Dance Moms: What the OG Moms Are Doing These Days

Parents and children love Dance Moms and we’ve found out what the OG mothers from this Lifetime show are up to today. The talent show debuted in 2011. However, its main focus wasn’t necessarily the girls’ journeys. A lot of the action was centered on the antics of their erratic (and seemingly entitled) mothers. Shot on location at the famed Abby Lee Dance Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the studio produced several successful dancers. Some have gone on to grace the Broadway stage and beyond. They learned their skills under the watchful eye of the strict dance instructor and former Dance Mom star Abby Lee Miller, who left the show with a heartfelt Instagram tribute. Recent episodes are pre-pandemic. The most current season premiered in 2019. The beloved program hasn’t been canceled yet, and producers may be hunting for Abby’s replacement. Miller taught promising dancers from her Pennsylvania studio.

The show featured extremely capable dancers, and some of the girls went on to have acting and singing careers while continuing to dance. The most notable examples are Maddie Ziegler and the outspoken JoJo Siwa, whose music video was the subject of blackface allegations. These stars have branched out as budding young artists. They appear in print, perform on stages and dazzle on big screens. Nia Sioux is another standout alum who secured a role on the daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, as (what else?) a dance instructor. However, the OG competitive junior dance team included Maddie (whom Sia tried to keep safe), MacKenzie, Chloe, Nia, Brooke, and Paige. They had a dance teacher with high standards, as well as dance moms who seemed to live vicariously through their daughters.

Melissa Gisoni is the mother of Abby’s favorites, Maddie and MacKenzie Ziegler. This mom has grown her Instagram to over 3 million followers. She keeps in touch with her OG Dance Moms crew and posts selfies with them on her social media. However, these days, instead of butting heads with the other moms over how her daughters get treated on the show, she is the co-host of the moms’ podcast. It’s called Because Mom Said So.

Melissa has been married to Greg Gisoni since 2013. They have three children. The reality star has also been featured in recent works, such as Major Minors. Her rival on Dance Moms was Christi Lukasiak. This no-holds-barred mom to Chloe (Jojo Siwa called some of Christi’s comments “disgusting” defended her daughter. Chloe danced in the Zieglers’ shadow. These days, Christi is an Instagram influencer with over 2 million followers. She is also the creator of the self-help course, “Adulting 101” which aims to educate young women on how to master the necessities of grown-up life.

When Holly Frazier isn’t busy fulfilling her duties as a doctor, she continues to be a hard-working mom to her three children, including her famous daughter, Nia. She is also a dedicated wife. She is available for public speaking engagements, is a co-host on the moms’ podcast, and is a published author. During Dance Moms season 2, fans witnessed Abby throwing shade. She mocked Dr. Holly at her book reveal, referring to her published work as a “pamphlet.” Dr. Holly maintained her dignity for the most part. However, there were times when she lost her cool with Abby, calling her “…pure evil.”

Finally, who could forget the slap heard around the dance community? Kelly Hyland’s daughters Brook and Paige were dancing darlings on the team. However, it was Kelly who gave the final performance. Also a student of Abby Lee Miller’s, Kelly grew up in the studio that made her and her daughters household names. When Abby got on Kelly’s last nerve, season four grew tense. The heated argument resulted in a physical altercation that left Abby pressing abuse charges against her former student. That was the last that fans saw of Kelly. Nowadays, she is proud of her two college-bound daughters. She also co-hosts the moms’ podcast. It’s safe to say that at least some of these Dance Moms infuriated and horrified viewers, but they were unforgettable.

Dance Moms airs weekly on Lifetime.