Dance Moms alum Abby Lee Miller has called out her former students. The 61-year-old choreographer said the former Dance Moms stars have become “too big for their britches” and “don’t have time for their dance teacher.”
Abby Lee Miller says some of her former Dance Moms students became “too big for their britches” after leaving the show
Miller has opened up about her changed relationship with former Dance Moms student Maddie Ziegler, who appeared in 2011 at age 8. She also made it clear that Maddie is no longer at the top of her pyramid. Maddie spent six seasons on Dance Moms before leaving the show in 2016 with her younger sister, Kenzie. Four years ago, she called her time on the Lifetime series “a toxic environment.” She also said she had not spoken to Miller since leaving the show. Miller has now offered her own criticism.
Miller spoke about the matter during a recent interview with E!’s Hot Goss hosts Eyal Booker and Lonnie Marts III. She said, “When you wanted to win, and you wanted to come in extra, and you wanted more private lessons, and you were the driving force, not your mother.” She then questioned, “Why didn’t you say it then?” Miller said Maddie was very competitive. She described the former student as a perfectionist who always wanted to win.
Miller also spoke about Maddie’s former teammate, Nia Sioux. The former studio owner is now working on a new talent search with her former rival, Cathy Nesbitt-Stein. The project is called Abby vs. Cathy: Hit the 8! She claimed, “They’re too big for their britches,” adding, “They don’t have time for their dance teacher.”
Sioux, however, said she had tried to stay in touch with Miller. In her November memoir, Bottom of the Pyramid, she revealed that she reached out to Miller after learning about her 2018 cancer diagnosis. Sioux told, “It was on my heart to reach out. I would never wish any harm or sickness on anyone.” Sioux later learned that Miller did not want to see her. She said the experience gave her the closure she needed.
Dance Moms first premiered on Lifetime on July 13, 2011. The series ran for eight seasons before ending in September 2019. Hulu later revived the franchise with Dance Moms: A New Era. The reboot premiered on August 7, 2024. Season 2 followed on December 8, 2025.
