Relevant Background information:

Actors:
a person that fills a specific role in the community. An actor
is also known as someone that takes place in some type of
affair. The actors job is to entertain an audience of people
normally in a play, TV show, or movie.

Abby Miller: Abby is a middle aged woman that owns a dance studio known as Abby Lee Miller
Dance studio. This is where she claims to produce stars. As a dance teacher of a competition
teams she has formed relationships with the dancers that are sometimes good relationships and
often times not a healthy relationship. Abby fights for her dancers to be the best that they can be
but sometimes she doesnt use the best strategy to do so.
Maddie Ziegler: One of the young dancers that is featured on the show. She is commonly known
as one of the best dancers and Abbys favorite. Maddie performs many solos and is often the star
of the group routine.
Mackenzie Ziegler: The youngest dancer on the Abby Lee Miller Junior Elite team. Mackenzie
is often not put in the group dances due to her maturity level. Although she might not get as many
opportunities as her older sister she still strives to be the best she can be and grow as a dancer and
person.
Melissa Ziegler: The mom of Maddie and Mackenzie. According to Abby, Melissa is her
favorite mom. She is always helping out around the studio and even works at the front desk.
Sometimes the other moms dont get along with her because she is so close with Abby.
Chloe Lukasiak: Chloe is one of the older dancers on the show and definitely loves to dance.
She is often fighting for the top spot on the pyramid with Maddie. Chloe is very outgoing and
gets a long with everyone on the team.
Christi Lukasiak: Chloes mom. Christi is a very strong supporter of Chloe but not so much of
Abbys. Christi is normally in an argument with Abby and never seems to say the right thing.
Brooke Hyland: The most flexible of the team. Brooke is a very good dancer but also the oldest
of the team and is quickly losing interests in dancing. While in middle school Brooke tends to
find herself wanting to do more things with friends then show up to dance class. This doesnt
settle well with Abby.
Paige Hyland: Paige is Brookes little sister and one of the not as strong dancers on the team.
Paige works really hard to be a really good dancer but Abby is always finding a way to put her
down.
Kelly Hyland: Kelly is the mom of Brooke and Paige. Kelly has been going to the Abby Lee
Miller dance studio ever since she was a young girl. Abby and Kelly used to have a really good
relationship because they had known each other for so long, but after Kellys kids became older
their relationship changed. Abby and Kelly are often caught on camera fighting with one another
about even the smallest issues.
Nia Frazier: Nia has been dancing with Abby for a while and would never leave the studio. Even
though Nia isnt the best dancer on the team, Abby provides her with plenty of opportunities to
become a better dancer. Nia is very sweet and quite on the show.
Holly Frazier: Holly is the mom of Nia. Holly is a principal at a public school and the viewer
will most likely see her principal side come out while watching the series. Holly likes to control
what is going on. Being very authoritative Holly and Abby sometimes clash.

Dance Moms is a reality TV show that takes place in

Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. It consists of seven main
dancers and their moms. The show first aired on
Lifetime on July 13, 2011 and is currently in its sixth
season. Abby Lee Miller is the owner and she opened
the Abby Lee Dance Company when she was 14 years
old. The show focuses its attention on the competitive
dance season as the girls strive to get a national title.
Within the show the audience often sees the moms
become outrageously obsessed with their daughters
future, as they want to see it of course.

Figured World:
Large group that has specific rules and conventions
for appropriate behavior. There are many communities
of practice within the figured world.

Rules and conventions:

While Dance Moms focuses on the aspects of
competitive dancing, the studio in which the rehearsals
take place is a place of business. As a place of
business, throughout the show the audience sees the
challenges that take place while owning a dance studio.
The types of people that would watch a show such as
Dance Moms, would be the type of people that enjoy
watching and learning about the ins and outs of a
dancers life. The types of activities that an audience
member would see taking place on Dance Moms would
be dancing and arguing. Conventions that are seen
constantly would be arguing that takes place between
the moms or the moms and the coach. While arguing,
in the eyes of an audience member, would seem
unacceptable in the real world, Dance Moms makes
arguing and yelling acceptable. Some forms of
communication that are found acceptable would be
talking calmly, or yelling. The arguing or yelling would
be something that would be distracting in this place of
business. Something that would be found inappropriate
would be missing dance practice or a competition,
getting in an overwhelming argument with the coach,
or one of the dancers moms act out. The various
communities of practice that I expect to find while
observing Dance Moms are dancers, young teenagers,
and young moms.

Artifacts:
physical objects, emotions, and ideas that have cultural significance within a
specific figured world or community of interest.

The studio:
The dance studio in Pittsburg is an artifact because it is what all the girls are
used to. Abby Lee Millers studio is what the girls featured on the show refer to
as home. It is their comfort place and they always look forward to being
back after a long weekend out of town for competition.
Competitions:
this would be an artifact because without the competitions there would be no
arguments or problems in the studio. Going to competitions is part of the
moms, girls, and Abbys lifes so without the consistency of competing there
would be no story line.

Communities of Practice:
a group of people in a figured world that often share the same interests, ways of
communication, and practices.
The dancers: This would be a community of practice because the dancers are
always together on the show. Each one of the girls acts like each others sister making them
inseparable. They are always coming together to support one another and help make going to
dance practice a good time.
The moms: The group of moms is definitely a community of practice because each
episode the moms sit upstairs to watch their children in the studio. While they are up stairs they

are constantly discussing the ins and outs of the competition that week, or just the
latest gossip.
Literary Practices:
Ways of community that are written and/or spoken. This consists of communication
through body language, texting, talking face to face, and more.
Dancing: Dancing would have to be the biggest literary practice on Dance Moms. This is
because dancing is the way in which the girls develop relationships with one another and discover
strengths and weaknesses within the team.

Conflict: There is always some sort of conflict going on within the group of moms. It
has been made to be a way of how the show works and operates. Without the conflict there
would be no reason to keep watching the show other than to see the dancers.
Facial Expressions: Throughout the show the audience sees the dancers and the
moms make faces, which indicate how they are feeling. Without the facial expressions there
would not be as much conflict because normally the facial expressions seen are things such as
rolling of the eyes, frowning, and many more. Facial expressions are considered a way of

communication.

Domain:

Interview

questions:

Being a dance studio owner, discuss

how you can relate to Abby Lee
Miller.
As a dance teacher and
owner, I can relate to Abby in a
couple of ways. Some of the ways
would include knowing how to
regulate a dance studio, how to teach
the dancers, and what to teach the
dancers. While I am a dance teacher
and so is Abby Lee, we have very
different ways of teaching but I can
relate to her only because I play the
same role as her.
What is something that you
have seen on Dance Moms that has
happened in your studio?
Something that I often see in
my studio that I also see on Dance
Moms is parents that will complain
about there childs placement in a
class or in a specific dance. This really
bothers me as a dance teacher/studio
owner because I focus on the childs
ability level and then place them in a
class. The parents shouldnt complain
that their child has been placed in a class
that is at their technical level.

is what the group is focusing on and what their goals as a group are. This
helps each member of the group learn from one another to better themselves
Getting a solo each week: Each week Abby creates a pyramid based on the
performances of the previous competition and based on that pyramid
determines who will be doing a solo the next week and so on. The girls are
always trying their hardest to get to the top of the pyramid. Getting a solo, the
next week is something all the girls wish for and each dancer helps their
teammates to become better dancers.
Winning a national title: All year each dancer works hard to get to preform a
solo in the national competition at the end of the season. The team as a whole
also pushes each other to perform their best in the group routine so the team
can win a national title. With out having nationals at the end of each season
there would be no goals for the team.
Practices of the Community: Ways of community that are written and/or
spoken. It is how the group reaches a specific goal.
Riding the Bus to Competition: The team always takes a bus to get
to the competition for that weekend. This is where all the girls come together
to really support each other before getting on stage. They will listen to music
to get them pumped up, they sing to get out all their worries, and they have a
good time before they have to be serious about the dances they are about to
perform.
Pyramid: Pyramid is something that takes place each week. This is
when Abby ranks the girls from how well they performed at the previous
competition. It is not only about how they danced but their attitudes all week,
as well as their moms. There are normally three rows of the pyramid,
consisting of 4 on the bottom, 3 in the middle, and one on the top. Each
dancer strives to be on the top of the pyramid each week. The pyramid would
be a community of practice because it always takes place at the beginning of
every episode and it is something that is will always happen.

Dance Moms is a reality TV show tell me how the show differs from an ordinary dance studio.
Dance Moms differs from an ordinary dance studio because it is not always that crazy in a normal studio. Most studios
do not do a pyramid every week, in order to rank their dancer. Most dance studios award their dancers with a solo, or special
recognition when they deserve it but they dont put them down.
Tell me about a time when you had conflict with a dance mom.
Once there was a mom whose daughter was placed in a lower level ballet class, in the beginning of the year, but all her
friends were placed in the higher level. The dancer was very disappointed that she was not going to get to dance with all her
aged friends, so the mom took it to extremes. The mom came to the studio and threatened me with dropping from the studio and
not recommending the studio to anyone. It was very sad to think that just because her daughter was not experienced to be in that
ballet class that she would not want to go to the studio anymore. Eventually the daughter realized that being in the class was the
best thing for her, so she stayed at the studio and moved up to the advanced level the next year.

Tell me what stands out to you in Abbys teaching method.

What stands out to me about Abbys teaching method is that she would rather sit and yell at the dancers rather than get
up to actually show the dancers how to do it the right way. I find it better to be interactive with my students instead of sitting
and watching.

Observation 1:
Diva Las Vegas Season 3, Episode
35
1:21: The
moms of the dancers

come into the studio to talk to Abby
about the previous weeks competition. In
the conversation the moms confront Abby about why she was not at the competition to support the girls. Jill,
Kendals mom, thinks that Abby is not supporting the girls as much as she should be and is concerned that
Abby will not be at nationals for the girls. Abby tells the moms that she shouldnt have to be at the competitions
when the moms put her in bad situations. Abby talks about how at the previous competition Kelly draws
negative attention to the team when she walked into the theatre.
3:30: The girls joined the moms and Abby to talk about this weeks competition. Holly, Nias mom,
interrupts and asks Abby how she planned on making the pyramid considering she wasnt at the last 2
competitions to gather information on the girls performance. Paige gets put on the bottom of the pyramid
because she needs to technically improve. Brooke was next on the pyramid because she was fourth in a previous
competition. Nia was next because her body hasnt matured. Kendal was next on the pyramid because her
emotions are not enough when she is dancing on stage. Mackenzie was next on the pyramid because she will
not be at the competition this week and has made too many careless mistakes lately. Asia was paced next on the
pyramid because she and Mackenzie won in their division for their duet, also because Asia has made a lot of
progress in the last few weeks. Maddie was placed second on the pyramid because she is such a good dancer
she cant be placed on the top every single week. Lastly, Chloe was placed on the top of the pyramid because
she won first overall in the competition with her solo. Abby announces that they will be competing at Power
House Dance competition. Asia will be performing a solo, Kendall also will be performing a solo, Brooke and
Paige also will have solos.
11:20: At this point in the show the 7 girls are rehearsing their dance that they will be doing for the
competition that weekend. Abby is constantly correcting them on pointing their feet, straightening their legs,
and much more. When Abby starts to dismiss them from practice she says No sun and no fun.
12:00: The scene of the show changes from the actual studio to the lobby where the moms are
conversing and Kelly, Brooke and Paiges mom, gets a phone call. The phone call is from Brookes music
producer saying that Brooke has been asked to be on a local TV show. Kelly gets off the phone and proceeds to
tell the other moms about the opportunity Brooke has been provided with and they are all so happy from
Brooke. They are all happy until Kelly announces that Brooke would have to miss practice before the
competition, which could result in bringing the team down during the actual competition. Holly agrees with
Kelly that she has to take these kinds of risks if she wants to become more known.
13:00: (In dance studio) Paige begins her solo rehearsal with Ricky Palomino, a Guest choreographer.
Ricky is teaching Paige a contemporary styled routine. Abby talks about this being Paiges first solo in a really
long time and she will have to work really hard to place well at the competition. Paige then talks about how she
is really nervous for the competition because she isnt used to Rickys style.
15:00: (Lobby of the dance studio with moms): Paige comes to talk to her mom and they discuss how
her rehearsal went. Paige also tells the moms that it is easier to learn a dance from Ricky rather than Abby

because he is more positive. The show then shows flash backs off all the times that Abby has put down Paige
and Kelly talks about how she doesnt remember the last time Paige smiled during a dance rehearsal.
15:15: (In dance studio) Brookes rehearsal has just started with Ricky as well and Abby is watching.
Abby talks about how this dance will be a challenge for Brooke. Brooke talks about how stressed she is doing
this dance. Ricky tries to help Brooke with the dance by relating the theme of the dance back to her life.
17:00: Asias solo rehearsal has started and she is learning a jazz routine choreographed by Abby. (On
the way to Brookes News Interview) Kelly and Brooke are on the way to the news station and Kelly is talking
about what a great opportunity this is for Brooke. They soon arrive at the News station and Brooke is very
nervous. Eventually they go into the interview and discuss the singing album that Brooke produced.
20:00: (Back in the studio lobby): Paige is practicing by herself while the other girls are waiting to show
Abby their solos. Paige finds Abby intimidating so she wants to do really well on her dance before going to
competition. The girls all show Abby their dances, in front of their moms. It is Paiges turn but she feels like she
cant breathe so her mom takes her out into the hall to see whats going on. Paige begins to cry about how
scared she is of Abby and how she doesnt like her.
24:00-30:00: The whole team arrives at the competition but Abby is nowhere to be found. Abby went to
a different hotel before coming to the competition. Paige is really nervous for the competition. Abby arrives and
all the girls doing a solo are ready to perform. Kendall goes on stage to perform her solo. Abby talks about how
the routine was very strong in the beginning but it went downhill. Asia comes out to perform her solo and her
mother is very confident she will win. Asia thinks that she did really well during her routine. Brooke is up next.
Abby didnt think Brooke did very well. Kelly gives Paige a pep talks before she goes on stage but Paige is very
nervous to get see how Abby reacts. Paige forgot her dance and Abby was very upset. Paige ran off stage crying
to find her mom waiting for her. Abby leaves the theatre telling the audience that that was not her dancer. Abby
goes back into the dressing room and gets in an argument with Kelly. Kelly begins to cry because of how awful
Abby treats Brooke and Paige. The girls get ready for the group routine. Abby thought the group routine was
really good and has high hope that they will win. The girls go to awards and receive great awards.

Observation two:
Do-Si-Do and Do-Si-Dont Season
3, Episode 36

2:00: In the studio

where Abby is

about to do the pyramid for this
coming week. On the bottom of
the pyramid was Mackenzie because she
was not in attendance for the previous
competition. Next on the pyramid was Paige due to her forgetting her solo at the competition that they attended
last week. After Paige on the pyramid was Brooke because Abby felt like the dance did not show off all her
talent that she has. Nia was next on the pyramid. She was put there because in the group dance she turned the
wrong way and that mistake stood out to Abby. Next on the Pyramid is Kendall, this is because she did a solo in
the previous competition and Abby said she blew her chance to dance at nationals. Second on the pyramid was
Chloe. Abby put Chloe second on the pyramid because Abby thinks she is flying under the radar with her
dancing. On the very top of the pyramid was Maddie because she stood out in the group dance and won first
overall in her category. After announcing the order of the pyramid Abby announced that the team would be
traveling to Buffalo, NY for Intensity Dance Competition. The group dance they team will be performing is
called Country Cutie. Aside from the group dance Mackenzie will be doing a solo, Maddie and Kendall have
a duet, and Chloe and Asia have a duet. Abby then tells the group that Dance Spirit Magazine will be coming to
interview a dancer for one day. They chose to interview Maddie.

10:00: The setting is at Maddie, Mackenzie, and Melissas house and Dance Spirit magazine is there to
interview Maddie. After the interviewers showed up at Maddies house Jill wanted to get Kendall featured in
the interview so she brought Kendall to Melissas house. Melissa knew exactly what Jill wanted to do so
Melissa was annoyed that they stopped by before dance.
13:00: Back at the studio the girls are getting ready for rehearsal, while Dance Spirit magazine is talking
to the moms about why only Maddie got interviewed. All of the moms were very disappointed that their girls
did not get to be in the interview. They asked the interviewers why they only chose Maddie and their response
was that Abby only wanted Maddie to be featured. This made all the moms mad at Abby.
15:00: The moms are all up in the viewing room. The moms were asking Melissa questions about what
they wanted Maddie to be interviewed for and much more. Christi spoke up and said that Maddie is no where
close to a normal kid and that she gets treated differently than everyone else. Kelly speaks up to say that the
interview is more about control rather than the actual dancer.
15:38: While the interviewers are taking pictures at practice Abby is actually standing up and doing the
dances with the girls, instead of sitting around to yell at all the girls mistakes. The moms talk and laugh about
how Abby never does actually helps the girls. Soon the girls are told they can leave practice.
16:14: The interviewers finally left the studio. Abby calls in Maddie and Kendall for their duet
rehearsal. They are doing a contemporary dance. The beginning of the dance is Maddie by herself and Abby
wants to see of Kendall can keep up with Maddie. Abby called Jill to come down into the studio, she tells Jill
that Kendall needs to work really hard to look as good as Maddie. Jill reassures Abby that Kendall will rise to
the occasion this made Abby very frustrated so she yelled at Jill to get out of the studio.
19:13: Abby makes it clear to the girls that she will be judging them for who gets to do a solo at
nationals. The moms begin to talk about what there is to do in Buffalo, NY. They also think that the group
dance doesnt have much potential to win at the competition. While most of the moms are concerned with the
group routine, Jill is only concerned with Kendall and Maddies duet. Christi thinks that with Maddie and
Kendalls duet Abby is trying to get rid of Chloe.
20:32: After rehearsing with Maddie and Kendall Abby calls all the moms into the studio. She gets all
the moms to watch the group dance to see who knows the dance and who doesnt. Abby tells the girls about
what they have done wrong and what they look bad doing. The moms dont think that the dance looks good
either. Abby tells Chloe that she did a really good job at nationals last year and that she should have a good
chance this year. Chloe and Asia rehearse their dance and Asias mom doesnt like the duet they have. Abby
starts rehearsing with Mackenzie and she is encouraging Mackenzie to do well so she can do a solo at nationals.
Melissa talks about how worried she is about Mackenzie doing her solo and having a featured part in the group
routine.
25:50: The team arrives in Buffalo, NY on their bus. Abby says she is going to be watching every move.
The girls are all in the dressing room doing their hair and make up and then the girls some out in their costumes.
Melissa discusses how Mackenzie has to win at the competition or she has no chance at nationals. Mackenzie
performs hers solo and the crowd loves her routine. Mackenzie says she thinks she did really well. Chloe and
Asia perform their duet. Abby thought that the duet was rough around the edges.
30:29: The girls are back in the dressing room where Kendall and Maddie are practicing their duet.
Abby starts yelling at Kendall about her posture and Melissa gets defensive because she cant help Kendalls
body physique.

Observation three:
The Big, Not So, Easy Season 3,
Episode 37

1:19: The
team is in New
Orleans for Nationals. The girls
got into the studio and lined up
for pyramid. Paige ended up on the bottom
of the pyramid because she didnt tuck
enough in the group routine. Next on the pyramid is Nia because she was strong in the partnering but her feet
and knees werent good enough. Brooke is net on the pyramid because her head piece fell off during the group
routine. Kendall comes next on the pyramid, with Payton next. Payton is a new girl on the team just for this
week, so they have more members on the team for nationals. After Payton on the pyramid, is Chloe because
Abby thinks that she was a better dancer two years ago. Asia is above Chloe on the pyramid because she looked
better than Chloe in the duet but she didnt look very strong in the group routine. Next on the pyramid is
Mackenzie because was the overall high score in the mini division. At the top of the pyramid was Maddie
because her and Kendall got overall high score in their category.
4:18: Abby announces what type of dances they will be performing at Nationals. The group routine will
be a tribute to the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Everyone gets to learn a solo for nationals. Payton and
Brooke will be learning the same choreography, Chloe and Kendall will be learning the same choreography,
Mackenzie and Asia will learn the same choreography. Nia, Paige, and Maddie will all be learning the same
choreography. The girls will fight to be the best they can be to do a solo at nationals.
6:27: The girls begin rehearsing the group number and Abby explains the meaning of the dance to the
girls. The moms talk about the competition that they have this weekend. A rival from their home town, Candy
Apples Dance Center, is going to be at nationals too and Abby is scared of them beating her company.
8:16: The scene changes to the Candy Apples Dance center where Cathy, owner, introduces the
choreographer that they have for nationals. They will be doing a contemporary routine that is a very difficult
piece.
9:26: Back at Abbys studio, Christi is complaining about not knowing who the soloists are going to be
for this weeks competition. Christi tells Paytons mom that it is not fair that Payton could get a solo when she
hasnt been on the team. Mackenzie and Asia start to learn their solo by starting with improve but Mackenzie
doesnt know how to improve on the spot. Kendall and Chloe learned their choreography. Jill recognizes that
the choreography is more made for Chloe rather than Kendall. Payton and Brooke only have two days to learn
their choreography because they are the oldest girls on the team. Nia, Paige, and Maddie all learn the dance but
all the moms know that Maddie will definitely get the solo because she is Abbys favorite. Christi tells the
moms that Abby only cares about Maddies solo. Paytons mom and Christi get heated with each other about
Maddie being the best dancer. Paytons mom decides to tell Melissa that Christi was talking bad about Maddie.
16:33: The moms take a night out for themselves and go to a bar in New Orleans. Bourbon street is
where the moms went and they brought voodoo dolls of Abby to throw off the balcony. After a few drinks
Asias mom announces that Asia will not be dancing with the Abby Lee Dance Company after his weekends
competition. The moms went down stairs and Christi starts yelling at Paytons mom. They end up having a fight
in the middle of Bourbon street.
20:11: The next day the moms talk about the fight the night before and it ends up turning into an
argument again. Asias mom yells at Christi about her being a drunk and not being able to control herself.
Asias mom decides to leave with Asia because she can not deal with all of the drama.

23:00: Abby calls the moms to talk about the fight that happened the previous night. Christi explains
how they were not representing the Abby Lee Dance Company but Abby disagrees. Abby tells Christi and
Paytons mom that they have to leave due to their fight. She would rather have 3 dancers missing rather than
seeing their faces one more second.
24:20: The scene changes to the Candy Apples Dance Company where they are rehearsing their group
routine for he upcoming weekend. Kathy gives suggestions to the choreographer to help the team look better.
25:39: Abby explains to the girls what happened and begins to re-block the dance because they are
missing three dancers now. She tells Kendall that she would be doing a solo, Mackenzie will be doing a solo,
and Maddie will be doing her solo. Brooke was told even though Payton was not there she would not be
performing the solo.
27:09: The Abby Lee Dance Company arrives at the competition. The Candy Apples Dance Company
showed up soon after. Abby is excited to see how the team places. She downgrades the Candy Apples because
she knows her dancers are much better than them. Kathy goes to her dressing room and talks about how Abbys
team was missing multiple dancers. Abby tells Mackenzie that she has to win or she can leave, while she is
talking to Mackenzie, Kathy interrupts and says no coaching at competition. Mackenzie does her solo and it
Abby was so proud of her. Melissa says it was the best she has ever seen Mackenzie dance Next on stage is
Kendall with a musical theatre dance. Jill was so proud of Kendall. Maddie did her dance and did very well.
The Group danced next and it was one of the best pieces Abby had ever seen her girls perform.