Melanie Ziegler || Dance Moms

Injury Mania

"All right, now, this week, I'm excited. I have an open audition. I'm looking for the next big thing. I get more headshots and resumes and mail with questions on how to become part of the Abby Lee Dance Company and we just say 'Hey, show up, pay and audition'.  Who am I replacing? What do I need them to do? When are they available?" Abby says, "We will be traveling to Orlando, Florida. Melissa, can I have Maddie, Mackenzie and Melanie go early with me and help at the audition?"

"Yeah."

"Do you guys want to do that?"

"Yes." The three of us answer.

"Okay, all right, so that's a plan. So we're gonna--"

"Wait, this isn't a competition, so can Payton go?" Leslie interrupts and we all look at her, "She could do that, too."

"Leslie, they could all do it, she picked those three." Jill tells Leslie.

"Now, see, Leslie? This is where-- Now, see, this is where your mother speaks out of turn, acts like-- Over there, all right?"

"I'm just asking for-- Is that wrong?" Leslie says.

Fight fight, bickering, boring.

"Let me start the pyramid." She reveals the bottom headshot, "Payton. You knew that was coming, and it's sad because you're not there because of your dancing--"

"Well, then she shouldn't be there because she didn't do anything wrong. I did."

"Kendall. You were given the opportunity of a lifetime. Top five? What I need is a number one. You know, you gotta quit the crying." Ouch, "Nia, 'Just Another Number', I'm still seeing technical issues." Nia nods, "Paige. Same thing, you were good in the group routine and your mother didn't interrupt." Next headshot, "Melanie. You were great on the group number, you didn't have any issues at all."

Maddie

Chloe   Brooke   Mackenzie

Melanie   Paige   Nia   Kendall   Payton

Kenzie, Maddie, and I all have solos this week, and Kenzie isn't in the group dance. There's also a trio with Brooke, Paige and Chloe. Everyone leaves and Abby starts teaching me my solo.

"So this is your time to show me that you're my number one girl for the category eight and under, I no longer have Mackenzie to help you out, so you gotta prove that you want it and that you can do it, do you understand?" She tells me as she sits down.

"Yes." I smile.

"Good, your solo is called 'My Time To Shine'. Just like the title says, this is your time to shine on your own, not as Maddie and Mackenzie's little sister. The solo is contemporary."-

The solo is great, the only thing that worries is that there's so many turns at the end. Are they really all so necessary, I don't know. I do the dance completely twice and Abby dismisses me. I go back to the Dancer's Den and Maddie leaves to learn hers.

•Open Call Auditions Day•

"I don't really want Abby to replace any of the girls, or even us." Kenzie whispers.

"Honestly, she can do whatever she wants, after all it is the Abby Lee Dance Company, not the Dance Paradise Resort." Maddie comments and Kenzie scoffs.

"You can say that because everyone knows that she won't replace you, of course because you are Maddie Ziegler." Kenzie rolls her eyes.

"Oh don't start again." Maddie says.