 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Dance Moms
- Lifetime Television
- Genre: Reality TV
Common Sense Media says
Arguing and drama in kids' competitive dance world.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this docu-series sensationalizes the pressure-filled world of competitive dance and features tense exchanges among a strong-willed instructor, her young students, and their motivated mothers. The show offers an intriguing glimpse into an image-centric culture that encourages young girls (and sometimes boys) to adhere to a rigid image and to play up sex appeal to score a win. This isn’t a show for kids, and there’s very little of substance it offers to older viewers, but it’s riddled with controversy and explosive personalities, so there’s no denying its entertainment value. Expect some strong bleeped language ("s--t," "damn," and the like) and some inadvertent messages about using alcohol as a stress-reliever.
What's the story?
DANCE MOMS takes viewers behind the glitz and glamour of the competitive dance culture as it plays out for the members of the renowned Abby Lee Dance Company. Professional choreographer and dance coach Abby Lee Miller hasn’t built her revered reputation by accident, but her controversial methods of motivating her students -– some of whom are as young as 6 –- don’t always sit well with the dancers or their parents. This explosive series follows the dance company’s quest for a coveted national title and examines the physical, emotional, and financial sacrifices the families make for their kids’ success, all the while raising the issue of whether the rewards outweigh the struggles for the young stars at the heart of the mayhem.
Is it any good?
Dance Moms squeezes entertainment value out of tense verbal exchanges between adults, infighting among the dance company members (both adults and kids), and Miller’s extreme coaching style that often wreaks havoc on the students’ emotional well-being. Watching her berate her dancers and encourage competition among them is downright uncomfortable to watch at times, and it’s impossible not to feel for the kids when the adults –- some mothers included -– disregard their emotions. It also raises the question of how much pressure is too much to put on kids and what effect the dancers’ perceived failure will have on their self-confidence.
This series lends itself to discussions about body image as well, since so many demands are placed on these young dancers to look and act a preconceived part. Sex appeal is a stated goal in some of the dance moves, which creates tension between Miller and the dancers' parents and forces the kids into the middle of the exchanges. Most strong language is edited, but drinking alcohol is presented as a reliable method for adults to cope with the stresses of the competitive atmosphere. Ultimately this is just another example of sensationalized reality TV, made more offensive by its willingness to thrust kids into the spotlight, but it's still bound to draw viewers who like to watch controversy unfold. It does, however, expose viewers to a little-known atmosphere of dance competition and includes some fleeting celebratory moments when the dancers achieve their longstanding goals.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about self-image. How do outside factors like other people’s impressions of you affect how you view yourself? What messages does society send to you about what’s acceptable? Is it difficult to challenge those guidelines?
What are the benefits of competition? What life lessons can be learned from competing? How does it feel to win? To lose? How can losing motivate us to improve?
What do you expect in a role model? What character traits are important to you? Is success always a factor? What about things like compassion, inspiration, and generosity? How are those traits viewed in our society?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
Awesome show!!!! Looking forward to more!
The fact that people are saying that Abby Lee is 'tearing down a child’s self-esteem' is absurd. Abby Lee has a point, I am a competitive dancer of 13 years and I would much rather be yelled at by my dance instructor than a complete stranger. It is not like there being forced to stay there. It's their choice! Sure, she is a little harsh, but we have only seen an hour into their 'dance lives' who knows maybe there’s a sweet, nice side to Abby. Let’s face it, her harsh way of teaching, gets them places and there great dancers! On the T.V show as a whole, I find it is for entertainment only, there is no ‘learning’ from it. The bickering between parents and Abby Lee is very amusing too watch. The show is just like Toddlers in Tiaras, without all the girls being bratty and expecting everything to magically appear in front of them. There are some sexual moves and costumes but just about every dance studio has them though. I find the show very entertaining and hope it becomes as big as Toddlers and tiaras without all the negative things that come along with it. Please do not cancel this show just because some overbearing people think that everything in this world ruins there children’s' self-esteem. "Oh no! I just was yelled at because I did something wrong. I’m crushed. I’m quitting dance forever." Pah-leese. Its life. You can’t protect your child from these things forever and when/if you do. They'll be shocked to soon find out...that’s reality.
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AGE
cancel this show
It is abusive the way the children are talked to by Abby Lee. Ive never seen anyone tear down a childs self esteem like she does. Pitiful mothers to allow it and to pay her to do it.
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AGE
This show makes me vomit!
Ok for one I was a dancer, I danced ballet from when I was 5 years old until i was 13. I loved dance, and first off what these girls are doing I wouldn't call dance in 1,000 years, they dance like showgirls and there parents put up with this evil dance instructor who just hurts the girls feelings. This Abby-Lee puts the girls in a pyramid and it seems like one girl is ALWAYS at the top making all the other girls feel bad. The dance couch is annoying an nothing at all like my couches were, even though they were strict and demanding, this lady is NUTS! I wish someone would shut this show and her dance studio down. I am not pleased TLC not pleased......
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AGE
Entertaining
I really like this show. Im a dancer myself so I understand all the stress they got through. Some people say the teacher and moms are going overboard. They do push the girls a little too much, but thats how they reach success. And through all the work and stress, 9 year old girls are really really talented.
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AGE
Horrible mothers! Just more TV trash~
Just like the title of my review says, it's nothing more than TV trash. I'm actually disappointed and a bit shocked at Lifetime for airing a show like this.
Before I start my rant I will say that there is one good moral that the show demonstrates, and that is the value of hard work and perseverance.
Now, I have a 1 and an 8 year old, and I doubt they'd be entertained by this show, nor would I let them watch it. The mothers in this show are HORRIBLE, not only to their children but to each other. They backstab, badmouth each other's children and family lives/situations. One mother presumably has a drinking problem which is demonstrated in several episodes, one where she even lashes out (verbally) at another woman and her child making the little girl cry. Swear words are also prominent in their arguments (a**, d**n, b***h, h**l, f**k) are all voiced (but bleeped out) And the COSTUMES! My God, there was one episode where the little girls were dressed in skin tight leather booty shorts and bra-like tops doing stripper-squats in one of their performances! This show sexifies and objectifies these poor young girls whose mothers obviously live vicariously through them. One mother literally told her daughter she'd "slit her wrists" if she told her again she'd rather play baseball than dance. And another forced her daughter to dance in a competition after sustaining a painful hip injury. The role models are terrible, seeing the children cry and get yelled at in every episode is maddening, I'd pause this for anyone under or around 12 years old...I doubt kids would be entertained by it, much less adults.
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AGE
WOW
Wow!!! These moms are nuts! This show is great. Id give ot ten or older because of the way the dannlce teacher treats her students it wouldnt be innapropriate for kids under 10 just for interest level. In the pilot episode one mom gets into a fight with abby the dance teacher and abby calls the police tthe fighht starts when a student isnt wearing a leoterd. Two pardents drink at a hotel bar to relieve stress before competition but shown briefly overall its a great show i would highly reccomend it i have a new favorite show!
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Kid, 11 years old
August 13, 2011
AGE
great show
Positive messages include kids learning to dance, even tho sometimes they dont want too and they get pulled thorugh stressful times, they keep going, which fits into postive messages and good role models. Violence bc kids dont want to dance and there teacher yells at them, i feel bad for those cute girls! <3!
Sexy Stuff: Girls do very sexy stuff in episode 2, where they are wearing bikinis, and do very sexy moves.
Languge: Moms yell at dance coach abby " *hit dam* and the like are normally bleeped.
There is a very strong message of Consermiruism here, for abby lee dance co in pittsburg pa. in one episode moms drink wine and feel better with there stress
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AGE
Very true to life, and entertaining, but the messages are off at times.
This show is very funny at times but this is not an exaggeration of the dance competition world. I used to be on a competition team and believe me, it is just as cutthroat between the moms and dancers in real life, if not more, than on this show. It is a very entertaining show though, but parents need to know that it is truly a reality show.
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Kid, 12 years old
July 20, 2011
AGE
Love the show!
This show is great I think the only thing that is bad is the bad language and the drinking.
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| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Network: | Lifetime Television |
| Cast: | Abby Lee Miller |
| Genre: | Reality TV |
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