Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition recap: Cirque du No Way!

And we’re down to the final four on this week’s Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition! Abby even knows who she’d pick for a winner — a dancer with Amanda’s feet, Brianna’s strength, Asia’s face and Madison’s leaps and turns. But given that no such creature exists, let’s get on with the competition.

This week, the challenge is balance. The theme is The Circus. And the product placement is Paramount’s only-in-theaters 3D movie experience Cirque du Soleil’s World’s Away — which the girls are going to be the very first people to get a peek at. But this isn’t just a special treat for making it to the Final Fabulous Four. Abby wants the girls to study what the dancers do well and learn from it.

Then comes the special treat. The winner of the challenge will receive — courtesy of Cirque du Soleil — 2 plane tickets, hotel accommodations and an invitation to attend the world premiere of the film in New York City.

Then comes the special prop — a balance beam. A little feller, maybe half a foot off the floor. Asia says she’s going to do a-mazing because she knows the balance beam and the other girls don’t. Turns out, that’s actually the case — Asia is the only trained gymnast in the room. Plus, she has the lowest center of gravity. I wonder if Kristie has already headed back to her hotel room to pack for NYC. Nope. She’s still there. Beaming about the guest choreographer being from Brittany Spears’ Circus Tour. Enh. Get it? Circus Tour choreographer for Circus week. Good one, AUDC.

The choreographer’s name is Shannon Beach. And Shannon Beach only has 20 minutes to teach the girls the Dance of Happy Travels. The girls look completely unnerved by that. Despite Asia’s comfort with the prop, even Kristie’s worried that the short timeframe coupled with Asia’s natural tendency to be one beat behind on the choreo could cause her to, uh, fall short.

Oh boy. Shannon Beach just slid into a nice controlled splits on the beam, beamed at the girls like she just invented the move … and damn near gave Mayelin, especially, a heart attack.

Asia aces the beam split. Amanda comes close, but falls. Brianna, too. Madison has the longest way down — and the most trepidation. I don’t think this is her competition to win. And Abby’s back already. How did it go, she wants to know. “It was ohhhhkaaaay,” shrugs Shannon. OK ain’t winning a trip to the Big Apple, so let’s see who pulls off perfection.

Asia’s first. She manages to pull her leg up past her ear and sink into an almost perfect split, but plops off, just shy of total success. She tries this to see if it will salvage anything.

 

Abby looks at her like she’s poorly constructed puppy, turns to Kevin and says, “It’s cute and it’s little. It’s … ridiculous.”

Yes, but ridiculous good or, you know, ridiculous ridiculous?

That would be the latter. Without Asia’s Robin/Richy cheer squad on hand to overlook the technicals, Abby zeroes in on the mugging child and admonishes, “I feel like you’re trying to pull one over on me all the time. ‘I can’t do the steps, but I’m just really cute, Miss Abby!”

Coreen is relieved.

Brianna is next. Like Asia, her leg lift goes perfectly and she falls out of the splits. “So close,” sighs Abby. “AUGH! THERE GOES MY TWO TICKETS TO NEW YORK!” wails Kris.

Not much different for Amanda. She looks exceptionally graceful in the leg lift and in her descent into the splits, but she falls off anyway.

Madison does least well of all. Before her long, long legs can come close to spanning the length of the beam, she pitches forward onto her palms.

“There are smart kids that just aren’t getting it,” growls Abby. She tells Asia she is doing really advanced, big-girl steps without the proper training. Though this challenge was ostensibly about being able to maintain a split on the balance beam, Abby suddenly goes off on Madison about her face. “Get a video camera, tape her face and see what she looks like!” she screams at Madison while pointing to Asia. Or you could tape Abby’s face. It’s pretty expressive right about now. Especially when she says she wants to chop Madison’s and Asia’s heads off and put Asia’s mugging noggin on Madison’s talented body. Asia’s a little worried about that sudden revelation and looks toward her mother to make sure she wouldn’t actually let that happen.

And the rage train rolls on, with the balance boxcar left way back at Asia station. Abby tells Brianna she has horrendous feet and she knows it and she has to fix that or wear heels. Kris doesn’t know why Abby is being so harsh, either. “It’s not what you say, “ she sighs of the ferocious criticism. “It’s how you say it. How you deliver it.” Maybe Kris hasn’t watched Dance Moms, either.

Amanda’s on the firing line next. “You think in your mind that you’re giving me all of these facial expressions and I’m seeing three emotional levels during the performance your nailing it,” Abby snaps. “And it’s little. It’s nothing.”

Mayelin vows to make it something.

Then she tells everyone the challenge was bad. I maybe think Kevin’s getting the plane tickets. Or Abby’s keeping ’em. Nope. Amanda is getting a very big prize for Abby’s version of a bad performance. I think Abby made the right decision. The girl may not have stuck the splits, but she was by far the most elegant throughout the attempt.

Abby admonishes her to take the correction about her face, comprehend it and apply it. In other words, forget your body, kid. It’s all about your mug. “It wasn’t that you were the best,” she tells Amanda. “You were just the best of the worst.”

“I got robbed,” says Asia. Consider it karma for all the times you stole victory away from more technically sound dancers, little muffin. Also, anybody else think Amanda reminds them of a dark haired Chloe, for all her even-tempered elegance? I just got a big dose of that right now during her charmingly giggly aside.

For the competition round, each of the girls will have a solo and take part in a group dance. Abby says Asia needs to improve her technique. Madison and Amanda need to work on their facial expressions. And Brianna has to let go.

Oh, this makes me happy — Madison got a lyrical dance choreographed by Ricky Marcelino Palamino. If Amanda gets a lyrical dance, too, it’ll be my favorite episode ever.

Coreen, who’s a pretty even-keeled gal herself, tries to coach her girl in emotional performance, but Madison scolds that she’s not a dance teacher. Coreen wisely invokes the names of the banes of all of their collective existence — Kristie and Asia — to remind her suddenly sassy girl of what’s at stake. You can non-emote that kid right into the final, Miss Madison. Just … don’t.

No lyrical for Amanda; she’s got a jazz dance choreographed by the ever surlier Anthony Burrell. I’m not too happy about this at all. Jazz requires a lot of big faces and even at her biggest, Amanda’s going to still look like a music box ballerina. “Everyone keeps telling me to dance like Asia,” she laments. “That’s her thing. It’s not mine!” Also she feels AB’s choreography isn’t that great either.

Coreen shows up for moral support — or to scout her kid’s comrade in lacking facial expressions — and Mayelin warns her to not make any noises. Privately, she wishes she would just go away.

Meantime, Anthony has decided he’s just going scare the emotion right out of Amanda, bellowing away at the child to emote for the living love of God. “You’re spatially challenged, facially challenged — go figure it out.” I think Anthony wants to go back to working with grown ups. Like, now. To wit … he just walked out of Amanda’s practice. Hey. Quitter.

Ricky Marcelino Palomino is also choreographing Brianna’s musical theater solo, in which she will play a clown. Her job, she says, is to make the judges laugh. No, Toots. Your job is to make faces. Lots of them. Lots and lots. The face is the thing. I should call this recap About Face.

Brianna says she’s too serious a dancer to play a clown. Kris is a little freaked out, too.

Oh oh. Speaking of serious, Anthony is also choreographing Asia’s solo about captive animals. Well you’re going to get yourself some face now, Mr. Burrell. All the face that you can handle. Kristie calls Asia her little captive animal.

Asia will be dancing in and on a cage, which she isn’t too happy about at all. Anthony isn’t too happy about her refusal to point her toes. “You shouldn’t be a dancer, if you can’t point your feet,” he crabs at her. Well she can do this:

That has to count for something.

On break, Kristie reminds Asia to stay on task so they can beat Amanda and Madison. Asia picks Amanda to beat the most because her facial expressions killlllll her older rival.

Shannon’s back to choreograph the group routine which Abby says will be inspired by the circus Cirque du Soleil. Is Cirque du Soleil actually considered a circus? I always thought of it as an acrobatic troupe. A performance troupe, I guess. Not a circus … because, you know, no lions and stuff. But I suppose there is “circus” in its name, so who am I to argue? Besides, the clip we’re looking at right now pretty much makes me want to go on the road with them immediately, whatever it is they are.

Finally back to the business of balance, Abby says there is nothing better to demonstrate it than a complicated, Cirque du Soleil-themed routine. The mothers think otherwise. Coreen opines that the girls have been going nonstop for 45 days straight and to have something as strenuous as this routine seems particularly brutal.

And Shannon’s not doing much to dispel that theory. She seems to think that the ladies were born in the circus, for all her clambering up and down the silks and believing they can do the same, just like that. Brianna says the silks hurt her physically and the stress of learning them hurts her emotionally and I’m pretty sure — oh Gawd I wish I wasn’t — that all context clues are pointing to this not being Brianna’s day. Kris, too, because on competition day, she ‘fesses up that she’s on the verge of vomiting.

Kristie says she’s worried that Asia is going to go out there all amped up about performing — AKA killing people with her face — and forget to point her feet and straighten her legs. Especially now that at least Abby seems to realize she actually has body parts relevant to dancing besides her face.

Elsewhere, Madison and Coreen are having a confab about Asia and how Madison should not fear her, even through the tyke is still here. Madison admits she sometimes wishes she, too, were 7 and cute, because the expectations are clearly lower. They’re certainly … different … anyway.

Mayelin gives Amanda a similar pep talk to Coreen’s and Mad’s and tells her daughter that if she puts her mind to it, she can outperform everyone — including the Little Asia That Could — facially and dance-wise. Amanda corrects her mother and says she is not going to focus on outdoing Asia but rather on outdoing her own previous performances. Very mature, Amanda — even if your mom is looking at you like you’ve lost your noble mind right now.

Oy vey. Kevin decided to pair a dusty orchid shirt and red-orange tie, apparently in honor of circus night, and the effect sort of makes my eyelid twitch. Robin must have woken up cold because she’s all covered up in shades of midnight and a hefty set of bangs. Richy’s vest du jour has “RCH SQL” across his collarbone. Abby, in spring green spangles with nails to match, makes her signature throat-cutting move.

Once everyone’s introduced, Kevin asks the panel what they’re expecting from circus night. Abby widens her eyes and says, “Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” Robin apparently needed a few more seconds to think up her answer because she offers, “We … better … see … the … … best of the best tonight.” Abby throws a pitying glance her way. And Richy is looking for a girl who’s willing to fall on her face because she wants to dance so hard. Given that they’re about to be strung up in silks and dangled from trapezes and the like, Rch Sql, I think tonight’s your night.

Abby says she better not see one … .

One. … sickled foot on that stage tonight.

Group dance time. Coreen’s terrified for everyone because the girls were still getting the hang of their props an hour before show time. Looks like all Asia has to do is dance atop a box. Amanda’s in Asia’s cage. Madison has a ring-shaped trapeze. And only poor Brianna scored the silks, but she looks completely awesome on them.

Whoa, here’s a swerve. Coreen just said the one person she would like to go home tonight is …  A … manda. She doesn’t even mind if Asia stays in the competition. OK, I get it — Madison and Amanda are the most closely matched, technically sound and evenly-keeled dancers, making the competition between the two that much tighter. But seriously, Coreen. You seriously want it to seem like Asia is a dancer on par with these three other girls? Someday Asia probably will be a dancer on par with these three other girls. But right now she is a precocious, bendy, facially-gifted little work in progress. Abby said it, so I can say it, too.

Anyway, Madison’s contemporary lyrical high-wire solo is first. Emote! Emote, Madison. Three kinds! All the time! I see one — intense. I see two — happy. I saw two. I hope that’s enough.

It is for Abby. She calls Madison’s facial expressions very natural without being rehearsed and cheesy. Hurray! Then she gives a minor correction about Madison fully extending her leg, but still says she would hire Madison for her circus and the dance was very entertaining. Over on Planet Antin, Robin is troubled by certain angles that just don’t look great where Madison’s flexibility is concerned. Richy says Madison gave him a lot more than every before, and if she can be this expressive in a lyrical dance, she can be this expressive in every other kind, too.

Backstage, Amanda — whose costume brings to mind the chicken pox or maybe this dude from  “Put Me In The Zoo” — appears relieved that the judges like Madison and says if she wins, it’s because she deserved it. Mayelin scowls at her and says they all deserve it.

Kristie and Asia — who’s dressed like a teensy lion — are having issues. Kristie asks her little animal to run her routine, but her little lion is feeling pretty sure of herself. She kinda does the dance, but doesn’t want to hear any noise out of her mother. She dorks around, playing lion, prompting Kristie to threaten not to walk her to the stairs and then growl, “You’ve got this time to run it and you’re not going to run it?! Really?!”

Really. Nyah. Kristie walks her up anyway.

In an aside, Asia says no one is going to touch her and if they touch her, she’s “bringing back with claws.” And big ones. Nyah.

Robin and Richy love our baby kitty before she even does a move. “Ahhhhh!” screams Richy gleefully. Richy is scared! Props to Burrell for choreographing a dance that makes the most of Asia strong suits — tumbling and making scary faces. (Someone give this kid a lyrical dance and see what happens. OK? Just one?) But I have to admit, that was one seriously entertaining dance. And all three judges are on their feet. So is the audience.

But when she sits back down, Abby wastes no time in bursting everyone’s collective bubble — Asia’s feet were still sickled, says she. “How do you do these amazing performances, but forget to turn the feet out?!” Abby howls. Easy. Because Asia has done that for the past eight episodes and suffered not one consequence. And she likely will do the same tonight, as well, even though Abby admonishes, “Asia, fix it. It needs to be more important to you,” as the audience boos around her. Case in point: Richy (who can’t seem to accept that he’s watching dancing, not the movies) says that this performance was all he was asking for from all of the girls. Robin calls the dance flawless. Yeah, if either of these two is back for a second season, I’m going to eat my shirt. Especially if anyone else with a lick of cred wants the gig.

Backstage the girls are incredulous. Madison holds up a sickled foot, drops her voice and says, “I’m an animal!” Coreen smacks her good-naturedly. Onstage, Abby says she still doesn’t know if Asia has what it takes to make it to the top three, but Robin says her little Pussycat was puurrrrrfect.

Amanda’s jazz routine is about a freak show contortionist. Mayelin is worried that the choreography and style are so far out of Amanda’s wheelhouse that Abby will notice. The camera doesn’t linger very long on Amanda’s face, but I don’t see enough expression to make the Face Brigade happy at all. And it really annoys me that I’m so focused on these girls’ faces now that I don’t even watch their dances.

I like the performance very much, but Amanda’s critiques are all lukewarm at best. Abby says that her dance wasn’t really contortionist … but isn’t that Anthony’s fault more than hers? Huh. Depending on what Brianna does next, it could actually be Amanda’s night to go home instead.

If the judges want face, Brianna has a boatload for them in her Mardi Gras clown routine, which is also incredibly entertaining. Abby enjoyed the performance. Richy said the antics were more circus clown than Cirque Clown. Again, blame the choreographer, not the dancer. Robin’s just going to say that this was Brianna’s best performance yet. And give Richy the thrombosis. Forced by his vigorous headshaking to defend herself, Robin adds that no one else in the competition could have done that number. Madison begs to differ. Madison is full of fire tonight, boy howdy.

Judges deliberations. Everyone calls Asia the cat with 9 or possibly 11 lives, so I’m pretty sure Asia’s in the finals. Abby loves Brianna, but Robin says she’s too goofy and Robin wouldn’t miss her if tonight were her night to go home. Brianna’s possibly the least goofy kid here, but whatever. Abby says Amanda blew her away with the number, but not the face — but Robin says she is her favorite. Is not, Robin. But it’s nice to hear you say so. Madison gets props for taking corrections and making them, but Abby says she doesn’t seem to want it enough.

When the ladies return for elimination, Abby says that the judges are all sad for what’s about to happen. Not sad for Madison and Asia, because they’re the first to make it to next week’s final.

Richy says Amanda’s technique is flawless, but she needs to be more of a performer. He loves Brianna’s chutzpah, but not tonight’s performance. And tonight is not Amanda’s night.

I’m philosophical about the whole mess. I think Amanda, Madison and Brianna belonged in the final shoot out, but there”s no denying Asia and Kristie have made for entertaining television. For better or for worse.

So what say you, AUDC fans? Will Asia’s face take her all the way to victory?  Or will Madison’s grace or Brianna’s passion come out on top? Do you want to see Planet Antin and RCH SQL back for Season 2? And most importantly of all — who’s pumped for Season 3 of Dance Moms?!

The season finale of Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition airs Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 9/8CT on Lifetime.

Images:.Lifetime

32 Comments

  1. Tone it down the caps, lady elvira. You may have been a “professional dancer” at one time, but you are now just professionally annoying with the constant “screaming.” Asia’s a beautiful dancer and would fit in very nicely with the rest of Abby’s girls. I’m assuming you must be “past your prime” these days so it’s kind of ridiculous and shameful for you to be hating on a 7 year old kid with her whole career in front of her. Especially commenting on her AS OF YET undeveloped body. She’s still growing and will get taller and lean out…or have you forgotten that she’s only 7 YEARS OLD? You are what is wrong with the world and I hope to God if you do have children or are around them you are not nearly as hard-hearted and cruel with them as you portray yourself to be in this forum. Try bringing others UP and spotlighting the strengths of others instead of constantly bringing them down. If there’s something you don’t like about someone else – chances are it’s either because you are jealous of them or you hate that very same thing in yourself. Psychology 101. Either way – this is a KID you are berating. You don’t look like an educated, rational, mature former dancer…you look like an a$$hole.

  2. Wow! 28 comments on your recap in such a short period of time. I think that is the most I have seen since I started reading your Dance Moms (or Abby’s Ultimate) recaps.

    I have to agree with you that I have come to see this show as a philosophical exercise about dance rather than a competition. Since, this was the last show before the finale (a 2 hour affair with all the dancers coming back…Yeah!), I will simply say for me the judging of this show came down to performance versus technique.

    In Asia’s case, I think the 2 judges who believe that performance is the key thing and to hell with technique, have kept Asia on this show and I must admit that saddens me. As a non-dancer, a person who cannot spot a sickled foot if my life depended on it, my judgment of a dance is more based on the aesthetics of what I see. To me, Asia is just sloppy sometimes when she is executing some of her dance techniques. The child blows me away with her confidence and her ability to take even the most difficult of routines, for someone her age, and make it work as a performance on stage. But in the end, if this was a properly judged “DANCE” competition and not a “face-off”, the final dancers would be Brianna, Madison and Amanda.
    I think it is a shame that the producers and judges of this show has made it the “Asia Show” and all the other dancers was just an aside. Yvette tweeted last week something to the effect that all the dancers on the show are great dancers and they deserve our adoration. I am on the fence about whether Yvette was a good thing or a bad thing for this show but I agree with her that all the girls and Zack are great young dancers. All of them was challenged to go beyond what they normally did in their dance studios at home. That, for me, is the one saving grace for the show now. The passion and commitment that these kids show for dancing just drew me in. I wish I would have found something that I was so passionate about when I was their age.

    I hope Brianna or Madison ends up winning this competition. If only to prove that the winner of a dance competition can at least flawlessly execute the basic of dance techniques. At this point, I don’t know if I am interested in watching a second season.

  3. I would never try to predict a child’s future, but the reality is right now Asia isn’t the most technically sound, but the other girls are to blame for not out performing a child with half their training! Dance is a total package game & in ballet as with any other performance your face has to be able to relay a story. I checked out the website for Joffrey’s Ballet and by the time Asia finishes training in the children’s program, she’ll be ready for their new contemporary & jazz program! The paragraph below is from their website & sounds like its perfect for Asia!
    Childrens program at the Joffrey Ballet School follows a developmentally and cognitively sound curriculum beginning at age 2.5 and building to age 9. The curriculum was created to encourage age appropriate creativity, musicality, and physicality. Children gain confidence, poise, and a solid frame work on which to build classical ballet technique.

  4. Okay, the women have weighed in, time for a man’s opinion. While I agree the older girls may have “a little” more talent than Asia, I don’t believe anyone can deny she is extremely talented. In order to spend some time with the wife I’m forced to watch Dance Moms periodically. The show wouldn’t be a show if both the mothers and their daughters weren’t constantly berating each other. Asia’s mother was refreshing with her more positive attitude. Neither her mother’s attitude nor her extreme talent should lead Asia to the victory in this competition, but Abby knows that Asia shines and increases her viewing audience. Keeping Asia in as long as she can is a good business decision, but she won’t win in the end.

  5. I would totally disagree with all the Asia haters. That little girl to perform at the level she does with half the experience of the older girls is what makes her a threat to get fellow competitors. How could a little girl With half the experience dance at the level she does? She did not get where she is just based on her cuteness. She is there because her skill got her there.After all she made the audition to get on the show so what does that tell you? As for the school I’m sure the achoo doesn’t just focus on ballet and leave out all other genres. When shopping for gigs you have to be well rounded In you’re skill In order to get jobs. if ballet is your only style then you’re locked In a box and limited to only booking ballet jobs. i say way to go Asia you and your mom would be very proud!

  6. Unfortunately, Asia is still continuing on, and as a dancer, she has neither the technique or the build for the Joffrey scholarship. Amanda should definately have been selected as a finalist. This is for a ballet scholarship, and Amanda’s elegance and technique was so far ahead of Asia’s, it make the whole show laughable.

  7. I have watched Dance Mom’s every season. Madison who is 7 on that show is a cute girl but her dance routines consist of more gymnastics than actually technique. This is the same for Asia. Asia is a performer and she will go far with that. Can you imagine what she will be when she is the 12 or 13? Amanda is technically a good dance but there is no performance in her routines. I know it is a ballet scholarship so why not give it to someone that needs it to learn technique that already has everything else she needs. I would much rather watch Asia that any other dancer there. She is just AWESOME!!

    • Lynn, if you’ve watched Dance Moms from the beginning, how do you not know who the dancers are? Mackenzie is the youngest one…

  8. First of all where did you get the other judges, Abby? They have no business judging a dance competition where the final prize is the Joffrey Ballet School…unbelievable! Amanda should have won this hands down. I am shocked and disgusted. Asia is a cute little 7 year, old certainly with talent, but definitely not ready for Joffrey or anything else right now. Who cares about facial expression…that comes with time and performance. It’s technique and presence and Amanda has both…to send her home just because she doesn’t make faces while she’s dancing is ludicrous. Obviously, these people know little about dance in general and nothing about ballet.

    • I am also very upset that Amanda went home. Asia is incredible for a 7 year old but even Cirque du Soleil dancers didn’t have the over the top facial expressions Amanda should have stayed.It’s ruining the show for me. I agree the two guest judges don’t belong in this show judging for a Joffrey scholarship. Even on Dance Mom’s Maddie with incredible technique and facial expressions didn’t get picked for Joffrey by the Joffrey scout, Chole– did who has natural expressions when she dances.
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  9. I am proud of them all. Raw talent, and room to grow. Joffrey Ballet School is a SCHOOL, and requires “placement”. It has Open and Graded programs. Remember that, and stop comparing amateur children to pro. I am sure that even me at 34, couldn’t pull of what ANY of those girls are doing. As a mother, I applaud their passion.

  10. Elvira, I love Mackenzie (she is my absolute fav on Dance Moms) but as far as tricks go, and amount of “things they can do”, I would probably guess Asia would beat Mackenzie if they went head to head. Just my opinion. Mackenzie is just adorable, but she dances like a little kid with a lot of talent. When compared to 13 year olds, of course Asia is not going to have as much technique. She’s had 6 less years of training, it goes without being said. But on her own, I think she is pretty incredible. I am glad she’s in the top 3, I do think she has earned it.

  11. Im sorry but I think Asia is just ad good as the others and het performance showed it. She was the only one with a prop and had to dance it and on it and go in and out and purred like a lion. I like the ithers as well but they are giving Asia a hard time. Way to go just then Asia.

  12. Agree with Liv and Deanna. Asia is incredibly talented…no one should deny her that. She has a ton of flexibility, and I do see her a beat behind at times, but for a seven year old to be able to pick up choreography as fast as she has is very impressive. The other girls keep dogging on her inability to pick up choreography, but I am not seeing that (could be the editing). I am not going to say that I’m crazy about Asia’s mom, but it’s clear that she loves her daughter, treats her with respect, and more than anything she TALKS HER UP WITHOUT PUTTING THE OTHER GIRLS DOWN. There is a lot to be learned from that, especially Coreen. Kristie is right when she says the girls get it from their moms, and it’s clear with Madison that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

  13. I think Liv hit the nail on the head. Asia can be taught technique (the other girls were probaly no where near where Asia is now when they were 7 years. Those girls can *not* be taught the kind of natural talent Asia has for performance no matter what. I would pay to go see Asia dance just as she is today.. she brings a smile to your face and wants you to see more! Those other girls with their deadpan faces will never inspire the kind of emotion that Asia does at 7 years old.. she is going to be incredible by the time she is 12 years old. The whole audience standing up and applauding wildly after she danced proves what she has going for her! Those who don’t see it are just jealous that such a little girl has it all and can still be a sweet child. All the other mothers and kids have spent their time constantly running Asia down.. you don’t ever hear her saying mean nasty things about them. She is always saying each of those girls are incredibly talented.. maybe part of the reason none of the other girls can bring out the emotion Abby keeps asking for is because all they have inside them is poison?!

  14. I can’t believe they took out Amanda who really had the presentation of an excellent ballerina. Go to the ballet. Ya see a lot of faces, do you? Not in the least. Just because Asia can crunch up her face does not mean she deserves to go to Joffrey and to be in the top 3. I don’t even know that I’ll watch the show from now on. It’s fixed and it’s obvious. And it’s now a joke.

    • I absolutely agree. It’s a joke and ridiculous that Asia advanced. Amanda definately should have remained as a finalist. I so enjoyed her performances and she had the elegance and technique deserving of the Joffrey scholarship.

  15. It annoys me that all the other moms keep talking about Asia’s technique that she doesn’t have. Did their kids have what they have now at 7 years old? Not saying the competition is fair, but I’d watch Asia dance any day before any of the last 3 girls standing. That being said, I like Brianna and the mom the most out of the finals. Great, positive attitude and don’t take themselves too seriously. Sorry but Coreen and Madison really rub me the wrong way. Does she say anything else other than “I’m very concerned…” Madison’s deadpan face takes away from her dancing – total snoozefest.

  16. Abby would pick Asia for her face?! I’m not trying to be nasty because I know she is a child but that little girl isn’t pretty. At all. And she’s not even a very good dancer. Like everyone else, I agree she should have been sent home weeks ago.

  17. Abby and the other so called judges must be paid off. Asia should have gone home a long time ago.
    This show is no longer worth watching.

  18. I THOUGHT THIS WAS FOR A BALLET SCHOLARSHIP. IF THAT BEING SO, THE ONLY ONE TRULY DESERVING OF IT WAS AMANDA. WHILE ALL THE CONTESTANTS HAVE VARYING FORMS OF TALENT, BALLET IS NOT THEIR GENRE. I BELIEVE THAT ABBY WAS, SADLY, INFLUENCED BY HER FELLOW “PEERS.” TONIGHT, WAS MADISON’S TIME TO VAMOOS AND IF WE COMPARE ASIA’S TALENT WITH MACKENSIE’S (IS THAT SPELLED RIGHT?)ABBY’S 7 YEAR OLD DANCER ON “DANCE MOM’S” THERE IS NO CONTEST. MACKENSIE PUTS ASIA TO SHAME AND SHE’S CUTER. SINCE THIS IS FOR A BALLET SCHOLARSHIP, ABBY SHOULD HAVE CHOSEN JUDGES FAMILIAR WITH THAT GENRE NOT PEOPLE THAT ARE ALL ABOUT FLASH AND RAUNCH.

  19. I think they made the right choice with keeping Asia. She may not have the best form but that little girl is very entertaining and she commands the stage. I would pay money to go see her perform. Technique wise she doesn’t have the full training as the others because she is so much younger but Abby is not stupid. She knows a performer when she see’s one and Asia is a performer. You can get 12 girls with perfect technique to do a show but it would be dull but if you put little Asia on stage I bet she will give the crowd a show!!

    • I think Asia is doing great for her age compared to the older girls. I think she is very strong for staying, accepting the criticism from Abby all the time. She is much smaller, legs shortet ect. Its like Abby has something against Asia. I congratulate Asia for even trying. Maybe because she is the smallest youngest and getting just as many lijes as the others.

    • This is the only dance competition show I’ve seen where facial expression ranks higher than technique. I was so busy watching the faces of the girls because that’s what is being judged, I missed much of the dance. The girls were also blamed rather than the choreographers on the nature of the dance by the judges. The two guest judges looked like they were looking upward watching the faces rather than the bodies. Why don’t dance schools focus more on facial expressions than technique? Even the pros like Circ du Soleil weren’t making outrageous expressions. That’s more like drama which is very entertaining but not dance. Also why did Asia have such an easy task on the group dance and the other girls had difficult tasks. Maybe the show is fixed.

  20. Abby is soooo obviously biased AGAIST Asia.. probably because she couldn’t have drempt of producing a dancer as talented as Asia! The other mothers are well aware of Abby’s bias too, and jump on every little thing she does wrong, or right, all the while saying how perfect their daughters are (NOT) Asia’s mom guides and encourages her with positive comments while the other mothers say horrible things to their daughters.. and that kind of action goes very well with Abby’s way of training, so of course she is going to admire those vicious mothers more than Asia’s kind mother.

    • HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED “DANCE MOM’S” WITH ABBY LEE MILLER’S DANCE SQUAD? THEY RANGE IN AGE FROM 7-13 AND THEY JUST WON NATIONAL’S IN EVERY CATEGORY. THAT INCLUDES A GORGEOUS 7 YEAR OLD THAT DANCES FAR BETTER THAN ASIA. AND IF WE’ER TALKING ABOUT GRACIOUS MOTHERS, AMANDA’S MOM IS A LADY AND SO IS HER VERY TALENTED DAUGHTER. WATCH “DANCE MOM’S” THIS JANUARY, I’M SURE YOU WILL ENJOY IT. AND DON’T TAKE THESE SHOWS TO SERIOUS. FROM A FORMER PROFESSIONAL DANCER.

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About Lori Acken 1195 Articles
Lori just hasn't been the same since "thirtysomething" and "Northern Exposure" went off the air.