to go to lunch at the local Cafe.
"How about Jill?" Kelly asked.
"Oh...." I rolled my eyes.
"Being mad that Kendell's at the bottom of the pyramid." Kelly said.
"I know!" I agreed.
"Hello! You're brand-new." Kelly said.
"Oh, I'm a team player. But I can't worry about your girls." I said.
|Kelly and I are at lunch, and of course, the main topic of conversation is the new girl.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
I suddenly gasps.
I forgot-- I brought something to show you." I said, going into my bag and pulling out my book of competitions.
"I have a book from a competition from years ago." I added.
"Oh, you're kidding me." Kelly laughed.
"Uh-uh. Cause I keep my books." I said.
|Chloe, Christina, Maddie and Kendell all danced in the same age group against one another solos, and... Jill never remembered our girls beating her daughter. I remember.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
"Chloe was actually three. Maddie was second. Christina was one. Kendell was ten." I said.
"Mm. Are you going to take that and show her tonight?" Kelly questioned.
"I might." I replied.
"Oh, I think you should." Kelly said.
"She doesn't know who she's messing with. Cause I got these books from years back. So if she wants to play that game, I'll pull them all out. I think there's more to Jill's story than meets the eye, and I think that we all need to do s little digging and find out.why she's a studio hopper and why, all of a sudden, she's knocking on our door when she's lived down the street from us for years." I explained.
|I think there's a lot to be learned about Jill, and I think it's better to know what you're dealing with than to be blindsided.|Christi Lukasiak| Dance mom
"Anyone who talks like this all the time...just can't be trusted." I said, in a breathily voice.
Christina POV.
*Three Days To Competition*
Ms. Abby was learning Brooke's solo. It was lyrical Acro. I sat on the floor watching.
|Brooke's routine, "Garden of Eden," is a lyrical acrobatic routine, and she's really going to impress the judges. She's going to leave everybody wanting more.|Abby Lee Miller| Dance Coach
"That hit is like a drop." Ms. Abby instructed.
|The word on the street is that Cathy has entered somebody directly against Brooke as far as age goes. So Brooke needs to go out there and show everybody that she is flawless.|Abby Lee Miller| Dance Coach
After Brooke's solo it was time for the group rehearsal.
"Five, six, seven, eight. Good. Plié when you land! Turn-out, turn-out!" Ms. Abby yelled.
Christi POV.
"Oh, my God. I know what I wanted to show you." I realized.
I went in my bag and pulled out my book of the competitions.
"I was going through Chloe's shelf, and I found the book from the competition that we were talking about." I said.
Melissa gasped and clapped her hands.
"Which one?" Melissa asked.
"Oh, with...oh, with her." Melissa said.
"Yeah, and I have all the scores written down from that competition. Chloe was third, Maddie was second, Christina was first, but Kendell was tenth, so..." I said.
|Christi brought the program book to show it to Jill, because...she wants her to know, "My daughter is going to be a threat to you."|Kelly Hyland|Dance mom
"But you don't care about winning." Jill spoke up.
I rolled my eyes at her.
|I'm not going to let them get to me. Even if they're intimidated by me or my little eight-year-old, I'm going to make it work.|Jill Vertes|Dance mom
"I like these ones." Kelly said.
"Do you guys want to see the snoods?" Jill asked.
"Where did you find snoods?" I asked.
"Oh, that's a... that's the rat." I said.
"That's the rat." Jill said.
"Ew! I did not want us to be able to find these things." Kelly said.
|Abby has us wearing a rat. A rat is a foam thing that you roll your hair in, and it makes you look kind of like George Washington.(laughs) it's the ugliest thing ever.|Kelly Hyland|Dance mom
"When you saw how ugly those were, why would you purchase them?" Kelly asked.
Jill was putting the snood in Melissa's hair.
"I know. I'm sorry. You go, you tell her you looked and they didn't have them." Kelly said.
|Jill's needs to learn, you just tell Abby we don't know where they're at and can't find them, and then you don't have to wear them.|Kelly Hyland|Dance mom
"She's like, "Oh, if this is what Abby wants, if I get it, maybe I'll move up on the pyramid." I said.
"Yeah, exactly. All the other moms will complain about it." Kelly said.
"Yeah, and these two are like, "Do my hair." Are we at a junior high sleepover? Can you do my hair? Do my hair." I asked.
|I think Jill is really trying to make an effort to appear as a team player at this point, because it's all she has. She wants to be a member of the team, and her position is very precarious. So I think, once she becomes a member of the team, the tides are going to turn s little bit with Jill.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
Christina POV.
"Climb, Chloe. Climb. Stop!" Ms. Abby said.
"Paige, what are you doing? Okay. Let's just go again. Start again." Ms. Abby said.
"Maddie, no more stupid mistakes up there. What are you doing?" Ms. Abby asked.
Kelly walked into rehearsal.
"Are they running solos?" Kelly asked.
"Yeah." Ms. Abby replied.
"I'm going to put these props in here." Kelly said.
"Kelly, she's 13." Ms. Abby said.
"Next time, you can come up and get them." Kelly said.
"Let her carry it herself." Ms. Abby said.
"She didn't know I brought a hat!" Kelly yelled.
"Whatever. You're just wasting time!" Ms. Abby yelled back.
"So how's she going to bring her own hat?" Kelly asked.
"You want me to run the solos..." Ms. Abby said.
"Well, you're yelling at me for bringing them the stuff they need. Do you want us to be hands-on moms? Cause you just told Nia her mom didn't love her."Kelly said.
"I want you to be gone, and I want to get the two 14-year-olds that fame to the audition and put them into this." Ms. Abby said.
"Go ahead! Throw me out! Yay! Throw me out. Go right ahead." Kelly insisted.
|Kelly has absolutely no right to interrupt the classroom. Nobody pays that much money. No one.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"Is she drunk? What is going on?" Ms. Abby questioned.
The girls and I just ignored her and kept dancing.
"Don't come down here again. Are you drunk? Are you drinking? You're humiliating your kids." Ms. Abby said.
Kelly POV.
"Who the hell is she to ask me if I'm drinking? In front of a dance class?" I asked.
"That is not correct. Whether I was drinking or not is none of her damn business. And to say it in front of my children is ridiculous." I said.
"Watch the glissade! Turn it out!" Abby yelled.
"She wonders why my kids want to do other things. I mean, would you want to go to your extracurricular activitiy and do not but get yelled at? I mean, it's supposed to be fun." I said.
|I was so frustrated. I feel like I should stick up for myself, but no matter what I do, she still keeps torturing me and torturing my kids. I kind of feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place. I want my kids to stay at the studio because they love it there, but I'm not doing my job as a mom by letting her treat them that way. I just can't take it.|Kelly Hyland| Dance mom
I was crying as Christi rubbed my back.
"I just don't know why I let my kids do this. Like.. I'm torturing my kids." I cried.
Christina POV.
*Two Days To Competition*
"Girls, come on. Listen to me. Tomorrow you're leaving for competition, and you're all acting like a bunch of three-year-olds at your first recital costume. Stop. Get over there, start working on the number." Ms. Abby said.
|I am feeling kind of happy that we get to go in Ohio, and compete against the Candy Apple's. I mean, I don't really care if we don't win, but I think we will win.|Maddie Ziegler|Melissa's daughter
"Here you go." Ms. Abby said.
Christi POV.
"Ew! Are those their costumes?" I asked, disgustingly.
"Not my favorite." I added.
"Wait till we put the snood on." Kelly said.
I made a disgustingly face.
"That's not very Katy Perry." I said.
"And we're going to wear a snood and a rat?" I asked.
|Abby wants us to go and make apple sauce out of the Candy Apple's. but here we are with the ugly costume, rats and snoods, and we're doing '40s moves.|Kelly Hyland|Dance mom
"Do you think she'll be rude to me?" Jill asked.
"Yes." I replied.
"Oh, absolutely." Melissa replied.
"I think it's guilty by association." Holly spoke up.
"She'll be like, "Oh, you're replacing me in the group?" Pfft!" I said.
|I would expect nothing less from Cathy than her shenanigans that she pulls. I wouldn't be surprised if she comes backstage and tries to like, steal costumes off of our kids backs that we paid for. Or if she tries to get out of us what music we're using. Like... Although those are last year's tricks. I'm sure Cathy will have something new up her sleeve.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
"Well, she's after Brooke this week, so..."
Kelly said.
"Ah! Well, that's all right. Bring it." Jill said.
Christina POV.
We ended in our ending pose with Mackenzie in the apple basket.
"Nia, your grand jeté, jeté change directions--." Ms. Abby said.
Christi POV.
Gianna came upstairs.
"What the word?" Jill asked.
"What about the world's ugliest costume?" I asked.
"Um, Abby... Nothing about that, but Abby wants Jill and Holly downstairs." Gianna said.
"Have fun." I said.
"Why us?" Holly asked.
Jill and Holly got up.
"Crap. We're going to find out." Jill said.
Abby POV.
|Rehearsals aren't going as well as I would like. I had to call Holly and Jill down. I wanted them to see with their own eyes what Nia and Kendell keep doing wrong.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"Watch Nia. Watch this jump." It's a split jeté change directions. You see that front foot? Completely flexed. " I said to Holly.
"And watch. Look at Kendell's feet-- never are together." I said.
Christi POV.
"So, did you find anything out about Jill?" Kelly asked.
"You can speak freely." I told Melissa.
"Did she mention to you, like, why all of a sudden, she decided to come here?" Kelly asked.
"She said she's wanted to come here for years." Melissa replied.
"I don't believe that for one minute. She lives down the street, and yet she drove an hour..." I said.
"She's been to three studios the last six years." Kelly said.
"I just think she gets tired of studios." Melissa said.
"Me, too, but somehow, I always stick it out." Kelly said.
"I heard some stuff, and I don't think it's getting tired of studios." I said.
"Really? What have you heard?" Kelly asked.
"I think it's getting.... Getting kicked out of studios." I said.
*One Day To Competition*
Christina POV.
The bus driver was helping us with packing up our stuff on the bus. I sat next to Chloe on the bus with Mackenzie next to my mom on the bus. The bus driver drove off.
"Bus driver Jim, why didn't we jump on the turnpike and hit 79 the other way so we would miss all this traffic?" Ms. Abby asked.
|She yells at the bus driver everytime we get on the bus. Apparently, that little navigation system in front isn't good enough. You need to put Abby Lee Miller on your dashboard so she can give you the directions.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
I was falling asleep.
Christi POV.
"Hey, why don't you give Abby her little giftbwe got her." Melissa said.
|In a shocking turn of events, Melissa and Jill announce that they went shopping, and they brought a gift for Abby. Cause that's what I think about when I'm shopping. "What can I get Abby?" I don't need to get Abby gifts to get my daughter ahead. Melissa is so desperate.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
"It's a little something that Melissa and I...we saw it and thought of you." Jill said, handing Abby her gift.
Abby opened her gift.
"Oh! Pretty. Now I need a gold outfit to go with it. And gold earrings and gold necklace and..." Abby said.
"We can get the next week." Jill said.
"Well, keep it up." Abby said.
"I'm sure they will." Holly said.
"It's beautiful. Look." Abby said.
"Isn't that cute? Hey, ladies, I'm going to put this away, but thank you very for thinking of me. How about the next time you're out, I need a husband." Abby said.
It was silent. We got off of the bus. I woke Christina up.
"Girls, come on. Let's go." Abby said.
We went into the hotel.
|This is a very important competition. There's a lot at stake. We have a group number against Candy Apple's and Brooke's solo. Never a dull moment in the Abby Lee Dance Company.|Abby Lee Miller| Dance Coach
"Ooh, I got mail." Kelly said, as the front desk guy handed Kelly a note.
|So we arrive at the hotel in Columbus, and as we're checking in, Kelly gets a note.|Christi Lukasiak| Dance mom
"We ar cordially invited to a soirée in the Presidential Suite downtown Columbus. Cocktail attire encouraged." Kelly read the note out loud.
"What kind of event is that?" I asked.
Kelly shrieks.
"What is it? Lee me see." Melissa asked.
It was an earring apple.
"Oh, no. A freaking apple." Kelly said.
The moms and I laughed.
|I just don't know what Cathy's trying to pull by inviting us to a party. But we're going to go.|Kelly Hyland| Dance mom
The moms and I quickly went upstairs to change and then left to go to the party that Cathy invited us too. Cathy opened the door.
"Hi!" Cathy greeted.
"Hi!" The other moms and I greeted back in sync.
Cathy let us in her hotel room.
|You know how you're supposed to keep your friends close and your enemies closer? Well, these ladies need to see the way my studio travels. It's first-class all the way. Something Abby Lee doesn't know anything about.|Cathy nesbitt-stein|Dance Coach
The moms and I sat down on the couch with Cathy.
"Have you guys missed me?" Cathy asked.
"We don't talk that much about you, I'm sorry." I replied.
"I am actually excited to see Abby. I hate to say it. Do you think she's w good leader?" Cathy asked.
"She just wants our kids to be the best they can be." Jill replied.
"I just feel guys would be so happy if you were someplace where you had a good leader." Cathy said.
"Cathy, it sounds like you're seducing us. Do you want us to be part of your team?" I asked.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with that. How many fights have you had with her already?" Cathy asked Kelly.
"Oh, God, I don't even know." Kelly replied.
"It seems like it's a negative experience for you guys. Why don't you go somewhere where you're going to be happy?" Cathy asked.
|Never in a million years did I ever think Cathy would try to poach us from Abby. I thought she hated us.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
"Abby is still playing her games. That's too bad." Cathy said.
*Competition Day*
|When we got off the bus, I told my girls and their mothers: Games faces on.|Abby Lee Miller| Dance Coach
Christina POV.
The girls and I plus our moms and Ms. Abby walked through the lobby to get to our dressing room.
"There they are. Keep your heads up high, all right? No running, hugging, kissing. Just, "Hi, How are you?" Ms. Abby said.
We were passing the Candy Apple's.
"Hi. How are you?" Ms. Abby greeted.
"You left a curler." Cathy said.
"Oh!" Ms. Abby turned around and took the curler out of her hair.
Candy Apple's was laughing at her.
"Nobody can tell me?" Ms. Abby asked us.
"Hi, guys. How are you?" Cathy asked.
"Come on, let's go, girls. Thank you." Ms. Abby said.
|I'm going to overturn my applecart. Cathy is going to go after the jumps, the turns, the tricks. I'm not going to do that. I'm going to go with entertainment value. I'm going to pull my bow and arrow out, and I am going to be right on the target.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"Ladies, think of everything I yelled at you about five days ago, four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, yesterday. And go over that dance in your head. This is really important to me personally. It's really important to your mom's." Ms. Abby explained, as our moms puts the snoods in our hair.
|Kendell's a competitor, but I'm not sure she fully understands what's at stake here.|Jill Vertes|Dance mom
The girls and I got changed into our group costumes.
Kendell POV.
"Kendell! This is about you getting an Abby Lee Dance Company jacket or...going back to the regular classes. You understand?" Ms. Abby asked.
"Yes." I replied.
"Yes. Mom, you understand that?" Ms Abby asked.
"I do." My mom replied.
"Okay." Ms. Abby said.
"So, to...in order to do that, you expect..." My mom started.
"I want your corrections that I've corrected, fixed." Ms. Abby said.
|Kendell forgets that she is still on probation. And unless these technical issues get cleaned up quickly...her days are numbered.|Abby Lee Miller| Dance Coach
Christi POV.
"Ready for a snood?" Kelly asked.
"Let me go over this whole hair thing." Abby said.
|I think the most stressful part of getting the girls ready for the competition is the hair. If your snood, or your rat, comes undone onstage, that is not going to be good.|Holly Frazier|Dance mom
"Holly, thank you so much for getting me a black snood." I said.
"Wait s minute, wait a minute here. This is a snood." Abby said.
"I know." Holly said annoyed.
"But we have to...you can't wear different things onstage, you guys know that. Why am I findib this out now?" Abby asked.
|You know these moms may not know the difference between snoods, but I can tell. Some are thick, crocketed, knitted snoods, and the other are really thin nylon, almost like a hairnet. Every one of these snoods has to be exactly the same. Details can make or break a number.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"But why didn't you but seven new ones of that?" Abby asked.
"Because when I left, yesterday morning, I searched four different stores, Saturday morning; that's what I got." Holly replied.
"But nobody told me. Abby said.
"I did, vI told you I got..." Holly started.
"I would have said, Where were you? Where were you?" Holly asked.
|Four different stores, four different stores, Holly? Go to 14 different stores. And then start complaining.|Abby Lee Miller|Rance Coach
"And I'd have said but seven of the same thing." Abby said.
"Okay, well, I was...You know what, I'm getting sick and tired about hearing snoods. Okay?" Holly said.
"I want the thin ones that Holly brought, in everybody's hair. And I want this in Nia's hair." Abby said, pointing to the snood in Paige's hair.
"We have to have the same thing." Abby said.
|I am the Choreographer. Yoo-hoo! I'm over here! I designed the costume. The rats and the snoods make the number.|Abby Lee Miller| Dance Coach
"So what do you think about Cathy last night?" I asked.
"What do you mean, last night?" Abby asked.
"She invited us to her room. We had a soirée." I said.
" And she was the only person there." Kelly added.
"Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. When I left last night, you walk didn't go to your rooms?" Abby asked.
"Nope. We went to Cathy's." I replied.
"We went and changed." Kelly added.
"Well, I think that's really going behind my back, and I don't appreciate it. Well, what did she have to say? Cause that's solicitation." Abby said.
"She basically was asking us why we stay at your studio." Kelly replied.
"She just had some not-so-nice things to say about you." I added.
"I would never go and invite a bunch of moms from another dance studio to my room, and then talk about their teacher." Abby said.
|I can't believe that Cathy went behind my back again, and invited my dance moms to a cocktail party. Who does that? It just goes to show you, Cathy is up to her underhanded tricks again, thinking it's going to get her ahead in the competition. Not.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
Christina POV.
"All right, girls, let's go." Ms. Abby said.
"Break a leg!" Mommy said.
"Good luck!" Jill said.
The girls and I ran backstage.
"Are you the new little girl?" I heard Cathy ask Kendell.
"Yeah." Kendell replied.
"Hey, are you the one that said "hi" to me? That walked by?" Cathy asked.
"No, I don't think so." Kendell replied.
"Oh. Well, hey, good luck." Cathy said.
"Thank you." Kendell replied.
|You know, I didn't appreciate Cathy going up to Kendell in the wings and wishing her good luck. "Oh, you're the new girl? Good luck." She's a grown adult. Why would you do that to a little kid?|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"What's up with you guy's hair? It's interesting. Okay, have fun!" Cathy told us.
|We are gonna just slaughter the Candy Apples.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"Next up, Abby Lee Dance Company with "Bad Apples." The Announcer said.
I went first onto the stage. Then it was my twin sister Chloe who did a leap. Kendell went early.
Mackenzie sat in the basket as we did our ending posed around her. The crowd cheered and applause for us.
|I really think that their faces and their facial expression and kind of that old-fashioned look really stood out during the performance. I thought they did great.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
"Next up, Candy Apple's Dance Company, with "Vale Espinola." The Announcer called.
(I can't find that dance)
|These girls totally look a lot older than our kids. They look 14, 15.|Melissa Ziegler|Dance mom
|They were...well-trained, their technique was beautiful, they were doing five and six turns together as a group. I am really concerned.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
Christi POV.
The audience clapped.
|After watching the number, I'm not certain that our girls are gonna pull it off.|Holly Frazier|Dance mom
"Your kids looked really old. Your kids looked big." Abby said.
"Yeah." Cathy said.
|They looked really old. Some of them were almost my height. And I really questioned Cathy's integrity, because you don't want to be known as somebody that lies about kids ages in a competition.|Abby Lee Miller| Dance Coach
Christina POV.
"Well, that went down the tubes, didn't it?" Ms. Abby asked, as soon as we got to the dressing room.
"What? What do you mean by that?" Jill asked.
"Well, when Kendell goes early and doesn't hold and doesn't listen to the music... Kendell, do you play an instrument?" Ms. Abby asked her.
"No." Kendell replied.
"You need to. You need to learn to read music. You need to learn to hear it. You have to step up the face if you're standing next to this one. She was over the top with the face." Ms. Abby said, pointing at me.
"Girls, this was an easy, baby dance." Ms. Abby said.
|I'm very upset with the girls. This was an easy piece, and they blew it.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"Abby, don't you think those girls were much older than ours? They looked much older." Jill asked.
"That's my job. I need to worry about that." Ms. Abby said.
"You think those girls were mine and ten years old?" Jill questioned.
"No, I don't think they were nine and ten. However, I look like an idiot, that I just can't win on our own talent and Choreography and costuming, I think we can win! That I have to call somebody out because I think their kids are too old." Ms. Abby said.
|I'm going to have to walk out of here with my tail between my legs, getting beat by Cathy from Candy Apple.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"And I'm s little worried. I think you should be worried, too." Ms. Abby said.
*Group Performance Awards*
Christi POV.
"How did you guys get that Amish hairdo?" Cathy asked.
"It's not Amish. It's a snood." I told her.
"Oh, yes it is." Cathy argued.
"No, you should know that. That's 40s." I argued back.
|You know what, Cathy? Why don't you go think of something good to say, then come back and talk to me? Cause if that's all you go, it's not that good.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
|They're about to announce the group awards, and I'm dreading it. Cathy's girls are good. I think this might be the one time that Cathy beats us.|Abby Lee Miller| Dance Coach
"Third place, #47, "Docked of the Bay." Second place... number 44, "Vala Espinola." And our Junior small group is number 43, Apple Tree." The Announcer said.
The girls cheered.
|I guess Abby was right about the rat and the snood, cause we did win first place. I guess the judges liked that. It went with the theme of the Dance.|Kelly Hyland| Dance mom
"Think it's time for some pork chops and applesauce." Abby laughed.
"How do you like them apples, Cathy?" I asked.
|It's beyond words for me. I am totally, totally irritated with this whole situation. It's an outrage that she won. Our dance was far superior.|Cathy nesbitt-stein|Dance Coach
The moms and I were back in the dressing room.
"Did you see how pissed Cathy was? Ooh, she was." Jill said.
|Abby Lee has barely beaten us in this group number. But right now, I don't have time to sit around and brood about it. I've got to focus on Erica.|Cathy nesbitt-stein|Dance Coach
"Brooke, warmed up. Nothing sloppy, don't worry about the apple." Abby said.
|I am relieved that, that group competition is over. I was really worried that we were gonna lose. Now I need to concentrate on Brooke, because those older girls up against her are very talented.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
Brooke POV.
After changing into my solo costume, I went backstage.
"We're on 102, so yeah. One more and then you're up." The guy announcer said.
"Thank you." I said.
|The Candy Apples did a great job. So, at this point, I was getting really nervous.|Brooke Hyland| Kelly's daughter
The audience cheered for me as I strutted on stage and smiled and went into my starting position.
"Next up, Abby Lee Miller solo, "Garden of Eden." The Announcer said.
When I was done with my solo, I ended in my ending pose as the audience clapped. I strutted off stage, Mackenzie jumped on me when I came backstage.
|Abby looked at me and was like, "She did great." And for Abby to say that, Brooke had to do pretty good.|Kelly Hyland| Dance mom
|It's all up to Erika right now to bring home some justice.|Cathy nesbitt-stein|Dance Coach
"Next up, Candy Apple solo, "Through the looking glass." The Announcer said.
Christina POV.
The audience clapped for Erika when she finished dancing.
|I think Brooke gave an amazing performance. But I'm a little bit worried, because that other girl from Candy Apple was much more mature than Brooke.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"She doesn't seem like she was from Cathy's studio at all." Melissa said, as Chloe and I shared chips.
"Exactly. She's at least 15." Mommy said.
"Yeah." Melissa agreed.
"There's no way that kid's 11/12." Mommy said.
"I don't think so, either." Melissa agreed.
Cathy POV.
"Hi, there. I was wondering if we can talk to Cathy and Erika's mom." Abigale said.
"Sure." I replied.
"If you guys would just come upstairs with me." Abigale said.
I hummed and followed her upstairs.
Christina POV.
They're questioning Erika's age." Chloe and I said in sync.
"Who is?" Mommy asked.
"The competition." Chloe and I said in sync.
"That's creepy. How do you two do that?" Maddie asked.
"It's a twin thing." Chloe and I said in sync.
"Yeah, cause I-I was back there, and the girl walked over and goes, "we need birth certificates for Cathy's students." Brooke said.
Cathy POV.
"Hi, Cathy. I'm Leigh with Rising Star." Leigh said, holding out her hand.
"Hi. Nice to meet you." I said, shaking her hand.
"We've got a lot of people questioning...Erika?" Leigh asked.
"Yeah." Abigale replied.
"Erika's age. We have people complaining that they have seen her perform in the 14 age division at othe competitions." Leigh told me.
"Okay, so I don't have birth certificates. I didn't have birth certificates at the last..." I said.
"Let me ask you a question. How old is Erika and her date of birth?" Leigh asked.
"Erika is 14." I replied.
"Correct. January 17, 1997." Erika's mom said.
"So 97-- she's 13/14, then." Leigh said.
"Yeah." Erika's mom nodded.
"All right, she is in the wrong age division." Leigh said.
"And so is Brooke." I said.
"Okay, I'll take that up in s minute with Abby." Leigh said.
"We definitely need to take that up, okay?" I asked.
"Okay, I will. I promise you I will." Leigh replied.
"Okay." Leigh said.
Christina POV.
The competition director came into the dressing room.
"Hi, Abby." Leigh greeted.
"Hi, how are you?" Ms. Abby asked.
"Good. We got somebody questioning Brooke's age." Leigh said.
"Okay, she's 13, and she turned..." Ms. Abby started.
"When is her birthday?" Leigh asked.
"January." Ms. Abby replied.
"Of what year?" Leigh questioned.
"Uh, I don't know." Ms. Abby replied.
"January 30th of 1998." Kelly replied.
"Our ages go as the first of the year. So she would've been 12 the first year she turned 13 in January." Leigh said.
"Right." Ms. Abby said.
"Do we have proof of that?" Leigh asked.
"I can call and get it faxed." Ms. Abby said.
"That'll do." Leigh said.
|Some of the people at the competition thought that Brooke wasn't in the correct age category.|Kelly Hyland| Dance mom
"Who's questioning it, is it a parent?" Mommy asked.
"Is one of them candy Apple? Cathy?" Ms. Abby questioned.
"Yeah." Leigh nodded.
"That girl that she had in there, there is no way that she's 12." Ms. Abby said.
"No, she is not. She is 13/14. We've already moved her out." Leigh said.
"Okay, good, cause I was gonna say. I mean, you know how long I been doing this." Ms. Abby said.
|I have never seen a dance instructor blatantly lie about a kid's age to try to beat me. Erika is a beautiful dancer. Had her teacher entered her in the right age division, she probably would've won the whole thing. But instead, she was disqualified.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"Brooke just competed, and they're questioning her age." Melissa said on the phone.
|Brooke is 13 years old. She was born in January of 1998, which makes her 12 for this particular cut-off date.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
"They need her birth certificate. Is there anyway you could take a picture with your phone and send it to the judge. I have the judges phone number." Melissa said on the phone.
"I have it right here." The competition director said.
"Thank you." Kelly said.
|I called my competition director, she faxed over the birth certificate; everything was good. My apple seeds are all lined up in a row.|Abby Lee Miller|Dance Coach
*Solo Awards*
The girls and I sat on stage for awards.
"Age 11/12, second place platinum score, number 103, "Desert Rain." And first place platinum score, number 104, "Garden of Eden," from Abby Lee Dance Company." The Announcer called.
Brooke got up as we cheered for her. We went back to the dressing room.
"Good job. I'm proud of everybody. You worked hard. Whoo!" Ms. Abby said.
Mommy kissed Brooke on the cheer.
|I ended up getting first overall. And I was really excited. And I just hope Abby's proud, because I really worked hard for this.|Brooke Hyland| Kelly's daughter
"Hi, guys." Cathy greeted.
"Hello." Ms. Abby greeted back.
"How are you?" Cathy asked.
"Good." Ms. Abby replied.
"I just wanted to tell you that your red was such a nice tribute to Candy Apple's." Cathy said.
"My colors have been black and red since 19-- whatever-- 80..." Ms. Abby said.
"Oh, better give me a birth certificate on that." Cathy said.
There was groaning and laughter.
"Mine have been red and white since..." Cathy started.
"Wait a minute!" Ms. Abby yelled.
|That woman went right to nasty. Rotten to the core.|Abby Lee Miller| Dance Coach
Christi POV.
The moms we're telling me that you were really kind of dissing me." Abby said.
"Oh, you know what?" Cathy asked.
"And wondering why they're still with me." Abby said.
"Cathy, something tells me that you would love to have us." I spoke up.
"Oh, you think way to highly of yourself. Especially the way you dress." Cathy said.
"Listen, Granny, take it out the hallway." I said.
"Listen, all right, listen, Nose..." Cathy started.
I rolled my eyes.
|Leave it to Cathy to take it to a below-the-belt level.|Christi Lukasiak| Dance mom
"You've done nothing but complain about her forever. You need to take you cheap dress and mosey on out." Cathy says.
"My dress is not cheap, it's Ralph Lauren there, honey." I said.
"Oh, I highly doubt it." Cathy said.
"Go back to junior high, grandma." I waved her off.
|Cathy is the geriatric mean girl.|Christi Lukasiak|Dance mom
"Be gone, witch! You have no powers here!" I waved her off again.
Cathy walked away as the girls, moms and I packed up and went home.