In season one of Lifetime’s hit reality series, Dance Moms, I was invited to get a front row seat in my living room to watch the most talented dance students compete all across the nation. With prestigious awards and once in a lifetime auditions that the cast of Dance Moms in Pittsburgh received, I was expected Dance Moms: Miami, the newest addition of the show, to be the same. To my surprise, my assumption was wrong.
The cast featured in the new Dance Moms: Miami are all a part of world renowned dance studio, Stars Dance Studio. The dancers featured on the new season include Kimmy, Jessi, Sammy, Lucas, and Hannah, with mothers Ani, Susan, Abby, Brigette, and Debi.
Dance instructors Victor and Angel work these dancers’ tails off in order to prepare them for the fierce competition they endure every week. Like the past season’s dance teacher Abby, the Miami leaders teach these young athletes new group dances every week with the addition of solos, duets, and trios.
Although both Stars Dance Studio and Abby Lee Dance Company control their dance studios in a similar manner, the talent and entertainment experienced by audiences in Abby’s dancers is so much higher than that of Stars.
I watch the girls on Dance Moms: Miami and think to myself, ‘These girls can’t even begin to compare to the Abby Lee Dance Company’ dancers. Their overall performance in Pittsburgh is remarkably higher than that of Miami.
You can just tell from watching one episode of Dance Moms in Pittsburgh how much more achievements they’ve earned compared to their Miami counterpart. Like the girls winning Starbound nationals, Chloe earning a spot in Joffery Ballet School’s respectable auditions and Maddie winning solo awards across the US. What am I welcomed with when watching the new Dance Moms: Miami? Basic awards any other dance studio in the country could have received. Not only does Abby’s dance studio take the trophy with her dancers, but she dominates the Miami moms by a mile. The cast of moms in the new Dance Moms, is not as deceitful as Abby’s moms. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for compromising, but the Miami moms aren’t as entertaining as the completely insane Pittsburgh moms.
Although there are some hints of positivity in the newer Dance Moms, whereas this wasn’t present in the original show. For example, one of the two dance instructors, Victor, who gives a softer approach toward the children, unlike Abby who scolds them every second of the day. It also allows viewers to see more techniques in dance, however I wasn’t impressed at all with the all-around content of the Miami show.
