Bittersweet | Dance Moms

ABBYGEDDON (s2 ep12)

This week, the team is in New York City—and Elizabeth is back. However, the mood is bittersweet as their aunt passed away shortly after her surgery.

"Come on, girls! Let's go!" Abby's voice echoed as the girls rushed into the bustling rental studio, filled with anticipation.

Since they were here for ballet, Virella had chosen a classic black leotard paired with soft, pink-beige tights. She had been tempted to wear her pointe shoes but decided against it, sticking with her flats for now.

Abby clapped her hands to get their attention. "Girls, this is the big time. We are here in New York City, the dance mecca of the world. Right here. I want you to take it all in."

For most of the girls, the excitement was palpable. For Virella, though, it wasn't as monumental. She'd been to NYC numerous times before for her work filming Jessie. Still, she listened as Abby continued her speech.

"Everybody you pass on the street probably took a dance lesson at some point in their life. Do you understand that? Yes? There are a lot of kids that win competitions, a lot of kids that get crowns on their heads, but only a handful make it in the industry. Remember that."

Abby then shifted her focus. "Now, let's talk about Michigan first. Elizabeth, I'm so glad you're back. But we are not going to win a group dance until everybody in this group is on the same level. When parts of the choreography are in unison, you all need to be in unison. That's what it means!"

Her tone sharpened. "It's not always about your solos. It's about the group, and you need to learn to dance as one! If you don't apply the corrections, you're not going to improve. And that's the issue." She paused before announcing, "Now, let's move on to the pyramid."

Abby unveiled the bottom row of the pyramid with a dramatic flair. "On the bottom is Paige. Did you correct the arms? Yes. Did you put the phone away? No," she said, shaking her head in disapproval.

Kelly, Paige's mom, interjected. "She gets no credit for doing her back tuck or her press or—"

"Credit?" Abby clapped mockingly, cutting her off.

"Next, Mackenzie," Abby continued. "You can improvise if you're early in the music during a solo, but when you do it in a trio without letting your partners know ahead of time, you made them look like idiots. You can't just go out there shaking it up."

"Next, Chloe," she said, her gaze narrowing. "Time to face the music. You forgot your routine. You're not seven anymore—you're ten, same as Virella. You can't make up your own thing and then wait to jump back into the music while 35 other dancers are doing it right. That's a pink slip. That's an unemployment line."

"Nia, you're next. You hurt your foot but worked through it, which is commendable. However, it's the technique. We tell you this over and over—it's up to you. Do you want to fix it? Do you want to make it better? Then you will."

"Lacey, you kept up with Maddie and Brooke, and it looked great. You were great. But we need to focus on straight legs, your face, and your feet. There's always room for improvement."

"Next is Brooke. Brooke, you did what you needed to do, as always. But you just do what's needed. I want to see more from you—push yourself."

"Maddie, you're next. Second overall in your solo, second in junior solos, second in duets/trios. What else can you get second in?" Abby said with a dramatic shrug, emphasizing her disappointment.

Finally, she revealed the top of the pyramid. "And on top, again, is Virella. Virella, I challenge you to keep winning your solos. You pick up choreography quickly, and you're always on top of things. Let's keep that momentum."