So, solos. Yes. My grandma is coming into town and I don't know if you know but she is sick. She had stage four colon cancer and I really would like to dance for her and Sorry, it's just hard because she got sick and I don't want to cry but Take a deep breath. I just really want to dance for her when she comes here and I would just love to have a solo this week. Not asking to like give me a solo, give me a solo but I just want to dance for her while she
has the opportunity to be here. JoJo, I understand what you're going through and I think it's very admirable that your grandmother flew all the way out here to California and I would love for her to see you perform as well. So, I Will definitely do a solo for you. Thank you. I am beyond excited that Abby is giving JoJo a solo. I think Abby knows in her heart of hearts that it's the right thing to do. Isn't it beautiful here? Yeah. Today, JoJo and I are meeting my mom for lunch and my mom's chemo schedule
has been rearranged so she could come here this week and she could see JoJo dancing and see what she's been doing. This is Huge for us. I'm excited for you to be here. I'm excited to be here. You feel good? I feel good today. Was the flight bad? Yeah, had a treatment, a chemo treatment. Oh. So, that made it worse. I'm on a good week. I'm grateful and I do believe I'm still lucky though. You have to believe. Yeah, you have to. It's a thing, you just got to believe. I do believe. Not many people
can say that they have two kinds of cancer and they're in the middle of chemo and they're going to go to California to see their granddaughter. And I don't know if you know but I have a solo this week. Thank god. But I'm not in the group dance. Aw. But at least you get to see me dance. I Know, I can't be too picky, right? Cuz even if I wasn't in the group dance, I'd be in the back corner so I don't care, I want your back corner. Back corners are the best seats. This is
awesome that my grandma gets to watch me dance cuz she loves to watch dance and she loves to watch me dance. You good? It's Abby. Yeah, I'm happy that you're I'm happy that you're good. Yeah. It's Abby. I'm happy too. Now, JoJo, before we start, fifth position hits fifth position. Not kind of sort of fifth. Okay? JoJo, Jo. JoJo is dancing to a beautiful piece of lyrical music entitled Faith is all I need. Faith is relating to her grandmother, to keep the faith alive. What's your face doing? JoJo just is not a lyrical dancer. She
doesn't have long lines, she doesn't Have gorgeous feet. I hope that with this solo for her grandmother that she really digs down deep inside and comes out with a winning number, a number that really is a tribute for her grandmother. Actually, I think it's really refreshing that JoJo's not doing like a fierce jazz dance. Thank you. Thank you. I'm glad JoJo's able to show Abby she's more than one kind of dance. She is. I mean, does JoJo like jazz? Is it easy For her? Is it fun? Yeah, but like she can do this. Like I
know she can do this. I don't want to get teary-eyed or sad today but it could be one of the last times my mom sees You know what I mean? Like very well, realistically, you just never know, okay? So, JoJo needs to give it all she's got. Hey. How are you? You look beautiful, JoJo. Thank you. It's going to be beautiful and you should dance with your heart today. Yeah. Okay, dance for grandma. Yeah. All right, Abby. Okay, okay. All right, so listen to me, both of you. Make me proud of you. I want to
sit in that audience and say I'm glad I chose those two kids to do solos today cuz they are our best representation of This. They're winners. All right, okay, let's go. It's hard to know that your grandma's sick but dancing with the ALDC has been one of my dreams and so now that I'm here dancing with them and my grandma's here to watch, it's an even bigger dream. I got to go out on the dance floor and just let loose and dance for my grandma. Next up, number 19, Faith is all I need. JoJo, Jo.
I thought JoJo was beautiful. It's been an emotional week with JoJo. There's been lots of ups and lots of downs. I was just happy to see JoJo get through the number without crying. In first place, NUMBER 18, SECRET PLACE. GIVE IT UP. JOJO'S SOLO TAKES on a whole different meaning. It's not about the competition, it's about honoring this dear woman and she did that. I just really wish she would have won. That Would have been the icing on the cake. So, we will be attending Powerhouse Dance Competition in Fort Wayne, Indiana. We have a very
serious, if you will, group routine. The group routine is entitled Living with the Ribbon. Now, you are all familiar with a pink ribbon. People every day are living with cancer. They're beating the odds. They're surviving. Melissa, you okay? Why did you get choked up there? Cuz my mother died of cancer. My mom died of a really awful She died in 9 months and it was awful. It is. My mom, she had cancer and it was an awful cancer. She went really fast. Um Cancer just sucks. And I think that we're all affected by it in
some way. People are living with cancer. Children are living with cancer. They're surviving. Both of my grandfathers died from cancer and my dad actually has cancer right now. He has prostate cancer. So, doing the dance Living with the Ribbon really means a lot to me. This is a piece that I've wanted to do. We're going to do it this week. It's very intricate choreography. Now, my dad died a very, very tragic death of cancer. The odds are starting to change and that's what we're doing. You can Live with cancer and you can beat the odds.
Any illness Cuz they're things that you take for granted. Exactly. And then once it's gone, that's when you really miss it. And so That's kind of a powerful message. Five, six, seven, eight, one, two, three, four. My mom's been gone 15 years. You know, it's still so hard. I think about her. I You know, I have pictures of her. She's in my life still every day. Brook, plié, arabesque and you're you're getting pulled towards Paige. I've decided to use elastic. The elastic is covering up Brook. It's wrapped around her. It's wound through her just like
a cancerous disease. As the choreography unfolds, you see that Brook loses the elastic. She comes out of it. She fights the disease and at the end, she's free. Okay, girls, well, where's the pink ribbon? I need that like right now. Now, you would think the moms would want to help out and get the ribbon to the Kids but no, it's still not ready. I have a little job for my two favorite dance moms. You want me to go ask them to find the white elastic? Find the light pink dye. And dye it. Give it to
Christi and Kelly. All right. What's your request? I need help from me from Abby. You heard it She just wants um this Christi and Kelly to go downstairs. All right, let's go. Do we Need instructions? I think we can figure it out. Christi and Kelly in the same room together? I don't know how this is going to turn out. I think it's great that Christi and Kelly were picked to go down because I think maybe that will kind of break the ice. Well, hopefully they are using this time to just talk or laugh or let
go and it's not so intense. I think it's what been a week? I think they want it to go away. I really do. I don't. I don't think it'll ever be the same. Hey moms, you want TO COME ON DOWN HERE? I HAVE THE COSTUMES and I want to talk about the routine a little bit what's going to go down this weekend. Come on. Oh, they're very sheer. Listen to me. How many people here know somebody that's died of cancer? Is that a painful thing? Is it a loss of dignity? Do you know what that
means, girls? You're not in control of your body. Yes? You feel this big. How many of you think you can lift your dad? I did that. I had to do that. My dad had a brain tumor. He had a seizure and collapsed on the Bathroom floor. It's not pretty. And you're all very pretty. Right now, people are living with the ribbon. People are living with cancer every day. And that's what you're showing. That's what the dance is about. Are you crying cuz I'm sad? Who Who Who passed away? Well, my dad when I was in
fourth, but it was a like long time ago. My dad's Dog Diablo died. It was just so hard for him. His what? His His daughter? No, his dog. Dogs do get cancer. It's horrible. I know. Let's wipe away the tears. Let's think positively. We win the dance, maybe we'll win the cure for cancer. All right? Let's go. Sloppy feet. Why is everyone looking at The ground? Paige, you have to do the whole step. Stretch the back of those knees. Come on. Right there. On the saute and fourth. Degage. Get your feet DOWN INTO THE GROUND.
THEY POINT right down. I hope the girls take this routine very seriously. It means a lot to me personally and lots of people in the audience. I talked about my dad and I talked about a disease that can be very ugly. People live with cancer every day and other people die from cancer every day. And people put up a good fight. So, let's go out there and let's fight. Let's work together. All right, let's go. Moms, we're going. We'll see you there. Brooke, Paige, Mea, I want to talk to you for a second. You do
know that Pappy [ __ ] had cancer, right? So, when you are on stage, do this dance For him. Yeah, just okay. Hey. Okay? Do it for Pappy [ __ ] Okay? I told the girls to dance for their grandpa, Pappy [ __ ] He's living with cancer right now and I want them to go out there and think about how much he loves them while they're out there dancing. Taking the stage right now is entry number 87 in the junior small group category. Here they are with Living with the Ribbon. My girls went out
and they dedicated this dance to my dad and I just know that he would be so happy to be here to see them and he'd be proud of them. I think Pappy would be really happy with your performance today. It's hard to see Kelly crying thinking about the hard time she went through when her father had prostate cancer. And what really hit home to me is that people come and go so quickly in your life and you know, I love Kelly. She's like a sister and even if you don't always like your sister, you always
love your sister. Mhm. I know. We need to just Get past this. It might not be exactly the same as it was before, but life's too short to lose friendships. It is now time for our junior small group division. This is a really big dance for us and a first place win would really mean a lot to us. In second place, entry number 86 from C Company, He's My Son. And in first place, entry number 87 from Abby Lee Dance Company, Living with the Ribbon. GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. I think this was a
great day for the Abby Lee Dance Company. We were victorious. We won the overall high score and I'm very proud of the kids. Last but certainly not least, Are you are doing a lyrical piece dedicated to your brother. Sorry, do you mind sharing with everybody your son's story? Sorry, it's really sad. I'm not a sad person, but this this is where it's hard for me. So, I had my son and at 3 months exactly he had an open heart surgery and um 6 days post-op he went into cardiac arrest. He suffered from anoxic brain injury,
so he was actually dead for almost an hour. And now he doesn't walk, he doesn't talk. I know that God gave my daughter a gift To dance and it would be different if she just that average dancer. I wouldn't do all this. But it makes me happy. I need something that helps me to be happy, too. Right. Let's tell a beautiful story. Let's join us. Okay? I've made a lot of sacrifices to have Ari here. It's not easy when you have a child at Home that needs 24-hour daycare. And so, her being here and being
part of the team is very very important and special to us. No one's ever been that compassionate to even consider creating a solo that's that special for Ari. And this just proves that Abby does want All right. Uh that's it. We have our work cut out for us. Abby, um before you walk out, This is Maddie Mackenzie's last week. Is there anything special you have planned? Absolutely nothing. I think these mothers are expecting me to crumble or to like throw in the white flag because Maddie even comes here living, but I'm never going to do
that. I think I'm a fighter. I always have been. I always will be and I have to focus on the future. That's all I have. All right. Now, you are doing a lyrical solo For my brother. It has to be amazing. Can't go out there and do a dance for your brother and not win. Yes? This is going to be a really emotional solo that you have to portray. You have to do it with your emotion. Make it your own. All right? So, when you step out on stage, you need to set the tone. You
need to tell the judges this is serious. Pay attention to Me and really your inside story about your brother and how it feels at home. All right? Yes? Okay. So, let's get working. Ari, she's only 10, but she dances older, she acts older, she speaks older and she has to be because there's always going to be somebody that needs more care than her, her big brother. Someone that you're supposed to look up to. What is it like when you have to care for that person? And I think that's why she dances maturely and I wanted
to give her the opportunity to tell this story and let other people into her world. Better. That's really neat that you got the solo this week for your son. He's coming, right? I know. Yeah. Oh, he's coming? The nurse is coming. My parents, everybody's excited. They're really really excited. Oh, that's great. Ari was nervous, but I think that I think that this is definitely something that she can this is supposed to be Maddie Mackenzie's like great week for fun stuff and all this and now it's not even even about my kids at all. Sorry, you
were talking about how excited your disabled son was coming down here to watch your daughter dance. And Melissa only worries about her kid. That's rude. This is my kid's last week here, honey. Make it nice, okay? Your kids laid the platform for every one of your kids to come in and be in there. I mean, I'm sorry about your son, but this is about Maddie and Mackenzie. I'm not trying to be rude because I feel terrible that you have had this life. But, you know what? I've been dedicated to this team very long, okay? This
is my It's week. Ariana, when you're out on that stage, People are going to look at you and think, are you as good as Mackenzie when she was that age? I don't know. Now, remember, when you do something that's epic and it's a story, it takes a lot more thought than do it a hip and a hip and a leg and a kick. So, take them somewhere else. Let them know who you are and what you're about. Because in dance and acro take your ballet or whatever, Sometimes you forget people, right? And somebody new comes
along, somebody hot, and they take over. And you don't remember that star you used to like 10 years ago. It makes me sad cuz she doesn't really care that much, I don't think. At least she's not showing that she cares that we're leaving. I think Presavi thought that I'd be on the team forever and she's just having a hard time with me leaving. All right, let's do this. Got to be happy, got to be sad, you got to be everything. And your brother is here, so it's got to be really special. And it is. Hi.
How you doing? I am Ariana's dance teacher. We're so glad that you're here today to see her dance. I hope she does really Well. So, you be cheering her on, all right? Thank you. Obviously today is a really special day and she has a very special solo, but at the end of the day, it's still a dance competition and she's going up against Mackenzie. So, I want her to do well. She needs to dance the best she's ever danced. For my brother. Solo lyrical, number 123, for my brother. Feel safe here. Swim the tide. Like
water melting from the snow. Through these changing days, you will learn to flow. You are my life. Ariana, you are gorgeous. I understand that this number means a lot to you. Is that correct? Yes. Want to tell me why? Well, it's for my brother and I feel like he had a little bit of a hard time growing up and I really wanted to make it feel really good for him and make him feel like I know what he's going through. And that's so beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. Are you okay? You have a great
job. Thank Great job, Ari. You did really good. All right, moving into our top junior soloists for the day. Ari's going up against Mackenzie today and the way that Melissa's treated me this week, I kind of think she's a [ __ ] So, I definitely think if Ari could pull off a win, it would top off the entire day. In second place today, we have number 123, for my brother, that's Ariana. All right, audience, we have our top Junior soloist OF THE DAY WITH AN amazing score of 297.5, that goes down to number 101, I
want to be a star, that's Mackenzie. For Mackenzie. Kids feed off of what their teacher tells them. She didn't give her any encouragement and now Mackenzie is leaving the ALDC competition team with loss. What a shame. I went home this past weekend because we Lost a young dancer from Arizona in the most tragic way you could possibly lose a child. Suicide, teen suicide. This weekend was the worst it was really hard on Sunday, like really hard. It's I I just can't think about this. It's so sad. I don't think our girls are aware that there
are kids their age and younger who are suicidal, who have depression and Who just need somebody to talk to. I told Abby what had happened and it's going to be an emotional week, but I really feel that we need to address it head-on. Now, the group routine. This is a very mature subject. The name of the routine is suicide hotline. The news traveled rapidly throughout the dance community. A girl in Phoenix, Arizona, who Kalani and Kira knew personally, Committed suicide. It's devastating to a family, to an entire town. I want to do a routine that
is going to serve a purpose. It's about teaching a lesson and saving a life. So, is it awareness? It's awareness. It's a It's a story. It's how the hotline works, how the phones are answered, what takes Place during a phone call. It's It's about keeping someone on the line. It's more about the actual hotline than that. No disrespect. I think a dance this magnitude awareness is pivotal. It's something that I think will touch a lot of hearts and nerves for kids. Are you in a good place to really give it your full attention? I'm willing
to take the risks. I take risks every day. I'm willing to take That risk. I believe in you guys. I want to bring in somebody coming from the teen suicide prevention hotline. Like a therapist or Like a counselor from Counselor, that's the word. Which we need to figure out the dancing and the music and everything else. Well, let's get started. We know what we're doing. Let's get started. I got to get my mind straight for this group. The name of the organization is called Teen Line. And you're telling the story and there's no one to
help you. You're not calling. And then finally at the end when the red phone rings, you you're like you made the call and you're reaching for help and it's like and they go and they lose you and you and they failed. Right. I looked up Teen Line and it is teens helping teens. Yeah. I think the worst Thing is when you feel alone and nobody understands and I guess teenagers always think teenagers understand them, you know? Peers influence each other a great deal. Well, that's the thing, they're hearing about all this stuff whether we want
to admit it or not, they're hearing about suicide, they're hearing about abuse, they're hearing about depression and if we don't address it and give them a way to cope with it, we're in denial about the fact that it's Out there and they're living it and they're experiencing it. It's better to give them an answer, at least a tool. This could be a powerful piece that impacts someone in a really positive It could touch someone's life and you don't even realize it. We're going to go one, switch, one, then the people that are back go forward.
And as she walks by, you pull it back, pull it back, pull it back, pull it back. So, you're on that edge of the of the table, like that way. One hold two, three hold four, five hold six, go back, back, back, back. It is really really heavy. It's like a But, in the same sense, I like the fact that she's actually able to tell the narrative and she has a vision. This is rough. Let's do something to help. Let's do something to teach because I think education is key and if kids have someone they
can call and ask For advice, then I think the kids will use it. I really do. I think kids will use this hotline to seek answers to their questions. If one kid, just one kid picks up the telephone and dials that hotline number, maybe, just maybe, we are going to save a kid's life. Are you minus one mom still? She didn't call you guys? We're speculating. She could come back tomorrow, who knows, or next week or whatever. I mean, you guys don't seem like it's a big deal. What would it do if we sat here
and had a pity party and did boohoo? Nothing. Nothing. We have to invest our time and energy in our girls and making sure they stay focused on being a team and not getting sidetracked. Honestly, I think looking at the group dance and the message, I don't know, I I think at one point you could put aside your Personal differences related to the duet and do what's right for the sake of the group dance, because it has so much potential to do such good. I just want to see you dance. 5 6 7 8. See, so
stop. She needs to dance stronger. When Jojo was the other little blonde on the other end, it was like balanced on both sides. Now, you three are like in perfect unison and she looks off. This is an important, stressful, hectic week because we are putting a Piece of art on that stage. This will be a routine that goes down in history with the last text. And where have all the children gone? Unfortunately, we all have to run around like chickens with their heads cut off and redo, revamp, reblock what we did day one. Because Jojo
with the bow bow was a no no show show. Arms up by your ears a little MORE ON THE WALKOVER, JUST A LITTLE BIT. When You're doing an important piece like the group routine, you need to focus. You need to bring your A game. And now, unfortunately, I just really don't have time for the minis. So, Chris, they're all yours. Go ahead. These are our guests. Hi, Cheryl. Cheryl, nice to meet you. Ginger, nice to meet you. The girls know the group number, but do they really know what they're dancing about? I'm not so sure.
So, I invited Cheryl and Ginger here from the suicide prevention hotline called Teen Line. I want them to come and talk to the girls and the moms about what they actually do at Teen Line. I think it's good to learn about this for their own personal lives as well as as dancers putting something of this magnitude on the stage. Well, these are our girls who are doing this amazing dance and it's called Suicide Hotline. And, you know, it's about someone in crisis. But We wanted to, you know, have something that they could connect to, like
maybe something that inspires the kids, cuz I think some of the stuff kind of goes over their head. Well, we said they've lived sheltered lives for the most part. You know, we've traveled around the world, but we still shelter our children from certain things because we don't know maybe how to address it properly. So, these these are the people we spoke To from um the Teen Hotline. They're a crisis center. So, I actually was a Teen Line listener myself a very long time ago, but now I'm a therapist and I work at Teen Line um
with Ginger. And so, we do I do a lot of education, prevention, decreasing stigma, talking to parents. Mostly, the people who call in are between I think 15 I think is our most common age, but we get down to four. Right here. That's you guys. That's your Age. We know suicide's the second leading cause of death of from 10 to 24-year-olds. It we're finding, I mean, if you're reading the news or anything out, we're finding a lot of this stuff is starting younger and younger. So, I struggled with depression a lot of my life. From
a really, really young age I started dealing with it. It got pretty bad when I was probably 11 or 12 when I was going to a really hard school Academically with really awful girls. And um I started having suicidal thoughts the next year. I didn't get out of bed for probably 2 weeks, but I felt like I physically couldn't talk. But then I found a fantastic therapist and I started training at Teen Line. I got medication and I started talking to my friends and not feeling ashamed of it anymore. I hope that us doing this
group dance can help spread awareness to all the teens out there that you can call This teen hotline if you're feeling unsafe and unprotected. I think it's a good dance to spread awareness about. How do you see signs? Some of the signs I would say is definitely a personality change of someone who's acting differently than the way they used to. And it's hard with teens because teens act differently every day. What's like the best advice that you would give to someone like that? a caller once who was an 18-year-old boy And I picked up the
phone and he was crying and crying and crying and I said, "What's wrong? What's going on?" And he just said, "I've never felt so much pain in my whole life. And you picking up the phone means more to me than anything else I've ever done." He didn't need anything from me. He he felt pain and he wanted someone to know that he felt pain cuz he couldn't tell Anyone else. He was the jock. And so, the fact that I picked up the phone, he said saved his life. And I think that is the impact of
the hotline. After hearing such an incredible story from these ladies, it is evident that we really need to put our best foot forward. This subject matter is incredibly sensitive and this dance can wield a lot of power. We've got to make sure that this dance is done with dignity and grace because One wrong step and this could be the dance that steps over the line. There is no room for error here. This is a very touching, emotional subject. And by you guys putting this out there, let's say you help one kid. Mhm. That's amazing. Let's
say you help 10. You never know whose life you might touch. This little girl came up to us a few weeks ago in Arizona and she was saying that she was I was so sad. She was like, "You guys saved me after I watched you guys and I put myself in dance class and you guys saved me." You inspire people in ways that you don't realize and that's why it's so important. The words that you use, the way that you live your life, you never know what actions, what words are going to touch someone. These
girls never fail to amaze me. They are such powerful role Models to kids all over the world and it makes me so proud that through their dance or even wearing an awareness ribbon helps spread the message to kids all over the world. Girls, we have two routines happening. We have Invincible. But are you? You all would have to be in perfect unison. Girls, The routine that we're doing, Kalani is our dancer that is in crisis, crying out, reaching, calling. Yes? This could be one of those numbers. This might fit in with Where Have All the
Children Gone and The Last Text. You either make this dance or break this dance. I am really nervous for this group dance. I mean, it's a really intense story. We have a prop, like always, but we also have to make an awareness for Teens to know that there is someone that can help you because we can't lose another dancer in this world. This group dance is a very touchy, scary subject. I have never seen a group dance about teen hotline, so I hope we can pull this off. It can't just be one of those group
dances, it has to be one of those amazing group dances that you always remember. Ladies and gentlemen, in teen advanced competition, please help me welcome entry number 77, Suicide Hotline. Cheryl! Hold on. Hold on, you've got stars in your eyes, so let's paint the sky. Suicide Hotline is definitely one for the record books. I think the choreography is fresh, it's different, it pushes the girls. And this dance is at a level that's competitive for teens, and I love it. You wanted to leave an impression with The judges, with the audience. You wanted everyone to feel
it. So, hopefully they did. I know our group dance looks small with only four girls, but the dance was powerful and it looked really strong. And they danced with a ton of emotion. And first place in our teen advanced group goes to entry number 77, Hotline. Congratulations girls, and let me know Which dance company you are with. Abby Lee Dance Company. Congratulations. Thank you guys. Those kids went out there and they did everything they needed to do. I thought the group performance was perfect. It was. Overall, I could not have asked for a better day.
It was fabulous. Because one of my all-time favorite routines, Suicide Hotline, won. Hey girl. Ready? When I talked to Abby last, she was talking about your emotions, and she said every week she sees the same face. So, she gave me this piece of music that is so powerful. We need to pull more out. More emotion. I need more connection with the audience. Not the same old. Okay. Okay. Maddie is performing a lyrical routine this week to Holding On. It's a very emotional piece. I know that Abby says she hasn't been connecting with the Audience recently,
so I'm making sure that this is extra emotional, that she can give something more than just a typical Maddie solo. Yes. So, you guys know that, you know, my kids are involved in the Starlight Foundation, and this little girl, I was going to invite her to come watch because she said that um our kids inspire her. Hello. Hi Lori, it's Melissa. Hello. Hello everyone. Hello. Hi. Uh we wanted to see if you and your daughter can come to the studio tomorrow and come to the competition on Saturday. Yes, that that is just Hannah is really
excited. Oh, that's so great. Awesome. You know, Maddie can dance for Hannah and yet connect it again. She's going to be an inspiration for Maddie. So, we'll see you tomorrow. Okay. Sounds great. Okay. Thank you. Bye-bye. All right, well, you don't have to say anything else. You're good for today. Good. Really good. Uh I just got a text from Hannah's mom, Lori. So, I'm going to go get her. My connection with Starlight sent me a letter regarding Hannah, saying that she really wanted to meet Maddie because she watches Maddie's videos on YouTube. Hi Hannah. I'm
Melissa. Hi. Hi sweetie. Nice to meet you, too. glad you're here. My husband and I Always teach our kids that you have to serve. Hi. Let me give you a hug. It's so nice to meet you. Thank you for coming. I'm glad you made it. And where are you guys from? What part of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Oh. That's so my way. So, it's really important to teach our kids to help others. Hi guys. Are we allowed to come in, Gia? This is Hannah. This is Lori. This is Maddie. Hello. Hannah um actually has um Can you
pronounce it for me? Chiari Chiari malformation. She had brain surgery whenever she was 2 and 1/2. She was very sick, and she would just stop breathing all the time. It was great giving Hannah the chance to meet Maddie and see her dance. I'll never forget the look on her face. And bring your right leg up. And you know what ball changes? Meeting Hannah, I think she's a great girl and super nice, and that just reminds me how lucky I am to be able to dance. Oh, there's Hannah. Hi guys. Oh my gosh, you look adorable.
Oh, we're excited to be here. Hannah and Lori are in our dressing room today because Hannah really wanted to meet Maddie, and Melissa wanted the two of them to kind of inspire each other. Maddie. Hello. How pretty that piece is. Thank you for coming today. Thanks for having me. This dance is dedicated to you, so You're an inspiration to our kids. You can't jump on a trampoline, can you? Not really. Aw, honey, you can cry. I mean, you seem so healthy. You know, you can go everywhere, and um you can swim, right? You want to
go swimming with us tonight? Okay. Our girls are so fortunate. They can do Whatever they want. They can jump on a trampoline. They can jump. Hannah can't do all those things. Thank you for coming. Thanks for having me. I'll walk you out. See you out there. Maddie decided to dedicate her solo to Hannah, which I thought was really sweet. I think having Hannah here is going to definitely help Maddie connect with the audience. I think she's going to dance from her heart and for Hannah. You want to come Up next? Going to be entry 34.
This is Maddie performing Hold On. Your highest scoring soloist will be entry number 34, Hold On. Um I would like to dedicate this trophy to my new friend, Hannah. Thank you for coming. You're a real winner. Aw. I'm giving my first place trophy to Hannah because she deserves it way more than I do. This trophy is for you. And Starlight is a wonderful organization. You can go on their website and donate and help little girls like her. Maddie got a huge giant trophy. I think it was probably 5 ft tall. And she gave it to
Hannah. And you know, I think that's really a sweet thing because a big trophy is kind of cool to have. The last solo goes to Gianina. Your solo is entitled Snowflake. This is about the relationship with your grandmother. She passed away right before your Broadway debut. During it. Oh, during it. 10 days in. This is the lyrical routine that you wanted. What you told me you needed to win, the it dance. It's you you have to worry about. I don't think your grandmother will mind. This is your chance to redeem yourself. If you don't beat
Hannah, you will be going home with Reagan. If I sent him home, I can send anybody home. Everybody on this team is replaceable. Everyone. All right, let's go. How do we want to start this, Gianna? So, I was down here. Five and then look look look at it six, seven, eight. You're following the snowflake Down with your hand. Yes. Let's see where we are. My mother, Meemee, was Gia's biggest fan. My soulmate. The day my grandma, Meemee, died it snowed and now I know that every time it snows she's with me and so this snowflake
solo means so much to me. I want to make Meemee proud more than anyone. I miss her. I know. She's with us. Head has to be on the earth. It's going to be a rough week. The things that we've we've been through on this journey that, you know, you only hear, you know, that she was in a Broadway show at the age of nine and but you don't hear that 10 days into it my mom died. And then on Tuesday we had to bury her and then you know my daughter did on Wednesday? Right back
on to the stage, two show day. And then for six months she cried every single night because my mother was Gia's biggest fan. And knowing that like if she doesn't come out on top, she goes home. Let's go. Cuz you know what? Now it's personal. It's snowing! Meemee snow is the really light snow that sticks all over the trees and that was on the bus and that was so awesome. She's like melting down on us and like giving us all her love. I'm going to be kicked off the team if I don't do my solo
perfect. But I'm not going to go home when I'm dancing for my grandma. It's not going to happen. Try me any other day but not today. It's like dance for your life today. So, I'm glad my mom is present. How are you feeling, Gianina? I'm so excited. I'm really glad that Gianina seems confident considering she kind of got, you know, with the rest of the group thrown under the bus. So, I'm kind of glad that Gianina's ready to rock it today. I hope they all are because I think that that was so out of line
and so unnecessary. I get you're upset. You want to be mad at us, that's fine but to go in there and try and send these kids home that had nothing to do with it, nothing to do with it. I couldn't send them home. THAT WOULD BE ABBY'S DECISION, RIGHT? She can do whatever she wants, okay? She can do whatever she wants. Exactly and She's doing what she wants and you're mad at us about it. sat here and agreed with her, agreed with her. Just shut up and let me talk. She made the decision. Just be
quiet. She already made a decision. Guess what? I might be back next week, Michelle. Hey, guess what? You may not. Guess what, Michelle? You might be driving right home right behind you. No. Don't dismiss her again. Sarah's amazing. Don't ever dismiss my daughter Again. Yes, YOU ARE BECAUSE YOU'RE BEING A RUDE, CONNIVING [ __ ] THAT hurts me, Michelle. That hurts me. What is going on in this room here today? This is Brady's last competition here at the ALDC. The kids have created this bond and that's really sad and hard on all of them to
lose one of their friends and all we can do is argue. I mean I just I think that's rough. I think that's rough on all the kids. Up next, please welcome to the stage Gianina with snowflake. I'm nervous. I want to make my grandma proud. I don't want to go home. I hope it's enough to win. Something only she can face. The time has passed and all that she has seen has left us scarred and broken where their hands have been. A look so beautiful in this light. She has this pain inside. A look so
beautiful in this light makes her free even just for a while. That was so good. That was so good. You made me cry. I'm really happy for Gianina and I feel like she did her best that she could have possibly done and I'm just really proud of her. Even though there was a big ultimatum, she nailed it. Gianina, I told you that being a member Of this team was on the line and when I put your head on that chopping block you stepped up. That shouldn't be the relationship. I shouldn't have to threaten you of
going home to get you to be the best you can be. You'll never have to do that again. Your second place 12 to 14 soloists Brady with Swan Song. When I hear Brady announced as second place, 100% I'm thinking that Gianina Did not place because her solo was not better than his, not even close, unfortunately. I'm sorry to say it. That was terrible. was But it wasn't. Mom. The first place 12 to 14 soloists is Gianina with snowflake. That girl's a winner. The icing on the cake was beating Brady, the unbeatable boy that's going home
cuz he's too good For the girls. Oh, I'm so happy, guys. I'm excited. But I'm excited. Guys, who pulls out first? Do you think that she was better than Brady? I think she was better than Brady. Do you think Abby thinks that she was better than Brady? I think Abby thinks she was better than Brady. Doesn't make sense. They weren't even comparable. No, he was like a Youth American Grand Prix and she was good. I'm not saying she wasn't Good. She was really good. good for a dance competition. It was the guy. Brady gets second.
And then I thought a male judge. Maybe there was a little bit of rivalry there, jealousy there. Wish I had the a program with the guy's bio. I just know that Brady is not a second place dancer. He's not the first to lose. Right. And it's all about like what the judges like in that day. It's their opinion. I'm just happy You didn't see me. I wasn't here. We outside waiting to go back into the dressing room and we saw Miss Abby breeze by us and go to the judges table. We're all thinking Miss Abby's
trying to change the scores. I'm trying to get the judges names, bios, everything. Yeah, so Shawn is from Miami. Okay, well don't worry about it. Email them to Gianna like some other time. It's fine. I'm getting the evil. I'm holding things up. Thank you, sweetheart. I knew it. The judge is from the same city as Brady. Maybe he was trained at a rival studio and maybe he hates the studio Brady's from. WHO KNOWS? GOOD JOB, GUYS. WHAT IS ABBY'S bias with the scoring? I think she she is going to try and take my win away
and give it to Brady because she has a favoritism towards Brady. No. Just stop. Stop. Own your win. Cut the It's okay. Hey, hey, hey. Hey. Congratulations. So, Gianina, you were the first overall high score solo. Congratulations. That was great. Her challenge was to beat Hannah and she beat her bad. She beat Brady. Brady, you were outstanding today and I don't want to take anything away from Gianina's win because she should be Thrilled and wallow in it but I did a little questioning. Guess where that male judge was from? Miami. How about them apples? So,
the male judge gave Brady less points than Gia because he's from Miami? I don't even know what the male judge is from Miami means and we don't even know that the male judge gave him the lowest score. It just gave the final score. So, maybe the girl judge gave him the lowest Score. I just don't understand why we just don't celebrate who wins. You're the sore loser, not us. I'm not a sore loser. I could care less. If you didn't care we wouldn't be sitting here talking about it. I think that Gia you really deserved
the win and I think you needed it. That's great. There you go. This week we're not on the street, the candy apples are here again and they're going to be come back with a vengeance. Jeanette is leading the team. That woman is out for blood, she's out for revenge, she's out to get me. So, these girls need to win. We want to be way above them this time. We want to be much further. You should set yourself apart. Now, the name of the group routine is don't fence me in. We're using a big prop in
this number, a barbed wire fence. Oh. Chain link fence and they have to throw their bodies up against it. So. Well, I'm excited to see it. Okay, let's go, guys. Let's go. All right. Are you guys ready? I want to compete this week. Cathy's not here. So, we need to move forward. This week I'm asking you guys to be guest on my team, Broadway Dance Academy. So, as long as you're good with that, we can move forward. So, are all you guys all on board with that? Okay, great. I'm happy to have you. Going through
the week, I thought Cathy would be there at some point. I did not expect to take this team all the way through the season. Regardless, she's moved on. And I own a dance studio, so why not enter them under my studio? I want to talk about the group dance. So, I want to kind of bring something in that's going on now. This is going to be something that Abby has never never done and would never even touch. It's about young kids, your age, being comfortable With who they are. And it's about transgender. You will all
start the same beautiful girl. Three of you will have different outfits underneath and be ripping off your dress to decide who are you. Are you male? Are you female? And the other two girls will be trying to put it back on you to try to get you to be what society wants you to be. That's intense. Woo. That is so intense. Also, another big surprise. We are going to be collaborating with the Gay Men's Chorus and cast of It Gets Better. And they will be singing live during your performance. Yes. The theme that Jeanette has
come up with, I kind of feel that she'll end up being a great leader and taking us to victory. Just focus. This dance is big this week because we have live singers, which is always Difficult, and it's a strong story, and it's inspired by a transgender man named Jay and his story. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 Yes. Hi. Hi. Jay. Hi. Wow, it's so nice to meet you all. Girls, this is Jay. Hi. And this is Jason. That plays Jay. And this is Morton. He is the writer of The song that
you are dancing to, Run Run Run. So, the dance that you're doing is the song that is part of my story from the It Gets Better Project that the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles does. Have you all heard of the It Gets Better Project? The project was created to protect um LGBTQ youth to know that people love you and will accept you for who you are. So, I feel very very fortunate to to be part Of it. So, tomorrow when we do the performance it's going to be eight cast members. Yeah, so it's going
to be awesome. It's going to be big at the end. I'm honored to be here. First of all, I just want to appreciate all of you for doing my story. Like, I'm I'm really moved by that. The fact that you're putting yourselves out there and I'm just really inspired by you. You know when I was Thank you. When I was your age, my name was Jeanette. Things were pretty cool until I was about 11, and then all of a sudden everybody started wearing makeup and being interested in boys and for me and my breasts were
the thing that would freak me out. I mean, I would get all dressed up to go out and I'd look in the mirror and then I'd be like, that sucks, right? Cuz they'd be They're there. I can't get rid of them, right? And all that kind of stuff just embarrassed me and didn't have me feel comfortable in my skin. And so, all I could think of for myself was, how do I get out of this? Yes, I lived as a woman until I was 33 or so, and then eventually at the age of 34 I
took my first shot of testosterone. And then I grew a beard and then my voice dropped and all those kind of things happened. Living that world was pretty hard, and that's why that was the most uncomfortable place to be. Um yeah, sorry. Uh and um yeah. I want you to get how powerful this is, right? I want you to get how important it is um by being a stand for other kids that are trans. So, I just can't even tell you how much I appreciate Watching Jay and seeing how emotional he Was was really moving.
Although we didn't win last week, I believe that we do have a chance this week. We're coming back bigger, better, and stronger. You want to see the group? I would love to see the group. Wouldn't you guys love to see it? I'm excited to see the group number this week. Mackenzie has a lot of tricks and it's a lot of work for a little girl to do. And I hope she can handle it. Okay, come on. Let's go. Make that attitude bigger in the back. Mackenzie, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE STANDING ON THEIR BACKS WITH YOUR
HEAD THROUGH THAT. STANDING, NOT KNEELING. THAT HAS TO BE HIGHER. PUSH YOURSELF UP. YOUR FOOT UP. MACKENZIE, IT'S NOT IMPRESSING ME. You're getting out of prison. You're breaking out. You're dismissed. You did your time. What what? I can't tell. Playing sweet is easy for you. This is another level. You need to go to A darker place. The group dance is a hot mess. I mean, I don't know what Jeanette has in store for us this week at the dance competition. We might as well hand that first place trophy to the Candy Apples cuz it's not
going to be us. Holy smokes. Oh, hey. You guys look like a team, but you have a new name again. Well, it's not a new name. It's my name. Your name. Yes. Well, you didn't win with Candy Apples, So maybe now you'll win with BDA. That's it. That's what you need, a name change. So, what is it? What is your dance about? It's about gay, straight, black, white, transgender, and some of the things that they go through. And we are going to be collaborating with the Gay Men's Chorus singing live for us. But is that
allowed to add a competition? Is that in the rules? be part of the routine. It's just the music. We're just doing live, but they won't be on stage. They're bringing the Gay Men's Chorus of LA on stage to sing while their students dance. This theme might really resonate with the judges. I'm dying. I'm nervous for our girls. Baby Doll looks really girly. Yes, you do. So girly. I love it. Hi. How are you? How are you, Morton? Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good to See you. Good to see you again. Oh, thanks. Oh, look
at your costumes. They're so cute. Hey. Uh so, this is the It Gets Better Tour that's been traveling all over the US. Obviously, we're going to sing Run Run Run for you today, and it's going to be a big last chorus. So, I guess we'll see you in there. Let's do this. All right. All right, girls. Let's go. There's been a lot of chaos this week with Kira and Chloe coming back and the fact that the BDA will be performing with the Gay Men's Chorus, I think it'll be a hard for us to compete against
that. Next up is small group lyrical, number 502, Run Run Run. It's getting dark. I'm losing my way. You left with the cold wind blowing. The beautiful voice that sang out my name. Now all I hear is blowing. Looking for something better than nothing. Yearning for something new. Run run run away. Run run run away. I don't want to run away. Run run run away. Run run run away. I don't want to run away. Breaking of dawn, cold on the ground, grasping at hope that's dying. Here in the wild, I am your prey. I see
now that you were lying. Run run run away. Run run run away. I don't want to run away. Run run run away. I don't want to run away. I don't want to run away. I don't want to run away. This group dance is amazing. This is actually nationals material. I'm nervous. Next up is number 603, Don't Fence Me In. This week we have a prop and it's a big fence. Mackenzie has a special part in front of the fence and she has to hit all of her tricks well. Our girls are going up against BDA
this week and they're our rivals and we have to win. The group dance was spectacular. They really acted like hoodlums. Mackenzie pulled your focus, not in a negative way, but in a positive way. You really didn't look at anybody But her. The overall group, the judges had a tough one with this one. The BDA group performance was competitive. It was good. It was powerful. The choreography was strong. It could go either way. The second place scored 295 points. All right. The overall group of the day I didn't think the girls were going to Win this
week. I really didn't after seeing both of the dances. But do I agree with the judges' decision? Absolutely. It doesn't matter how many awards you win. It is about being a performer, being an artist and you touched someone's life. Today you touched many people's life today and you told someone else's story and that's amazing and he was happy with it. He was moved. He was crushing my hand while you were dancing. So, I'm beyond proud and it's something that Abby never would have done. All right. Now remember you're an angel. So, you need to be
pretty and beautiful with beautiful feet. Not Fred Flintstone flat feet. Got it? Maddie is doing a breathtakingly gorgeous lyrical routine. It's entitled Angel and she wears a stunning white costume. I'm doing this dance called Angel for my grandmother Bobcha and I hope that she Is proud and I know that she is watching me from heaven. You know that song Angel's for my mom. I know. Maddie was telling me. She's so excited about it. My mom was diagnosed with cancer when I was really young and my mom meant the world to me. Her and I were
close just like Maddie and I are. The other day I was a little freaked out cuz like I smelled her and it was like it was so weird. Now I look at her Picture every day when I get my coffee and you know I have her little handwriting on my cabinet, you know. And I I don't know. I just miss her so much. I can't stand it. Like you think like I would have picked up the phone and called them and you're like I still do it. I sometimes say oh I have to tell my
mom about this, you know, and then they're like she's not there. I can't imagine not having a parent. I Mean I have nobody. When I look at Maddie, I see my mom because my mom had the blue eyes that Maddie has and I always say to her my mom gave me you. When she left me, she gave me you. Missy I just want to tell you that Bobcha would have been so proud of you. You know her and I were close like you and I except we didn't fight like you And I fight. Cuz you're
too much of a perfectionist. But she meant so much to me. She was my best friend like you and I are. That's why you remind me so much of her. She loved angels, you know, and when she died I took her hat. You know, the angels that we always put on but this is the special most special angel. This was her favorite little angel. So, let's pin it on you, okay? My mom wore this pin on her hat every day when she had cancer and she would have loved to see my kids dance the way
they dance and giving this pin to my daughter means the world to me. Do you know whenever you go on stage I always pray for her to be on stage with you. I totally believe that my mom is always with my daughter when she's on stage. Always. I never get tired of watching Maddie dance. She always brings tears to my Eyes. Maddie did her solo so wonderful today. I'm so proud of her and Bobcha would be proud of her, too. For the title of Petite Miss here in the Mohegan Sun Maddie Congratulations to you, Maddie.
Maddie has six crowns now and her goal is to make it to the double digits. I think less is more. You like that? You're here in Pittsburgh. Who are you Away from? Home. Home? Who are you away from? My dad, my brother, my friends. Who do you miss the most? Dad. My dad. Your dad. Okay. Well, let's hear your music. Pretty cool? Yes? All right. This is nationals. You have to make a bold statement. You can't just Go in with a pretty dance that could be done anywhere. If you're going to do something, go big
or go home. When you start to fall over, bend your knees like together up into your chest. We want to see your feet. Tight. All right. Let's see what we have. And we're going to Daddy's annunciation. Point your feet. Right now. And I think that gives Lillian an edge to give her a special song with special meaning. Maybe internally. It's not like he's going to stand on the stage and sing it. No, but it gives her like a lot of passion because she can really feel it because she can connect more. I hope so. Yeah.
It's very very frustrating to me because it just seems like Abby is already putting Ellie on the back burner. There is a rivalry there, even though I feel like she's technically proficient. Eliana has been under Lilly, and I just Want her to be able to experience that win. She has her work cut out for her, for sure. Lilly, go up on the stage and just walk through it. This is definitely Lilly's most important performance of her life. Abby could have picked anybody to be back on her team of eight, but she picked Lilly and Ellie
for a reason. They're Abby's future. So, the pressure is on. It literally could not be any higher. Got it, Lilly. I am nervous for my solo because it's acro, and my dad wrote the song about me. Also, I am competing against Eliana, so I really, really, really want to win. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, Dear Lilly, Love Daddy. It's Lilliana from Abby Lee Dance Company. Good job. You did great. That was amazing. Did you see anyone in the audience? My dad. He must be happy. Yeah. They're happy. Super pleased. Super Pleased. Thank
you. And here it is. Your junior solo grand champion. Dear Lilly, Love Daddy. It's Lilliana from Abby Lee Dance Company. Yes. Congratulations. Come on. Let's do the group dance. The Waiting Room. So, imagine if your family, Your loved ones, were brought in by ambulance from a car accident. So, imagine waiting to hear the news. Is it happy news? Or is it the worst humanly possible news? All right. Do it again for me. The group number, it's more than a dance routine. I would call it a piece. There's an emotional range. There's interaction between the dancers.
Maddie Is playing our lead. It's heavy. Can't she pull it off? Let's hope so, cuz she's the only choice I have. Uh Just technically, when everybody hits the floor and the left foot is scraped over downstage left, their feet are so sick on you, we'd chop them off. Um I'm literally going right now to get Flooring. So, let Gianna work on this a little bit. You're leaving, Abby? What did you guys get done today? Nothing. Nothing. Well, I need a lot of stuff done. You can see that. And remember, if it wasn't for the Abby
Lee Dance Company, I don't think any of you would be in LA right now. I need to see a lot more emotion from everyone. So, did Gianna get a ton of work done? Yes. I think it looks crazy good. But let's face it, the emotion needs work. I want the judges to feel something. I want people to be on the edge of their seats. So, Maddie, let's see what you have. Let's see what emotion you're going to give me. Can I say something? Do you remember when you found out the first person you ever knew
died, what you did? This is Miller. You have to think about it. Think about it. That's what you have to do. That's That's what actors do. They go back to some time in their life, and that's that's what makes them cry, not the lines that they're saying right then and there. We've been through so much this season. And what's worse is this might very well be our worst record in ALDC history. But you know what? I have faith in them, 100%. They're focused right now. They can do this. So much is riding on this week's
group dance. The ALDC team has won nationals several years in a row. And on top of that, Abby is opening up a studio in LA. But if you're trying to entice people to come to your new studio, you want to be at the absolute top of your game. So, I want our girls to do their absolute best and to wow the judges and pull out a win. Come on, guys. This is it. Season 5, it's been a rocky road. It's never an easy path that we take to get here. But maybe everything that we go
through, maybe it makes us stronger for the next time. We go out there, we do what the Abby Lee Dance Company is known for. That's coming to nationals and winning. Got it? Yes? All right. Let's go. Losing to Jeanette is not an option. The girls have to win. This is nationals. This is my reputation on the line. The group number, I expect them to be brilliant. Jeanette's team was very interesting. It's nationals. We've won all four times. Let's make the other team sweat. Tear drops fall on my wrist. Watch I lose touch and time stops.
Oh my god, I want to watch it again and again. It was so moving. I had goosebumps. There was people behind me in tears, crying. So, I think they did their job. I love you, guys. And in our overall small group category, in second place, The waiting room, Abby Lee Dance Company. Okay, we we I'm sorry, but girls we need to walk out. I'm done. It's embarrassing. I was just shocked. We can't win all the time, but I thought we definitely should have won with this one. First place 2015 Nationals champion Moving Target, BROADWAY DANCE
ACADEMY. DID EVERYONE PAY TO COME TO THIS OR WAS IT FREE? PAID. You paid to come to this? You should all make a line and demand your money back for your kids entrance fee as well as your fee to walk in here cuz this is a joke. The first moment that man opened his mouth, I knew this was a show and we were in big trouble. I cannot sit there one more second and have our work that we put in all year long, all season go down in flames like this. Let's go. That's crazy. When
you all leave, we've got something Very special to do away with. way. Go that way. Go that way. You can't move. Yes, they can. It's illegal. You can't hold children against their will in the state of California. I think Abby's lost her mind. Again. How do we get out? I told you this at the beginning of the season, don't behave this way. It's like come full circle. She walked out on a competition. And she took Jill, Melissa, Kira, who ever. I don't even know what they're walking out on. At this point, what's left? I don't
know. It's so sad after everything we've been through. We all left our families, we've traveled everywhere, and we're ending it like this? But once again, if we had a leader that was like, "Hey girls, it's okay. You know, we had a great year. We went to Australia, we Came to LA. You did music, you did television, you did acting. Don't think about this second place trophy. Think about the whole experience and that should be first overall in your life." That's what we're missing. We're missing that leader.
