Five years after “Dance Moms” took its final bow, several cast members are reuniting to reflect on their experiences on the hit reality show.
“Dance Moms: The Reunion,” an upcoming two-hour Lifetime special, will bring together six “Dance Moms” alums (and their moms, of course): Chloe Lukasiak and mom Christi Lukasiak, JoJo Siwa and mom Jessalynn Siwa, Brooke and Paige Hyland and mom Kelly Hyland, Kendall Vertes and mom Jill Vertes, and Kalani Hilliker and mom Kira Girard.
Where and when to watch the 'Dance Moms' reunion
In a trailer for the reunion, the dancers reflect on the highs and lows of their time on “Dance Moms,” which aired from 2011 to 2019 on Lifetime.
“I thought I wasn’t enough in every single way,” Chloe says tearfully in one scene.
“I don’t think that anybody can explain how complicated all of our relationships are with her,” Kalani says at another point, seemingly referring to instructor Abby Lee Miller.
It doesn’t look like Abby will be taking part in the reunion, and some fan-favorite dancers are also notably missing, including Maddie Ziegler, Mackenzie "Kenzie" Ziegler and Nia Sioux Frazier.
In a December interview with WHSV-TV, Kendall said it was “wild” to be reunited with her fellow “Dance Moms” cast members, and called the reunion a “really happy homecoming.”
“I didn’t really know what to expect because we haven’t really kept in touch that much. But to be able to sit down with these girls and talk about all of our past trauma together, it felt like we’ve never left,” she said.
“We never had the chance to speak up for ourselves and to stand up for ourselves,” she added. “We were so young, and we just kept our mouths shut.”
The reunion special will premiere Wednesday, May 1, at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime and stream the next day.
Read on to learn more about what Kendall, Chloe and other fan-favorite dancers have been up to since their “Dance Moms” days.
JoJo Siwa
Then: JoJo, 20, started out as a contestant on “Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition” in 2013, and she went on to become a main cast member in the fifth and sixth seasons of “Dance Moms” from 2015 to 2016 after her first appearance during Season Four. During her time on “Dance Moms,” JoJo was known for her high-energy performances and her signature oversized bows and sparkly outfits.
Her mom, Jessalynn, a former dance teacher and dance studio owner, was also a big part of the show. Despite what people might have thought, JoJo has said her mother was not a stereotypical stage mom.
“A lot of people think, like, my mom is crazy. A lotta people think that she’s like, ‘No, you have to make a YouTube video, and you have to perform,’” she told TODAY Parents in 2019. In fact her mom, JoJo said, was “the opposite of that.”
Now: JoJo’s career has skyrocketed in the years since “Dance Moms.” Her breakout 2016 song “Boomerang,” an empowering anthem about dealing with bullying, was certified double platinum, and she kicked off her first major concert tour, D.R.E.A.M. The Tour, in 2019. In the years since, she has also appeared on shows including “Dancing With the Stars” and “America’s Got Talent,” and served as a judge on “So You Think You Can Dance.”
JoJo, who came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in 2021, is also known for her advocacy. She once wrote on Instagram that she felt she was “put on this earth to be a role model for kids,” and she wanted her fans to know “that loving everyone for who they are no matter what” is something she “will always believe in and always share.”
Chloe Lukasiak
Then: Chloe, 22, was a main cast member during the first four seasons of “Dance Moms” from 2011 to 2014, and she returned for part of Season Seven in 2017.
Chloe abruptly exited the show in Season Four. She later explained in a 2019 YouTube video that she left after her “former dance teacher,” presumably Abby, mocked her for having a medical issue with her eye.
“The reason I left 'Dance Moms' was because my former dance teacher made fun of a medical condition I have. … Some might say that it wasn’t that serious, what she said, which I would disagree,” Chloe said. She added that she was her “former dance teacher’s least-favorite student.”
Chloe’s mother, Christi, was also known for standing up to Abby, who has been criticized for her harsh treatment of young dancers.
“I think the moms have all gotten a lot of slack like, ‘Why do you put up with this?’ and ‘You’re just doing this for the wrong reasons, ” she told People in 2017. “I’m really proud to say I’ve watched women I’ve known for a long time stand up and say, ‘You know what? We’re not doing this anymore.’”
Now: Chloe transitioned to acting after her time on “Dance Moms,” appearing in movies including “Center Stage: On Pointe,” “Loophole” and “Next Level.” She has also appeared in several music videos, including the video for “Dance (Just Rock),” a song by fellow “Dance Moms” alumna Nia.
Chloe has also appeared on the podcast hosted by her mom and Brooke and Paige's mom, Kelly, “Back to the Barre.”
Paige Hyland
Then: Paige, 23, who appeared on the show with her sister, Brooke, 26, was a main cast member from the first to fourth seasons of “Dance Moms.”
Paige and Brooke both left the show after their mom, Kelly, had a falling out with Abby.
A lawsuit was later filed on behalf of Paige against Abby. The complaint filed stated that Abby had “insulted and abused” her on an “almost daily basis,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2015.
Now:Paige is a social media influencer with more than 3 million Instagram followers. She attended West Virginia University from 2019 to 2023, according to her LinkedIn page.
She also appeared in two music videos alongside her fellow "Dance Moms" cast members, "Brooke: Summer Love Song" and "Lux: It's Like Summer."
Brooke Hyland
Then: Along with her sister, Paige, Brooke appeared as a main cast member from Seasons One to Four of “Dance Moms.”
Now: Brooke moved away from the dance world following "Dance Moms." She earned a bachelor's degree in marketing, management information systems and business analytics from Ohio University in 2019, according to her LinkedIn profile.
She is also a social media influencer with 4 million followers on Instagram.
Nia Sioux Frazier
Then: Nia, 22, was one of the original cast members of “Dance Moms” and appeared on the show for the first seven seasons. She was part of The Irreplaceables team coached by Cheryl Burke in Season Seven.
Her mom, Holly Hatcher-Frazier, explained why she and her daughter stayed on the show for so many seasons, despite the fact that Abby was often hard on Nia.
“I’m a person who believes very firmly that we leave when we say we’re ready to leave,” Holly told "Entertainment Tonight" in 2020. “I don’t want anyone in my children’s lives to dictate to them, ‘You leave because I’m forcing you out or because you’re not wanted.’ It’s your choice, and I always made it Nia’s choice. ‘Whenever you’re ready to leave we can leave.’ So, that’s the reason why we stayed.”
Now: Nia is a senior studying at UCLA. She recently followed in her mother’s footsteps and joined the Alpha Gamma chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
Since leaving “Dance Moms,” Nia has also pursued acting. She played the role of Emma Barber on “The Bold and the Beautiful” from 2018 to 2019, and she had a role in the 2024 adaptation of “Mean Girls.” She has also appeared in several music videos with her fellow “Dance Moms” alumnae, including “Mack Z: It’s a Girl Party” and “Brooke: Summer Love Song.”
In addition, Nia is a social media influencer with nearly 6 million Instagram followers.
Kendall Vertes
Then: Kendall, 21, was a main cast member on “Dance Moms” from Season Two through Season Seven. In her final season, she joined The Irreplaceables, an elite team on the show coached by Burke. Camryn Bridges, Chloe, Kalani and Nia were also original members.
Kendall also pursued a music career during her time on the show, releasing singles including “Wear ‘Em Out,” “Out Loud” and “Where Would I Be Without You.”
Her mother, Jill, opened up about the dynamics between the dance moms and Abby on the show through the years.
“The emotions were totally real, the tears were real. The anger, all of it was real because really we were protecting our children,” she told "Entertainment Tonight" in 2020.
However, she said the show was also set up in a way that encouraged drama.
“They created situations to get us all wound up,” she said.
Now: Kendall took five years off from dancing after leaving the show, she told WHSV-TV in December.
“I danced my entire life. I started when I was 2 years old. I had a very interesting childhood,” she said. “I was dancing 24/7 for eight years straight, and it was time for me to take a little break, kind of be back home with my family.”
In 2022, she became a member of the JMU Dukettes, the official dance team of James Madison University. She is also a social media influencer with more than 11 million Instagram followers.
Kalani Hilliker
Then: Kalani, 23, joined “Dance Moms” as a recurring cast member in Season Four, and became a full-time cast member from Seasons Five to Seven. She was one of the cast members who left the Abby Lee Dance Company to join The Irreplaceables in the seventh season.
Her mom, Kira, was known for butting heads with Abby throughout her and her daughter’s time on the show.
Now: Today, Kalani is a dance teacher based in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to her social media pages.
“What I love about being a dance teacher is, I realized I just love kids,” she said in an Instagram video in February. “I think growing up being the oldest and always having younger siblings, being around kids has just always been so much fun for me.
“Obviously I grew up dancing and the environment sometimes was a little rough, so I think making a safe space for my dancers is something I really enjoy doing,” she added.
Kalani is also a social media influencer with more than 7 million Instagram followers, and she founded a beauty, cosmetic and personal care brand, Kare by Kalani.
Maddie Ziegler
Then: Maddie, 21, along with her younger sister, Kenzie, was one of the original cast members on “Dance Moms,” appearing on the first six seasons.
Maddie was known as Abby’s favorite student on the show and often appeared on the top of the show’s infamous “pyramid” ranking system.
Her mom, Melissa Gisoni, opened up to Cosmopolitan in 2016 about both her daughters’ experiences on “Dance Moms” — and when they knew it was time to leave.
“‘Dance Moms’ was really a great platform for my kids, but they were pretty much done with it. It’s the same thing over and over, week after week. My kids told me they didn’t want to do it anymore,” she said. “When my kids aren’t happy anymore, I don’t care about anything else.”
Now: Maddie had a career breakout moment in 2014 when Sia discovered her on “Dance Moms” and asked her to star in the music video for her hit song “Chandelier.” Maddie went on to appear in other music videos for Sia, as well as for Todrick Hall and New Hope Club.
She also launched an acting career, appearing in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” and recently starring in the coming-of-age comedy “Fitting In.”
Maddie reflected on the pressures she put on herself as a young dancer and how her attitude toward work has shifted in a March 2024 interview with Teen Vogue.
“I’m ready to leave behind the perfectionist,” Maddie told the outlet. “I’m ready to leave behind the people-pleaser. I will carry those traits with me forever because that’s who I am, but I’m really proud of myself for setting boundaries in the last year.”
Mackenzie 'Kenzie' Ziegler
Then: Mackenzie, 19, appeared alongside her sister, Maddie, and her mom, Melissa, on “Dance Moms” from Seasons One to Six.
The sisters performed a duet together in Season Three, a contemporary number danced to the song “Run From Mother.”
In Season Three, Mackenzie opened up about being compared to her older sister.
“I don’t like when Abby always compares me to Maddie because I’m not Maddie, I’m Mackenzie,” she said.
Mackenzie also pursued a music career during her time on “Dance Moms.” She released her first studio album, “Mack Z,” in 2014, and another album, “Phases,” in 2018.
Now: Mackenzie has pursued acting and music since leaving “Dance Moms.” She starred in the web series “Total Eclipse” from 2018 to 2020 and appeared as a contestant on “Dancing With the Stars: Juniors” in 2018.
At 15, she also signed with Arista Records and toured as the opening act for the pop group PrettyMuch in 2019.
She and her sister also released a collaboration with American Eagle, AE x Maddie & Kenzie, in 2023.
