This week’s episode of Dance Moms was packed with mom drama and Cathy being Cathy, but thankfully, little Mackenzie Ziegler’s charm kept us watching. While dance seemed to take a backseat to the usual chaos, there were still some moments that made us cheer and others that just made us cringe. Let’s dive into the AWESOME and AWKWARD highlights of this episode.
AWESOME: Pyramid power! Chloe Lukasiak landed at the top of the pyramid, even after not securing first place the previous week. It’s refreshing to see Abby Lee Miller showing Chloe some much-deserved encouragement. And the good news didn’t stop there – Chloe, Asia Monet Ray, Maddie Ziegler, and Kendall Vertes are all getting solos! Of course, Abby being Abby, we have to wait until next week to actually see these performances.
AWKWARD: The battle for a spot on “The View” intensifies. Abby dropped the bomb that Asia would be stepping in for Mackenzie on the show. This predictably sent Melissa Ziegler into a tailspin. Then, in a truly bizarre parenting move, Abby encouraged Mackenzie to tell her mom to fight for her spot. Putting an 8-year-old in the middle of adult drama? Classic Abby. While the kids seemed unfazed, the moms, particularly Kelly Hyland, escalated the situation, somehow making it about themselves. It’s pretty clear Abby is enjoying manipulating these moms, dragging out the New York City trip drama for maximum effect. And honestly, as viewers, we’re kind of here for the mess.
Kristie trying to appease Abby in Dance Moms episode featuring Asia
AWESOME: Mackenzie gets the gig! Despite the manufactured drama, Mackenzie was chosen to perform on “The View.” Seeing her face light up with excitement was genuinely heartwarming. Asia handled the situation with incredible maturity, showing grace in the face of rejection. The group performance went off without a hitch, and surprisingly, Abby didn’t unleash her usual post-performance critique. A rare win for everyone!
AWKWARD: Cathy is back, and it’s as uncomfortable as ever. Candy Apples is holding auditions for a new dancer because apparently, their current roster isn’t cutting it in Cathy’s eyes. Her judging methods are appalling. She dismissed a girl simply because her name was Maddie, mispronounced another child’s name as “Had” instead of Hannah, and then repeatedly questioned a talented, slightly chubby boy about whether he was really a dancer. Cathy’s brand of “inspiration” is truly something else. To make matters even more bizarre, Vivi-Anne Stein was part of the judging panel, contributing virtually nothing of substance.
Mackenzie Ziegler quote about returning to Dance Moms, Asia Dance Moms episode
AWESOME: Amidst the Cathy chaos, a bright spot emerges: Victoria. This new dancer from Larkin Dance Studio is undeniably talented. Anthony Burrell’s choreography for Victoria looks promising, and it will be interesting to see what she brings to the Candy Apples team.
AWKWARD: Cathy and Vivi’s cheesecake interlude. Vivi casually mentioned eating five pieces of pizza in a single day (relatable, Vivi). Then, Cathy decided to grill Vivi about Victoria, a child Vivi has never even met, and bizarrely tried to push Vivi to admit she wants Jalen to be her boyfriend. Vivi, once again, remained mostly silent, probably wondering when she could escape this cheesecake-fueled interrogation.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
Mom Cathy: “This is hard work auditioning people.”
Vivi: “I’m hungry.”
The drama continues next week, where we (hopefully) finally get to see those solos! What were your thoughts on this episode? Share in the comments below!
