Dance Moms introduced the world to Abby Lee Miller, a strong personality who seems to love teaching dance but who has fought with many people throughout her career. Miller has looked back on Dance Moms and what the show meant to her, and her young dancers have spoken out about her behavior. More often than not, Miller was angry that a rehearsal didn't go the way that she wanted. And she expressed her frustration with her students... even though they were just pre-teens and teens at the time.
The Dance Moms cast doesn't love Miller. Several of the show's reality stars have been honest about how much they dislike her attitude and her actions. Now that Dance Moms has been off the air for several years, does Abby Lee Miller get along with any of the talented dancers who she used to train?
Do Dance Moms Stars Abby Lee Miller And JoJo Siwa Get Along?
JoJo Siwa is one of the most famous dancers who starred in Dance Moms. She was in seasons 5 and 6, which aired in 2015 and 2016. She was only 12 years old at the time. In the years since she stopped starring in the reality series, Siwa has grown her Instagram following. She was a judge in a 2023 episode of RuPaul's Drag Race and a judge in season 17 of So You Think You Can Dance.
But since Dance Moms is such a big part of her story, Siwa is often asked about her relationship with Abby Lee Miller. In July 2022, Siwa posted a TikTok with Miller, and it seemed like they got along well.
According to People, Siwa explained that she and Miller both appeared in the first episode of season 3 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. She said "Me all ready for a calm night at the premiere of HSMTMTS..." and then said "Plot twist" before showing Miller.
Siwa included a Dance Moms clip of Miller speaking and continued, "Now I want to sit back and relax and enjoy my evening when all of a sudden, I hear this agitating, grating voice. Gotta love her though @aldctherealabbylee."
In December 2022, JoJo Siwa told People that Abby Lee Miller would often talk to her about her dancing. It sounded like they were definitely still in touch regularly. Siwa said, "I don't think I've ever gone to her with choreography advice. Almost every time that I post something though of me dancing, she'll swipe up and give me a correction on it or she'll swipe up and give an idea on it. That happens all the time."
Miller talked about Siwa in an October 2022 interview with E! News. She said, "I talk to JoJo a lot. We text a lot."
However, Siwa does remember how she was treated by her teacher. It must have been terrible to be so young and to be yelled at all the time. According to Page Six, in January 2023, Siwa shared a TikTok that included a heartwrenching Dance Moms scene.
In the scene, Miller said to Siwa, “You’re lucky to even be a guest here at the ALDC. If you’re so good, you don’t really need to be a part of the Abby Lee Dance Company.” Miller made things worse by saying "She deserves nothing."
That same month, Miller was interviewed by The U.S. Sun. She said that this didn't change her opinion of Siwa and she felt that they were still on great terms. Miller said that besides the TikTok, she didn't feel that Siwa ever insulted her.
She said, "I don't think JoJo is that naïve. I don't think she's dumb. I think she's a really smart kid when it comes to social media, computers, getting her name out there. There's nothing to repair with JoJo."
Does Abby Lee Miller Talk To Any Other Dance Moms Co-Stars?
Maddie Ziegler has shared her thoughts on Dance Moms. She called it "toxic" and discussed Abby Lee Miller's behavior. In 2022, Ziegler explained that she wouldn't be part of Miller's life anymore. She seemed happy about that decision.
While Miller seems to have formed a bond with JoJo Siwa that lasts today, Siwa might not consider her a good friend. Things between them do seem complicated. As Miller said, her former student hasn't said anything mean about her publicly. However, Siwa does remember the harsh words that her teacher said to her. And those types of experiences are hard to forget.
Miller has continually been in the news because she has said mean things about the girls who starred on Dance Moms.
According to Cosmopolitan, she wasn't supportive or nice about Maddie Ziegler's sister Kenzie Ziegler releasing songs. And in 2018, she laughed when Kenzie was a cast member in Dancing With The Stars Juniors.
Miller texted several people, “Why would an amazing dancer be an amateur on a talent competition with children who never danced? Can anyone answer that? I’m guessing you all would have rather there had never been a TV show called Dance Moms!”
Gianna Martello worked at the Abby Lee Dance Company as a choreographer. And she doesn't view the teacher as negatively as other people do.
Martello talked about Miller's time on Dance Moms in an interview with Dance Dish With KB in 2017. She said that she and Miller still saw each other a lot. The interview took place during Miller's bankruptcy fraud case and before Miller learned that she would spend time in jail.
Martello said, "Nothing is getting her down. Around me, she’s the same old, same old, which I think she has to be at this point to keep her mind off the crazy stuff. She and I went out in West Hollywood the other night, so she’s not feeling down or anything."
Martello also said, "Abby is so used to being her own boss at the studio that when we have a production team telling us what we have to do, she kind of pushes back on that. That’s where it all started."
Gianna Martello is still working as a choreographer and she seemed to like working for the Abby Lee Dance Company. Many of Miller's former students don't like the way that Miller acted, and no one can blame them since the scenes are so hard to watch even this many years later. But Martello seems to have a good experience and she and Miller are still in touch. Martello posted an Instagram photo of her and Miller hanging out in April 2023.
