Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
New cast, same dysfunctional behavior in dance reality.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Dance Moms: A New Era
What's the Story?
DANCE MOMS: A NEW ERA, a spin-off of the Dance Moms franchise features a tough coach, a group of young and talented dancers, and their over-the-top mothers. Gloria "Miss Glo" Hampton was once good friends with coach Abby Lee Miller, but is now allegedly her toughest competitor. To this end, she's now focused on developing her top talent into a superstar junior dance team. As eight girls between the ages of eight to thirteen learn challenging new choreography and participate in competitions with the intention of winning nationals at the end of the dance season, they must face Miss Glo's sharp, but constructive, criticism. Meanwhile, moms watch every move the dancers make, and each one does everything she can to ensure that her daughter is making the most of every opportunity.
Is It Any Good?
This predictable unscripted series offers viewers the chance to see talented girls perform, but it's a challenge to watch. Glo Hampton replaces Abby Lee Miller as the difficult coach with high expectations, but manages to do so in a way that's slightly less intense. Meanwhile, the young dancers strive to improve and not disappoint Miss Glo in order to remain on the team and earn the opportunity to dance solos. There's also some arguing between them, much of which emulates the behavior of their stage mothers, who are constantly bickering with each other about who the better dancer is, who should be blamed when the team doesn't win competitions, and who they believe is getting preferential treatment from their coach.
More disturbing is the amount of pressure some of the mothers put on their daughters throughout the season, so much so that the kids break down crying or beg to be left alone (Miss Glo and her assistants attempt to console the child when they can). Some of these moments are indicative of the pressures competitive and career dancers face in the real world, and others feel contrived. This kind of dysfunctional behavior points to a lack of concern about the young dancers' psychological and emotional well-being, and does so under the guise of reality entertainment. Dance Moms fans may like it, and young dancers will be drawn to it, but the overall series is more problematic than it is inspiring.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about competitive dance. It's a tough sport, but at what point is being competitive too competitive? How can the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of dancers be protected while coaching them to improve?
Do you think the moms featured on Dance Moms: A New Era are as difficult and judgmental when the cameras are off? Or are they just creating drama for entertainment? Is the message they send any less problematic if they are pretending?
TV Details
- Premiere date : August 7, 2024
- Cast : Gloria Hampton
- Network : Hulu
- Genre : Reality TV
- Topics : Arts
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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