‘It’s in Spite of Her’: The ‘Dance Moms’ Cast Reflects on the Show and Where They Are Now
All of them have grown up now and are living their own lives outside of dance
Get up and get on the floor, because Woman’s World has gathered up all the must-know details on what the original cast of Dance Moms has been up to since they left The Abby Lee Dance Company (ALDC). Some of them have published books, whereas others have graduated from college or are engaged. To find out who’s who, keep reading.
Abby Lee Miller
Abby Lee Miller was the head coach of the ALDC’s Junior Elite Competition Team, which was the show’s central focus. She was mean, constantly got into fights with the mothers and caused a lot of drama, both on and off screen.
In 2015, she was arrested for bankruptcy fraud and illegally transporting foreign currency into the US. She was found guilty of these charges in 2017 and spent 8 ½ months in jail. Upon her release, she was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and had to have surgery on her spine. The cancer is now believed to be gone; however, she can no longer walk.
“I’m more than grateful. I’m thankful. I was always grateful but I think I must say ‘Thank you’ a hundred times a day, because I have to rely on strangers; someone to open the door, someone to get the hanger off the rack at the department store, someone to pick up my phone if I drop it,” she told People in 2019.
She is 59, has never been married and is still very active on social media and in the dance world.
Melissa Gisoni and her daughters Maddie and Mackenzie Ziegler
Melissa, Maddie and Mackenzie were some of Miller’s favorites on the show. They always got special treatment, and Maddie was usually one of the girls at the top of the famous pyramid.
“My thought process when I was younger, through my dance teacher, was, like, ‘You have to be the best. If you don’t win, you’re not good,’” Maddie said on Emily Ratajkowski’s podcast, High Low, in 2023. “When I was working on the show, I was seen as the lead dancer or the most well-treated dancer. Looking back—and a lot of people have started to say this — it’s like, ‘Well, she actually had the most pressure on her,’ because she [Abbey] was, like, ‘You’re my golden girl, so you have to lead everyone to victory every time,’ which is just not sustainable.”
Since leaving Dance Moms, Maddie, age 22, has acted in things like Austin & Ally (2015), Pretty Little Liars (2015) and West Side Story (2022). She is also constantly posting on social media with her sister, Mackenzie, who is 21 years old and currently pursuing a music career.
Their mother, Gisoni, has been married to her husband Greg since 2013 and currently hosts a podcast entitled Pillowtalk with some of the other mothers.
Christi and Chloe Lukasiak
Christi Lukasiak was one of the most iconic dance moms on the show, thanks to her hilarious one-liners and enduring drama. She also has a daughter named Chloe, whom Miller constantly screamed at for not being as good as Maddie.
“For me, there’s a lot less wanting to reconcile and wanting to talk. I have a life of peace now, and I have a successful career now and it’s in spite of her, not because of her,” Chloe told Entertainment Tonight of Miller in 2024. “
Chloe is now 24 years old and lives in New York City, working as both an author and an influencer. She is dating professional skateboarder Brooklinn Khoury.
Chrisiti, on the other hand, is still back in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she hosts two different Dance Moms-themed podcasts. She is married and has one other child.
Kelly, Brooke and Paige Hyland
Kelly, Brooke and Paige were fan favorites on the show before they left in Season 4 after Kelly’s physical fight with Miller.
“We both wanted to get off the show, so I think we feel bad that our mom is holding that guilt,” Paige told Entertainment Tonight in April 2024. “We look at her as an amazing mom who was fighting to do what we wanted.”
Paige is now 24 and works as a model and a social media influencer. Brooke is 27 and also works as a social media influencer. She just recently got engaged.
Their mom, Kelly, is 54 and still lives in Pennsylvania. She was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago but is now in remission. Kelly hosts two dance-themed podcasts and remains close friends with Christi.
Dr. Holly Frazier and Nia Sioux
Dr. Holly and her daughter Nia were people that fans loved because of how smart they were. Holly was always someone who fought with Miller for stereotyping her daughter, and Nia was always seen as the underdog who was never respected as a dancer. Despite this, though, the Fraziers were the only mother-daughter combo that remained on the show for all seven seasons.
“I always say that I’m grateful for it [the show],” Nia said, per Entertainment Tonight. “It’s where I came from. It’s how I got my start. It’s the reason why I have such an amazing life now, truly.”
Nia is a singer, actress, model and a very strong advocate for mental health awareness and social justice. She is 23 years old and recently announced that she would be publishing a memoir entitled Bottom on Pyramid in November of this year.
Her mom, Holly, is 55 and still lives in Pennsylvania, working as a lifestyle influencer.
Cathy and Vivi-Anne Stein
In Season 1 of Dance Moms, Cathy and her daughter, Vivi-Anne, were members of the Abby Lee Dance Company. However, after learning that they didn’t like Miller’s teaching style, they soon left and returned to Ohio to continue their work at Candy Apples Dance Center.
Since then, however, Cathy and Miller have reconciled and formed a friendship. She is now 66 and still owns Candy Apples Dance Center.
Vivi-Anne is 20 and a student at Cleveland State and is also a member of the dance team.
Jill and Kendall Vertes
Jill and Kendall might not have been original members, but let’s be honest, the show wouldn’t be the same without them—and Jill’s hat.
“I’ve definitely learned a lot from my past with Dance Moms competing,” Kendall told E! News in May 2024. “I’ve learned a lot of different experiences from Abby, and I’ve tried to incorporate that into my college dance team. It’s definitely helped a lot.”
Kendall is now 22 years old and recently graduated from James Madison University. Her mom, Jill, is 59 and has two other children. She also hosts a Dance Moms podcast with Christi, Kelly and Melissa.
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