Ever since Dance Mom’s debuted in 2011, we’ve been captivated by its steady supply of drama and conflict. Abby Lee Miller became known for her matter-of-fact (and sometimes harsh) teaching methods, and, let’s be honest, we were here for the tears and tantrums.Sweet, doting mothers would often become vicious rivals as they went in to bat for their daughters, and honestly, it was fascinating to watch. We laughed, we cried, and we watched talented little girls blossom into young women right before our eyes.
Abby Lee Miller has been in the headlines for more than just her choreography in more recent years. The dance instructor was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma in April 2018.
Abby went through six rounds of chemotherapy and emergency surgery on her spine. Sadly, she was left paraplegic and is now confined to an electric wheelchair.
But along the way, we’ve seen the birth of some stars. Maddie Ziegler shot to fame when she appeared in some of Sia’s music videos, and JoJo Sawa has built an empire with her own range of bows, dolls, games, and even ice cream!
We love a good old-fashioned ‘then and now’ comparison, so we thought it would be fun to see what some of the girls are up to these days. Scroll down to take a look.
#1 Maddie Ziegler Then
After Dance Moms, Maddie starred in some of Sia’s most popular music videos. She has also made appearances in several films and TV shows such as To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, West Side Story, Austin & Ally, Pretty Little Liars, and The Fallout.
She has her own Morphe eyeshadow palette, a Fabletics line, and a memoir called The Maddie Diaries.
#2 Mackenzie Ziegler Then
Mackenzie Ziegler Now
After leaving the Abby Lee Dance Company, Kenzie started acting and singing. She appeared in Brat TV’s series Total Eclipse and competed on The Masked Dancer.
She has since released an album called Phases and teamed up with Sia for a song called Exhale. We think great things are in store for Kenzie!
#3 Chloé Lukasiak Then
Chloé Lukasiak Now
When Chloé left the series, she continued dancing at Studio 19 Dance Complex. Since then, she has written a book, started a successful YouTube channel, and appeared in movies such as The Message and Loophole.
#4 Nia Sioux Frazier Then
Nia Sioux Frazier Now
Since leaving Dance Moms, Nia started her own series called Dance With Nia and has starred on Brat TV’s Sunnyside Up. She hosts a podcast, makes YouTube videos, and even appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful.
#5 Brooke Hyland Then
Brooke Hyland Now
Brooke left Dance Moms when she was 16 and returned to high school. She graduated from Ohio University in 2019 and now has a YouTube channel and Instagram blog.
#10 Kalani Hilliker Then
Kalani Hilliker Now
Kalani kept dancing after her time on the series. Since then, she has begun acting and modeling, appearing in the Brat TV show Dirt.
