Where Are They Now? 10 Dance Moms Stars Who Still Shine

At the peak of the pyramid are JoJo Siwa, Maddie Ziegler, and others who were the center of attention on Dance Moms. The parents of these talented dancers were not hesitant to create dramatic moments.

The reality series by Lifetime made its debut in 2011, documenting the journey of Abby Lee Dance Company's junior elite competition team. Every week, they rehearsed and performed challenging new routines. Originally, the team consisted of Maddie, Mackenzie Ziegler, Nia Sioux, Chloe Lukasiak, Brooke Hyland, and Paige Hyland. While the young dancers showcased their skills, their mothers engaged in constant disputes over the best approach to make their children into stars.

"Dance Moms aired for seven seasons until February 2017 and served as a source of inspiration for various spin-offs like Dance Moms: Miami and Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition. In 2019, an eighth season made a comeback featuring Miller and a completely new group of dancers.

In November 2023, Lifetime made an announcement that the original dancers (along with their mothers!) would come together for a special reunion."

Scroll down to learn what your favorite Dance Moms stars are up to now:

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Dance Moms' Most Memorable Stars: Where Are They Now?

At the top of the pyramid are JoJo Siwa, Maddie Ziegler, and others who gained attention on Dance Moms. Their parents did not hesitate to stir up drama.

The reality series, which aired on Lifetime in 2011, followed the junior elite competition team of Abby Lee Dance Company. Each week, the team dedicated themselves to rehearsing and performing challenging new routines. Originally, the team included Maddie, Mackenzie Ziegler, Nia Sioux, Chloe Lukasiak, Brooke Hyland, and Paige Hyland. While the talented youngsters showcased their skills, their mothers constantly argued about how to make their child a star.

Dance Moms aired for seven seasons until February 2017 and served as a catalyst for various spin-offs, such as Dance Moms: Miami and Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition. The show made a comeback in 2019 with an eighth season, featuring Miller and a fresh group of dancers.

In November 2023, Lifetime announced an exciting reunion special, bringing together the original dancers (alongside their mothers!).

Scroll down to learn what your favorite Dance Moms stars are up to now:

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Abby Lee Miller

The founder of the Abby Lee Dance Company appeared on Dance Moms for eight seasons, which led to the creation of spin-off series such as Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition, Dance Moms: Miami, and Dance Moms: Abby's Studio Rescue. In 2016, Abby pleaded guilty to felony bankruptcy fraud and received a sentence of one year and one day in federal prison. However, she was released early. Born in Pennsylvania, Abby was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma in 2018. After undergoing 10 rounds of chemotherapy and multiple surgeries that left her unable to walk, Abby declared in May 2019 that she was cancer-free.

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Maddie Ziegler

In December 2015, it was announced by Us that Maddie, who was Miller's top student, would be departing from the reality show after its sixth season. By this point in her career, she had already made appearances in Sia's music videos for "Chandelier" and "Elastic Heart", as well as performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Dancing With the Stars, and Saturday Night Live. Following her departure from Dance Moms, Maddie went on to become a judge on Fox's So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation and also ventured into writing, authoring a trilogy of young adult novels. In 2021, she took on roles in Sia's controversial film, Music, and in Steven Spielberg's adaptation of West Side Story.

Maddie was in a relationship with musician Eddie Benjamin for a duration of three years before ultimately parting ways in February 2023.

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Mackenzie Ziegler

Following her Teen Choice Award win, the younger sister followed in her older sister's footsteps and departed from the Lifetime show in 2016 after six seasons to explore new endeavors. Before permanently leaving Dance Moms, she achieved success with her hit album, Mack Z, and made her acting debut on Nickelodeon's Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn. In 2017, Mackenzie further pursued her dreams of becoming a pop star by joining singer Johnny Orlando on a tour across the U.S. and U.K. From 2018 to 2020, the talented artist took on the lead role in the high school drama series Total Eclipse on Brat TV. In 2021, she made a comeback to reality TV as the Tulip on Fox's The Masked Dancer, ultimately finishing in third place overall.

She unveiled her sophomore album, Phases, in 2018. Anticipation has already begun for her forthcoming third LP, set to hit the music scene in 2024, introducing the mesmerizing single "Anatomy." This captivating track delves into the depths of her complicated bond with her estranged father, Kurt Ziegler.

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Melissa Gisoni

Maddie and Mackenzie’s mother confessed in a June 2016 essay for Cosmopolitan that she never had the desire to be on television, and she has no plans to return, despite acknowledging that Dance Moms provided her children with a valuable platform. However, she has become more protective of her daughters since their time on the show and does not consider herself a typical "stage mom." In 2020, Melissa joined forces with other Dance Moms alumni, Kelly, Holly, and Jill, to launch the "Because Mom Said So" podcast.

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Chloe Lukasiak

Chloe, a former member of ALDC, constantly faced off against Maddie in competition and eventually succumbed to the pressure. After four seasons, she departed Dance Moms in 2014, but later made brief appearances with her mother in season 7. In 2016, Chloe took on the lead role in Lifetime's TV movie Center Stage: On Pointe and made a cameo in NBC's Superstore. Her first book, Girl on Pointe: Chloe's Guide to Taking on the World, was released in January 2018. Presently, Chloe is a student at Pepperdine University and has a thriving YouTube channel boasting over 2.2 million subscribers.

Chloe is currently in a relationship with Brooklinn Khoury.

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Christi Lukasiak

Being one of the original cast members, Christi had a tumultuous relationship with the founder of ALDC, which became a central part of her storyline on Dance Moms. In 2014, Christi made the decision to leave the show along with her daughter Chloe, as she frequently voiced her concerns about favoritism towards Maddie in the studio. Since then, she has shifted her focus towards charitable work and joined the mental health advocacy organization YourMomCares in 2019. Additionally, Christi has gained a following on TikTok where she shares valuable tips on navigating adulthood, cleverly dubbed "Adulting 101".

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JoJo Siwa

After achieving a top-five ranking on Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition in 2013, the talented individual from Nebraska joined Dance Moms in its fifth season. This catapulted her to reality TV stardom and paved the way for her success in the music industry. JoJo took the opportunity to release catchy pop singles such as "Boomerang" and "I Can Make U Dance." Impressed by her skills, she embarked on a nationwide U.S. tour in 2019, showcasing her talent to avid fans across the country. As a testament to her influence and impact, JoJo was recognized as one of TIME magazine's most influential people in the world in September 2020. Taking a step further in her personal journey, she bravely emerged as a member of the LGBTQ community, publicly sharing her identity with the world. During an Instagram Live session, she expressed her overwhelming joy, stating that she had never felt happier before. Shortly after, JoJo introduced her girlfriend, Kylie Prew, to her devoted social media followers, cementing their relationship for all to see.

In August 2021, Siwa made history on Dancing With the Stars by becoming the first celebrity to be paired with a professional dancer of the same sex. During her time on the show, Siwa and her dance partner Prew parted ways in November 2021. Despite this, Siwa continued to excel on the show and secured second place alongside her new professional partner Jenna Johnson. Additionally, Siwa, who cohosts Siwas Dance Pop Revolution with her mother Jessalynn Siwa, revealed in March 2022 that she is now in a new relationship.

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Jessalynn Siwa

Prior to joining the ALDC in Pennsylvania, JoJo’s mother owned a dance studio in Nebraska. Currently, she runs her own podcast called "Success With Jess" and also sells rhinestones to enhance the costumes of competitive dancers during performances.

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Nia Sioux

The UCLA student was among the founding members of the ALDC and remained with the team until the seventh season of Dance Moms, solidifying her status as the dancer with the longest tenure on the reality series. Since then, she has captivated her fans with captivating content on her YouTube channel and has even ventured into the world of music, releasing her own tracks. In 2016, Nia made her debut in an Off-Broadway production called Trip of Love and subsequently joined the cast of the CBS soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful.

In September 2021, she returned to Lifetime for the film Imperfect High. She played a teen drug addict opposite Sherri Shepherd.

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Holly Frazier

The ALDC studio on Dance Moms was often scrutinized for favoritism and typecasting, with one of the most outspoken critics being the former school administrator. Alongside her daughter, Nia, she remained a part of the company until the show’s seventh season. Referred to as Dr. Holly by fans, she now cohosts the “Because Mom Said So” podcast with several other Dance Moms alums.

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Kendall Vertes

After becoming a member of the ALDC in season 2 of the Lifetime series, Kendall faced numerous obstacles on her journey to reach the pinnacle of the pyramid. She was placed on probation multiple times during her tenure on the competitive team and even briefly joined the Candy Apples Dance Center, a rival of the ALDC. In line with many of her fellow Dance Moms alumni, Kendall delved into vlogging once the show concluded in 2019. In 2021, Kendall took a step further and enrolled at James Madison University, where she joined the dance team.

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Jill Vertes

The previous pharmaceutical sales rep left a lasting impact upon joining the Dance Moms family with Kendall. Jill garnered a reputation for relentlessly striving for her daughter's success, often clashing with other mothers. Following her departure from reality television, Jill teamed up with Kelly, Holly, and Melissa to start the "Because Mom Said So" podcast.

Credit: Courtesy Brooke Hyland/Instagram

Brooke Hyland

Once the ALDC elite team's eldest member, Brooke and her sister Paige were let go from the show after season 4 in 2014. Throughout her dance career, the "I Hurt" singer faced difficulties with back injuries as a result of her acrobatic routines. Following her departure from Dance Moms, Brooke decided to pursue a business degree at Ohio University and successfully graduated in 2019.

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Paige Hyland

Paige, similar to her elder sister, faced a series of highs and lows with her dance instructor before ultimately getting dismissed from the competition team in 2014. She completed her high school education in 2019 and proceeded to join West Virginia University.

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Kelly Hyland

A former ALDC student herself, Kelly's tumultuous relationship with Abby often created friction between them. Her explosive behavior culminated in an alleged physical altercation with the studio owner, prompting Kelly and her daughters to exit the show. In 2014, a lawsuit was filed against Abby on behalf of Kelly's daughter Paige, claiming emotional distress. The case was dismissed one year later. Amidst her turbulent experiences at the ALDC, Kelly announced on Twitter her intention to write a book about her time at the studio. In 2020, she joined former Dance Moms castmates as a cohost for the "Because Mom Said So" podcast.

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Kalani Hilliker

The Arizona native debuted on Dance Moms in 2013 and quickly became a regular cast member after earning a permanent spot on the ALDC elite team. Prior to that, she competed on the second season of Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition and had a minor role on ABC Family’s Bunheads. In 2018, Kalani focused more on acting and starred opposite Noah Centineo in the coming-of-age romantic-comedy Swiped. In 2020, the Dirt actress stirred controversy when she was photographed with a Blue Lives Matter flag and later revealed her support for former president Donald Trump during his re-election campaign. She is set to launch her own beauty line, Kare by Kalani, in 2023.

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Kira Girard

Kalani’s mother previously owned a dance studio in Arizona before making the decision to relocate to the East coast and become a part of the ALDC team. Kira is a mother of two sons, Jax who was born in 2007, and Jett who was born in 2015. Currently, she is engaged to David Newman, a prominent Arizona real estate mogul. In 2021, Kira and David joyfully welcomed their second child together, a daughter named Kaliah.

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Gianna Martello

Throughout all eight seasons of the Lifetime series, the choreographer remained a steady figure in the ALDC studio. Even after the Los Angeles-based studio's grand opening in 2015, she continued her collaboration with Abby, her former instructor. In a poignant Lifetime special preceding the airing of season 8 of Dance Moms in 2019, Abby openly acknowledged Gianna as her most significant "legacy."