Melanie Ziegler || Dance Moms

Presenting My New Team

All of us girls enter studio A, where Abby is standing beside the pyramid. It has not been easy, but as Abby says, the show must go on.  I was wearing a black leotard and I had my white and pick ALDC jacket on. My hair was on a French braid. The Moms enter and stand behind us.

"Wow! You're looking like a team today. And, in hindsight, perhaps we shouldn't have competed this past weekend. Perhaps we should have taken a weekend off. But in your minds, know that you went out, and you did a beautiful performance for my mom, Maryen Lorrain Miller." Abby says and sighs, "The winning streak, as we know it, is over. It was good while it lasted, but if you keep winning, you're not gonna get better. All right, let's get to the pyramid."

Mackenzie

Maddie   Kendall

Kalani  Nia   Chloe  Melanie

Last week I wasn't on any dances at all, the only thing I did dance related was appear on Kenzie's music video.

"All right, so, I know you've been here since the beggining. I know you've paid tuition for years and years and years, but times, they are a-changin'. I've been telling you for months now that I'm going to form a new team. You know I've been going around the country looking for new team members. You've seen what people will do, say, sacrifice to be a part of the Abby Lee Dance Company. But after seeing all the talent from Orlando, Atlanta and New York City, I came up with a team that's just like all of you. There will be on team member to go up against each of you. To challenge you. This doesn't have to be negative unless you make it negative. Girls, you have to know, there's always somebody else. Everyone is replaceable. I think it's time to bring the new team in. Take a deep breath 'cause your life is about to change. Girls let's go, come on in!"

The new team enters with their Mothers, and  is Abby glad now? She got her new, now what does she want? 

"Welcome to the Abby Lee Dance Company. Girls, I know it's intimidating to walk into this room. Oh, they don't look very intimidated, though, do they?" Abby asks. 

"I don't think there's any competition there." Kira says and we all look at her, "You brought our trash from Arizona. Hold on. Tracey, let-- How many titles has Sarah won? None. None. None."

"Abby said she wanted a team full of Maddies, not Kalanis." Another mom defends Tracey.

I try not to laugh imagining eight Maddies dancing onstage. 

"That is not a Maddie, she can't even win in Arizona, how is she going to win here?" Kira asks.

"Sarah, come out on here." Abby says and Sarah R. walks to the middle of the room, "Kira, I'm sure you thought I brought this young lady all the way from your hometown to compete against your kid. But is she a challenge for Nia? Come out on here, Nia."

Nia goes and stands beside Sarah R. 

"Check each other out. Ava, step forward. Kendall, stand up here next to the other eleven-year-old."

So it is Nia and Sarah R, Kendall and Ava, Kalani and Jade, Kenzie, Tea and Sarah. I'm about Sarah's age, so I don't know why Kenzie has to go against two instead of only one like the rest of the girls. As I was saying, there's also Chloe and Kamryn. 

"Scarlett, step forward, Melanie, step forward."

We both stand in the middle and smile at each other. Scarlett, she looks about my age.

"I think you have what is needed to beat Melanie, do you think so?" Abby asks Scarlett and she nods, with a nervous look on her face, "You're both the youngest dancers in the team, so I need to know if you can keep up, or if I'll have to cut you."