On the Just B with Bethenny Frankel podcast aired May 9, Abby Lee Miller, the formidable former coach of the Abby Lee Dance Company, expressed her thoughts on why she was not included in Lifetime’s Dance Moms: The Reunion, which premiered on May 1.
Insight Into Her Absence
Miller believes that the difficulties faced by her former students, Brooke and Paige Hyland in particular, would be too confronting were she to attend. I think the kids can’t face me because they know they would never be where they are today if it wasn’t for the show,
she stated emphatically.
The narrative Miller offers is steeped in her complex relationships with her students and their families. She reflects on the deep emotional ties with the Hyland family, recounting their long history. There’s two little girls named Brooke and Paige Hyland who I was very close to, much closer emotionally and family wise than any of the other kids. Their mother was in my original competition team when I was 14 years old ‖ and she stayed at my studio,
she detailed.
Resisting Negative Portrayals
Miller also critiqued how she has been portrayed in media, asserting that her methods were misinterpreted for dramatic effect. And what you don’t read, what you don’t read that Lifetime didn’t want anyone to know. They wanted me to be this down and out, po-dunk, heavy set dance teacher, screaming at these little kids because that made good TV,
confessed Miller, revealing her dissatisfaction with how the reality show depicted her.
The coach credits herself with significant achievements over her career, claiming influence over numerous young talents’ careers on and off Broadway. I have had kids from Pittsburgh in 25 Broadway shows. Did you read that anywhere? 25 Broadway shows,
remarked Miller proudly.
A Contemplative Future
In reflecting on the impact of ‘Dance Moms’ on her career and relationships, Miller pondered a future where peace might be found with those who felt wronged under her tutelage. As debates around her teaching style continue, so too does the complex legacy of a woman who perhaps changed the dance world indelibly.
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