Episode two of the highly-dramatized reality show brought the troupes to Ohio: The Abby Lee Miller Dance Company competed against their TV-show rival, Candy Apples Dance Center.
To prepare for the on-screen showdown, both studio directors got their students amped for competition by pitting students against students of the opposing team. Being spirited is important to the world of competition, but is it crossing the line when being cutthroat and aggressive pumps up your students?
How do you get your students jazzed for competition without attacking the opposition? Let’s start talking!
If your studio doesn’t compete, here’s another topic of discussion: To correct new-girl Kendall’s musicality, Abby Lee asked if Kendall played an instrument, and then strongly suggested she learn, and also learn to read music. I think this is a great idea for any dancer—since dance and music go hand in hand, it can only improve a student’s rhythm ad listening skills. But what do you do? Do your students play instruments? Do you offer music classes at your studio, or suggest they learn an instrument in school?
And finally, when Brooke’s age was questioned at competition, her mother called the studio, and asked the office assistant to photograph her birth certificate and text it to the judge. While this was a great instant problem solver on the show, would it be so easy in real life? Do you collect photocopies of girls’ birth records at your studio? Is it policy for comp teams, or for everyone? Or, do you see it as a breach of privacy?
Photo of ALDS team’s cute 1940s number “Bad Apples.” With possibly the most age-appropriate moves and costumes of the show’s two seasons, this routine was seriously successful.
Bonus: Where were the kids? Unfortunately this week, only one child was filmed behind-the-scenes, so there weren’t any levelheaded words-of-wisdom from the kids. Only Vivi-Anne offered this hilarious statement during rehearsal: “I cut my finger on my mom’s ring…I hope I can still dance.”
