Anyone else is watching Dance Moms? I got sucked in and want to talk about it!

[38carrots]

Disclaimer--this is the only reality show that I've ever watched. So forgive me.

 

I cringe so much when I watch at their parenting and teaching strategies. I do realize the reality could be very different and it is all edited. But they present a reality which is rather abusive and manipulative.

 

I have no real understanding of dance / dance world.

 

Are the competitions staged for the show? Are the girls any good? They seem to be not as great as singers, but they are promoted as such as well.

 

Why everyone on the show and in the comments hate Ashley, Brynn's Mom, so much? She seems to be the only sane person there.

 

Some moms are absolutely horrible. Even if in reality they are not like this, but are coached to be like this by the producers, why would they engage in this drama? I can't imagine the girls being happy with how their mothers are portrayed.

 

So these are the questions of my bewildered mind.

[TranquilMind]

I've seen it, as one of mine took dance for a few years.

 

The moms are awful (except for Nia's mom) but the girls are beautiful dancers.  Brynn is young and very good, like Maddie, the star dancer, who has been in commercials and music videos and really is fantastic. 

 

Many of the moms are so obnoxious but I think it is staged for drama, not real. 

 

Money, baby. The paychecks roll in. 

[happi duck]

I don't have time to chat except to say I got sucked in years ago.

 

:)

 

It is impossible to believe most of the time. I still find it entertaining though!

 

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Edited March 24, 2016 by happi duck

[kroe1]

I do not watch it. I did have a "cameo" on the Dance Moms Miami spinoff a few years ago. It is highly staged with several retakes during filming. One of the numbers didn't go so well and it was refilmed during a break in the actual competition.

 

We have run into Abby's dancers and Candy Apple's dancers several times during competitions. I will say the show has brought a new standard of excellence to the dance world. Kids have gotten exponentially more talented at all studios over the past few years partly because of that show. In addition, choreography has become much more elaborate and creative, in my opinion. Consequently, one will see many girls as talented as Abby's if one attends a dance competition.

 

Studios all have their own range of drama. Crazy parents are just the necessary evil of many kids in sports. Most kids just do it for fun without any drama, mine included.

[Dmmetler]

If you have Netflix, it's kind of neat to watch the first season or two, which seemed much more natural. I'm still watching, but it has lost a lot of the charm it had at the start.

[Just Kate]

I haven't thought about this show in over two years! My best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer in August 2013. Sadly she died that November. While she was sick, I would visit with her and spend entire weekends. During this time BFF didn't really want to talk about serious things, so our guilty pleasure was watching Dance Moms. Oh my...we had so much fun watching that show! We could sit together for hours watching back-to-back episodes and laughing. We made it through season 3, but I never watched any more after she died. Thanks for bringing up a fond memory for me. I may check out a new episode :)

[mom2scouts]

Many of the competitions are staged for the show. Lots of studios refused to attend competitions where the show was being taped and other competition companies didn't like the way their business was being portrayed.

 

The dancers are good, but not really all that much better than many of the dancers you see at competitions. Our studio has danced against some of Abbey Lee's dancers and against Candy Apples and we sometimes beat them.

 

All competitive dance studios probably have some drama, but what's portrayed on the show is really over the top. The moms aren't that crazy when the cameras aren't rolling. They keep doing it because of money, exposure for a dance career, and the contract.

[38carrots]

I've seen it, as one of mine took dance for a few years.

 

The moms are awful (except for Nia's mom) but the girls are beautiful dancers.  Brynn is young and very good, like Maddie, the star dancer, who has been in commercials and music videos and really is fantastic. 

 

Many of the moms are so obnoxious but I think it is staged for drama, not real. 

 

Money, baby. The paychecks roll in. 

 

I used to think Nia's mom was the only not awful one, but this season she is pretty awful herself.

 

[38carrots]

I do not watch it. I did have a "cameo" on the Dance Moms Miami spinoff a few years ago. It is highly staged with several retakes during filming. One of the numbers didn't go so well and it was refilmed during a break in the actual competition.

 

We have run into Abby's dancers and Candy Apple's dancers several times during competitions. I will say the show has brought a new standard of excellence to the dance world. Kids have gotten exponentially more talented at all studios over the past few years partly because of that show. In addition, choreography has become much more elaborate and creative, in my opinion. Consequently, one will see many girls as talented as Abby's if one attends a dance competition.

 

Studios all have their own range of drama. Crazy parents are just the necessary evil of many kids in sports. Most kids just do it for fun without any drama, mine included.

 

I watched the Miami Spinoff a year ago or so, and it seemed to be less crazy and the coach was encouraging and supportive. No wonder the spinoff didn't last.

 

Interesting point that because of the show the standards got higher.

 

I got sucked into looking up some of the dancers on youtube, and I think Sophia Lucia has become a real artist.

 

 

 

[38carrots]

If you have Netflix, it's kind of neat to watch the first season or two, which seemed much more natural. I'm still watching, but it has lost a lot of the charm it had at the start.

 

I'll have to rewatch!

[38carrots]

I haven't thought about this show in over two years! My best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer in August 2013. Sadly she died that November. While she was sick, I would visit with her and spend entire weekends. During this time BFF didn't really want to talk about serious things, so our guilty pleasure was watching Dance Moms. Oh my...we had so much fun watching that show! We could sit together for hours watching back-to-back episodes and laughing. We made it through season 3, but I never watched any more after she died. Thanks for bringing up a fond memory for me. I may check out a new episode :)

 

:grouphug:

[kewb]

I have not really watched this season and last season I was pretty spotty on watching. The editing, the drama, it is all so ridiculous now.

 

I do still read the dance moms recap every week at www.danthatscool.com because he is funny.