Last night's Dance Moms saw Abby Lee Miller's Broadway Baby return from the dead. It was frightening. Even more frightening? Kelly creepily lurking in the auditorium during this week's competition. That's right…the season (which has been going on for years now, right?) doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon!
Abby is still basking in her victory over Kathy and her Candy Apples. She calls the group routine amazing and praises Payton's desire to be part of the team. Abby spouts on and on about how even the Supremes and the Beatles had to replace members at some point…which brings her to the bottom of the pyramid. It's no shock that Brooke and Paige at the bottom. They are followed by Payton for her smart mouth during the competition. Leslie snaps that Abby needs to call Payton by her name, and not get her confused with Kendall or Brooke. Abby quips that she's happy to call Payton "replaceable." Asia and MacKenzie round out the bottom level, and Abby is proud of their performance in the group number. Kristie 2.0 is livid that MacKenzie is one spot higher than Asia.
Chloe is the bottom of the second tier, and Abby basically tells her that them's the breaks…she did a good job, but whatevs. Maddie is next on the pyramid because Abby is concerned that if she keeps winning all the time, she'll lose her hunger. Abby is also getting tired of seeing the same faraway and melancholy facial expressions from Maddie each week. Kendall is in the second spot because of her mom's gumption when standing up to Kathy and her crazy apple moms. Can it be? Dare I hope? YES! Nia is finally at the top of the pyramid! Abby reveals that Nia gained the coveted spot because she was the only dancer who asked Abby how she could improve after the competition. She is over the mood.
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This week's competition is in Orlando, and everyone will be dancing in the group number, and Chloe gets a Latin inspired solo. Kendall and Nia also score solos. Abby reminds the girls that she wasn't emotionally prepared a few months back to have the girls do a tribute dance to her deceased pooch Broadway Baby. However, she now wants Nia to do a tribute routine. Melissa grins through her anger as she talks about how much she and girls loved and cared for Abby's dog, but she understands that Abby is trying to teach Maddie a valuable lesson. Holly states that doing a tribute dance will be a lot of responsibility for Nia, and 2.0 snarks that Holly has complained about no solos for Nia and now she thinks it's too much. Leslie's constant badmouthing of Kelly alienates her further from the group.
The following day, Abby is absent from practice. She and her mother are at the taxidermist picking up Broadway Baby. Yes, that's right. I am a tad creeped out, but a tearful Abby is happy to have her baby back and looking healthy. Back at the studio, Kelly calls Christi and invites her, Holly, and Jill to come over for cocktails. Melissa realizes that Kelly is still upset with her for not speaking up to Abby about Paige's solo being pulled. Leslie wants to know if the women plan to gossip about Payton taking over Brooke's spot on the team.
During rehearsal for Nia's solo, Abby is getting frustrated with Nia's inability to properly execute the first eight count. After three tries, Abby pulls Nia's solo, but she tells Nia that she will think about it. When Holly comes down to fight for her daughter, she finds Abby explaining to Nia that she needs to comprehend the moves quickly and put more effort into perfecting the moves. Solo saved, and crisis averted…for now!
Leslie's constant insistence that she and Payton are on the team is incredibly annoying. Oh no…Chloe's routine involves a prop! Abby actually explains that she wants Chloe to learn how to do a new style of dance. Leslie tries to buddy up to 2.0 to no avail. The younger, shinier Kristie may not like the other moms, but she's not going to pal around with the new girl. 2.0 gets the vindication she's looking for when Abby tells a practicing Kendall she needs to take facial expression lessons from Asia. In the viewing area, the moms run through their lines about how excited they are to see Kelly and how awkward it must be for Melissa that she wasn't invited. Melissa twitches and stutters that she's fine with the situation.
At Kelly's, the moms are hopeful that she will return with her girls to the studio. Kelly is upset that Holly thinks she shouldn't have made such a spectacle (um, she shouldn't have!), and she groans on and how about how none of her friends had her back at the recital. Christi then accuses Holly and Jill of following in Melissa's footsteps to do anything to keep their daughters in Abby's good graces. I love that Holly responds with, "Are you insane?" Is that a rhetorical question? Christi can't listen to Jill flip flop any longer, and she storms out of Kelly's house. These women do watch themselves on this show, right?
The troupe arrives in Orlando for the competition, and Abby has heard rumors that Kelly is going to show up even though her girls aren't competing. Jill reminds the group that Kelly and her girls are still part of the team, and Abby goes off on a rant about how she is the sole voice of the ALDC. In the dressing room, everyone is oohing and ahhing over the girls' costumes. A jovial Abby jokes with Nia about being wronged by men and encourages her to have fun with her routine. Of course, that attitude is gone once the moms take their place in the auditorium. Kelly arrives, and wants Abby to move so she can sit with the other women. When Abby refuses, Kelly haughtily remains standing in the aisle. How middle school is this? Sit in another seat and stop causing a scene. For once (and I can't believe I'm about to type this!), I actually agree with Abby!
Kendall performs her solo first. I'm sure she executes it wonderfully, but I am not highbrow enough to get the lyrical choreography. Nia dances next, and while Abby urges her to slow down, Nia nails her routine with sass and flair. Abby thinks it was a deserving tribute. Before Chloe takes the stage, we are treated to Abby's mom muttering under her breath about how rude Kelly is to be loitering in the aisle. Chloe's number is great, and she manages to hold onto her fan, so props to her (pun intended!)!
Back in the staging area, Leslie is complaining about how rude Kelly is being, but thankfully everyone pipes down once the girls arrive. Nia admits that she was nervous, but MacKenzie compliments her friends. Abby grills Maddie about how she feels about not having a solo, and after a run through of the group number, Abby is convinced the girls are going to lose. The girls' routine actually goes much better than she expected, and I'm happy to see that Kelly has finally taken a seat. Before the awards ceremony begins, Asia and 2.0 have a booty popping battle. I'd expect Abby to be mortified, but she's cheering along like everyone else. Nia's solo garners ninth place with Kendall placing fifth. Chloe nabs second place, and the group number gets fourth overall. Backstage, the Kelly and the moms are facing off against Leslie. Leslie admits that she'll take any opportunity to further her daughter, and Holly goes off, saying the women need to be raising good people, not just good dancers. 2.0 clearly doesn't agree because she announces that if Asia doesn't get a solo next week then she's on to the next opportunity. Do the ladies not realize that Abby has literally left the building?
TELL US-WHAT DID YOU THINK OF LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE? WHO IS MORE ANNOYING–LESLIE OR KELLY?
[Photo Credit: Lifetime]
