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Exclusive “Dance Moms” party pics of Chloe, Christi, Clara, Nia, Holly and Paige!

June 14, 2012 | By Lori Acken
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Dance Moms fans, lest you worry that it’s all work and stress and no play for our Pitt Crew ladies, big and small, we’ve got the adorable photos to prove otherwise! Courtesy of Dance Moms‘ own Christi Lukasiak, here are exclusive shots from Chloe’s and Nia’s joint birthday celebration last weekend, complete with Nia’s cuddly surprise gift, a peek at Kelly’s cute son Josh, precious pictures of Chloe’s little sister Clara — and a bonus Dance Moms Fashion Moment! The birthday girls: The birthday girls with Paige: “NIA GOT A DOG for her birthday! Big concession by Dr. [...]

“Dance Moms” recap: You’re (Un)dead to Me!

June 13, 2012 | By Lori Acken
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So, Dance Moms Nation, did everyone go out and buy themselves a bike-a-tard to futz with since we hung out last? No? Me either. I wanted to, but apparently bike-a-tards are not appropriate office attire, even when all you do is write about TV. Even if you dress it up with a jacket and some pumps. Um, if any of you try that, could you please take a picture and Tweet it to me? @ChannelGuideLLA On with the episode. Abby is clearly not over the general disaster that was last week’s trip to Cali because she gets on the girls [...]

“Dance Moms” finale recap: Behind Barres

April 4, 2012 | By Lori Acken
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And so it ends … with another come-from-behind triumph for Chloe, a day of reckoning for Abby, an applause-worthy lecture from Dr. Holly and a ballet instructor who looks like Robert Goulet. But, it doesn’t end for long, since all-new eps will be back in June — and so will Abby despite her tearstained little hissy-pissy tonight. Mark my words. We ended last season — and several episodes this season — thinking Maddie and Mac might not be back, and there they were without a mention of The Troubles come the season 2 premiere. We may see Abby being fanned [...]

“Dance Moms” recap: There’s Just One Me In Team

March 28, 2012 | By Lori Acken
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Does anyone else besides me remember how we were feeling when we reached the eleventh episode of Season 1? The Maddie-versus-Chloe showdown had reached a fever pitch, with the two duking it out onstage in a stunner of a Black Swan duet, battling for solo supremacy, and about to face off in the competition of their lives. No, not Nationals. Noooo, not for a spot in the Joffrey ballet school. Not even for the top of the all-hallowed pyramid. Nay, they were throwing down for a spot in a music video for a girl named Lux! Turns out we were talking [...]

“Dance Moms” recap: Bra Ma Bull

March 7, 2012 | By Lori Acken
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I actually lost sleep last night thinking up titles for this episode’s blog, for there was so much from which to choose — not the least of which of was Cathy proclaiming her husband “The Sausage King of Canton.” “My Beef With Jerkies” was a close runner-up. But for all the hoopla with “Chloe In The Dried-Meat Cat Suit” — easily Cathy’s biggest vengeance victory yet — it was pretty hard to ignore the “I See London, I See France-tastic”-ness of those “Topless Showgirl” outfits Abby dreamed up for the group dance. Which — if you’ve been watching Dance Moms [...]

“Dance Moms” recap: Faux Weddings and a Funeral

February 29, 2012 | By Lori Acken
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Does this mean we can be done with shows about Jill now? That Kendall can dance, happily, supported, victorious and unhindered by her mother’s ego? That Nia can dance happily and supported, victorious and unpunished for her mother’s work-life balance? That this show can actually become an eensy-peensy bit about dance again instead of the low blows of high-heeled moms? I’m guessing no on all accounts, but a girl can dream. Because I want my old Dance Moms back. The ones who ultimately played yakky but reasonably harmless second fiddles to their joyfully dancing daughters. I want to believe that at least [...]

“Dance Moms” recap: She Cried With Her Boots On

February 15, 2012 | By Lori Acken
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We learned something right out of the gate, didn’t we, Dance Moms Nation?! We learned that the floors in Abby Lee’s studios cost a whopping $68,000. Thus, like the dancers upon them, they are precious and heels are not allowed. Naturally, Jill shows up in gray suede boots with not-allowed heels. It’s OK, she tells Abby Lee because she’s standing on her toes. Rules dribble off Jill like water off a duck, but Abby lets it slide for now, ‘cause she’s got stuff on her mind. Namely this week’s competition, which is Dance Explosion in Secaucus, NJ. It will be riddled [...]

“Dance Moms” recap: Privates ’n’ Benjamins

February 8, 2012 | By Lori Acken
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We begin with this episode with a field trip, Dance Mom Nation! Because Brooke has invited Abby out for tea and creme puffs at a place that looks like a dollhouse and is called “Flowers In The Attic.” I’m going to take a momentary pause here for those of you in my age demographic to skeeve out over the part where someone in Pittsburgh felt compelled to name their posey-shop-slash-café after the 1979 V.C. Andrews novel that made catastrophic familial dysfunction a middle-school must-read and caused us all to be just slightly nervous about our mothers and grandmas for a [...]

“Dance Moms” recap: Brooke turns away

January 25, 2012 | By Lori Acken
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Considering how well the gang did against the Candy Apples on the Apples’ home turf last week, you’d think everybody would be in a better mood ’round the ol’ Abby Lee Dance Studio. Not so. After Abby Lee demands the girls and Moms give themselves a big round of applause for indeed making the Apples into applesauce, the mood turns somber again. We’re going back to Starbound in New Jersey, but this time we’re going as National Champs. So let’s start on a high note and begin the journey with the Pyramid of Doom. First up in the bottom row [...]

“Dance Moms” recap: Return of the Candy Apples

January 18, 2012 | By Lori Acken
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Forgive me, Dance Mom Nation, for I am an episode behind, having been sequestered at a hotel in Pasadena covering the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour. I’m all caught up now and will recap the premiere (I think. Eventually.), but in the interest of staying current, let’s forge ahead with last night’s humdinger, “Return of the Candy Apples.” • Watch “Return of the Candy Apples and other full episodes of Dance Moms online Before I dive in, let me issue a correction to early posts in which I said Brooke and MacKenzie did not return for this second season. [...]