Never Second [Dance Moms]

The Competition Begins

(Season 1, Episode 1)

It's a new day at the Abby Lee Dance company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the first day of the dance season and the first day of filming for their new reality show "Dance Moms". Well...at this point, it was still considered a documentary in the cast's eyes. Everyone was nervous. Robyn didn't like the idea of camera's following her and her children's ever move, but Abby thought it would be a great boost to their career, especially Nini's. For the sake of this, Robyn kept on a brave face as a way to keep her girls from worrying.

Robyn parks the car and turns to her daughters in the backseat. "Ready girls?"

"I don't know, I'm kind of scared mommy. Layla says, sucking her thumb. Robyn leans closer and stokes her cheek. "There's nothing to be afraid of  baby." She strikes her daughter's cheek and gives a gentle smile. "Kenzie will be there too and you'll keep each other lots of company."

After hearing Mackenzie's name she perks up and quickly unbuckles her seat. Layla and Kenzie have been best friends since they were babies. They were really close and she was excited to see her best friend again.

Before Robyn can say anything else, Nini was already outside the car and getting her duffle from the trunk. She was way too excited to get to dance.

"Mommy, Layla hurry! We're going to be late!" Nini jumps up and down. Her mom laughs as she and Layla exit the car. "Baby girl calm down. The studio isn't going anywhere."

"I know mommy, but I'm still so excited!" Robyn shakes her head in amusement. She holds her daughter's hands as the enter the white building. The trio was immediately shocked by the camera men and the producers around the studio. It was a new sight to see and Robyn realized that this was their new reality.

The woman smiles and greets Abby. "Hello Ab! How are you!" She hugs the woman.

"Hi honey, how are you." The older woman smiles as the two girls run behind the desk to greet her. She hugs them both and kisses Nini on the head. "Hi girls! Look at you!"

"Miss Abby I won so much last season!" Nini says turning her chin up with pride. "I know, I saw and I'm really proud of you!"

"Thank you!" The child giggles. After Robyn had a bit of small talk with Abby, the trio made their way into class.
~

The girls race to hug Nini and Layla as they entered the room. "Nico, I missed you!" Maddie clings to the taller girl. She giggles. "I missed you too!" As soon as the hugging was done, they sat together in the middle of the room with Layla sitting on Brooke's lap as Nini sat between Maddie and Chloe, holding their hands.

The girls sat up straight as Abby walked in. Brooke slowly moved the five year old off her lap, knowing that Abby would definitely have a problem with that.

"All right, girls, it's the first day of rehearsal for the new competition season."

Abby starts.

"Ladies, you all know why you're here. You are the cream of the crop in your age group, and I have
lots of new ideas in store. I am going to do something that no other studio in the country does." She continues.
"Every single competition... we are doing a new routine."

The girls all nervously look at their mothers who were lined up by the wall.

-
Robyn: That is...insane. How are they going to learn new dances within a week? I think that Abby sometimes forgets that these are children and not machines. Other studios learn for at least six months.
-

"Uh‐uh‐uh‐uh." Abby snaps her fingers

"Girls, don't look
at your mothers. I am the coach, I am the teacher."