Dance Moms Recap: Out With The Old And In With The New

dance moms old team

I don't know what I more saddened to learn about last night's Dance Moms…that it was ninety minutes long or that that it was the mid-season finale. Seriously, Lifetime? MID-SEASON? This season has been going on since before MacKenzie was born–at least that's how it feels! Of course, we finally got to meet the new team that Abby Lee Miller has been threatening to introduce for decades! 

The super-sized episode begins with Abby returning to the studio after the death of her mother. Her dancers share their condolences, and once again, both Maddie and I are in tears. Abby cuts through the emotional moment by forging ahead with the pyramid. Chloe is on the bottom due to her fifth place solo finish, with Nia following. Kalani rounds out the bottom tier for not standing out in group number. Kendall is in the third spot for her second place solo. Maddie is in second, with MacKenzie on the top for balancing dance and her It's a Girl Party video…which, by the way, is available for download on Lifetime. Do people really buy these things?

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Abby announces that has created the new team, and each new member has a counterpart in the original ALDC. She wants the girls to know that this isn't a negative thing…the dancers need to look at this as positive competition. Abby believes that the new team will serve as a reminder that there is always someone better out there. She calls in the new team, and immediately Kira is going off on a mother/daughter duo from her home studio. Kira is screaming that Kalani beats this girl all the time, and Abby remarks that the girl isn't there as a challenge to Kalani. She's there to go head-to-head with Nia. One by one, Abby introduces each old team member to the girl who could potentially replace her.

MacKenzie has two competitors…and one is the daughter of the other Christy who Melissa kicked out of her house on last week's episode. Her daughter is also a member of the ALDC and has beat MacKenzie in the past. Melissa literally looks like she's biting her tongue to keep from screaming. When Chloe is placed against Kamryn, she smiles and says, "Welcome." She's just so sweet…clearly she's learned how not to act from her mother. Kamryn rattles off her list of titles, and Christi knows that Chloe is up against this girl because Abby would never want to chance Maddie losing to her. Maddie has no counterpart on the new team…as Abby is making her join it. Poor Maddie looks distraught. Can you blame her? She doesn't want to compete against her best friends. 

dance moms new team

At this week's competition, the original ALDC will be dancing to a knock-off of Lorde's Royals which excites them to know end. Kalani and Kendall will be doing a duet against Sarah and Ava. I am going to have a really hard time remembering these new girls' names, and I'm not even going to try to get their mom's names ingrained in my head. They'll all be gone soon enough! Chloe and Kamryn both get solos. As the original competition team rehearses, the mothers complain about Maddie being pulled from the group. Melissa finds it ridiculous (and I have to agree) that the moms complain about Maddie when she's dancing with their daughters, but then they bitch when she's not on the team. Kira reveals that the mom from her former studio is a crazy liar, and Holly laughs at how worked up this woman makes Kira. Unfortunately for Melissa, she's also stuck with the new group of moms since Maddie is now on their team. 

Abby has the moms squaring off after rehearsals, and Christy 2.0 is mouthier than the original. Even the moms on this new team are over her mouth. Abby is laughing as the moms self destruct, and for once, the ladies we're used to see acting insane look calm and normal. I didn't even realize that was possible! As Abby works with the new group, Melissa reminds the women that Abby is going through such a hard time since losing her mom. Christy doesn't think that gives Abby any excuse to critique her daughter so harshly. Another new mom interrupts that she plans to take Abby's constructive criticism about her daughter to heart. Christy feels like her new team hates her, and she's already disliked by her own studio. She starts calling the new ladies that she's only known for two days heartless and two-faced. I'd say she's not going to be making friends with them any time soon! 

In the parking lot, Kira starts going off on the Arizona dance mom and her daughter. I wish Kira would stop talking trash about the kid's dancing–be bitchy about the ladies, but leave the girls out of it. Before a scene from West Side Story can erupt, the original moms flit past the newbies and into the studio. The moms realize that they are lucky to have Melissa as their spy. Abby works with Chloe, Kendall, and Kalani on their routines. The moms hope that Chloe will have the confidence to bring her best to the routine instead of feeling beaten before the competition even begins. In the viewing room, the new moms urge the Christy to be a team player. This woman can't get out of her own way. When Melissa tries to placate her, Christy goes ballistic. Melissa storms out, and Maddie asks her mom if these new ladies bring more drama. Well, one of them does…

dance moms fight

Nice save, Holly!

Melissa shares with her friends that the new moms are going out on the town tonight. The ladies decide to crash their party after watching their daughters rehearse. Holly knows that Abby is setting the original girls up to fail by giving them a jazz number. Everyone knows that lyrical trumps jazz any day…not to mention that Abby spent a day on the new group's lyrical routine while the ALDC girls only rant through their group number three times. Melissa is livid. Downtown, the newbies, minus Christy, are drinking and gossiping. Arizona mom is glad that her ears are getting reprieve from all Christy's loud whining. The original mothers crash the party (where are they? In an airport? A skating rink? This isn't a real bar.), and the new moms are a bit peeved to see Melissa with her old cronies. She announces that they will always be her team, no matter where Abby has Maddie dance. The new moms calmly try to explain that they are now all on the same team, and everyone should be pushing their daughters to be better. The new moms want to sing Kumbaya, while the old moms are sharpening their switchblades. Once again, Kira starts in on the other Arizona mom's kid. Even original Christi (I'm getting so confused) urges Kira to stop talking about the child. Arizona mom is off her stool and Kira gets in her face. Thankfully, Holly has the good sense to save the wine! Kira smirks as she leaves Arizona mom in tears. True colors much, Kira? 

dance moms new team routine

At the competition, tensions are running high. After all the drama, I am more than ready to see some dancing. The new girls' duet is great, as are their costumes. I have never been more annoyed by the music chosen though. Honestly, I've never thought about the music, but that was horrid! Kendall and Kalani look like they have been doing their duet together for years. Backstage, Candy Apple Kathy arrives. Her team isn't with her, but she wants to know why Abby has two teams competing. Abby is screaming and threatening to throw trash on Kathy's head. She shows major restraint…for Abby. Kamryn's solo is wonderful. She's quite the talent. However, I agree with Christi that there is something about watching Chloe dance. It's like she leaves her soul on the stage. 

Holly didn't realize that the Royals dance would have the girls wearing maid costumes. New Christy is causing more drama about the fact that Melissa isn't meshing with the new moms. She's calling Abby a liar and screaming that her daughter doesn't need this crap. Fine…Abby pulls the poor girl from the routine. My heart breaks for this little one…first she's ejected from the video thanks to her mother's antics, and now she can't compete. The new moms are stressing about the fact that Abby has pulled a child from the dance, causing their daughters to re-block the number. Arizona mom is vomiting in a trash can. I wish I were kidding. The new girls do a great job with their number although there are a few minor snafus. Backstage, Kira is proving to be the crew's perpetual cheerleader. The original team kicks some major a$$ with Maddie rooting for them in the wings. 

dance moms old team routine

At the awards ceremony, Kendall and Kalani's duet places third with the new duet getting second. That means Arizona mom's kid beat Kalani. The original ALDC's group number takes the second place spot to the new girls' lyrical routine. How is that possible? Kamryn scores third in the solo division with Chloe taking home the much deserved first place prize. I couldn't be more happy for her, and Abby is beaming with pride. After the competition, Abby praises all the girls before a tearful good-bye as she leaves for her mother's funeral. Wait…is an hour and a half already over? That really wasn't so bad…the less Abby yells, the faster time flies!

TELL US-WHAT DID YOU THINK OF LAST NIGHT'S SUPER-SIZED MID SEASON FINALE? WHICH TEAM DO YOU THINK IS STRONGER? 

[Photo Credit: Lifetime]

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