One of my favorite things in the world is to watch dance. I enjoy every aspect of watching dance routines: the choreography, costumes, synchronization of the group, and the intricate accents of the music. So, naturally, when I found out there was a show centered around talented young dancers, I decided to watch it. At first, I enjoyed the show. It was a way to watch beautiful dancing. However, as the show has gone on to season six, it is quite clear that these young dancers are being exploited and bullied. "Dance Moms" is no longer about dancing and talent, it's about grown women ganging up and using their words to abuse these young girls.
Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the show is that the mothers continue to keep their children on the show, even though they know that Abby Lee Miller will say pretty much anything to tear them down when they don't meet her expectations. Not only that, but the other mothers, who have their own young daughters, will participate in verbally bullying another child.
The show makes tons and tons of money, and Abby Lee Miller is even under federal investigation right now for tax fraud. It is amazing that so much money is made off of young girls being torn down every single day. While they are incredibly talented young dancers, their mothers and their dance teacher are allowing them to be treated poorly every single day they go to dance class. Whether the drama is real or staged, the moms are unaware of how much emotional damage they are causing to their children.
Yes, they may now be filthy rich from being a member on the show, but they aren't thinking about the well-being of their children. Abby Lee Miller is supposed to critique and correct the girls' dancing. That is her job. However, sometimes, she will go to great extremes to make comments on a young girl's appearance to tear them down. When did it become okay to use these young girls and their talent, only to emotionally damage them every week in front of the entire world?
Many of the original team members have quit the team for the reason of emotional abuse. At one point, Abby Lee Miller made a comment about Chloe Lukasiak's eye, which she knew was a weak point for Chloe that she could not help. She stooped so low to hurt a child, the child and her mother did not return. They could no longer face the abuse every single day.
It pains me to watch such beautiful dancing from these talented young ladies, and know that while they are doing what they love, they are also being verbally and emotionally abused by their teammates' mothers and their own dance instructor. The show is one that an abundance of other young girls watch, and they are seeing this behavior portrayed as acceptable. It is not acceptable to exploit young girls for money, while watching them getting torn down. It has got to stop.
