Bus driver!
How come you're going this way?
You're throwing everybody around back here.
We're heading to the star power competition in Connecticut,
and this is going to be tough.
The judges are going to be looking
for technique, of course, showmanship,
costuming, and passion.
So when the dancers step out there,
they're truly passionate about their craft
and what they're doing.
Mackenzie.
Here.
Maddie.
Here.
Cathy is too good for us.
She gets to ride in the Mercedes while we're on the bus.
Who does she think she is?
We all know it's a C-class.
The woman at the wig shop thought I was crazy.
She had an Afro for a 10-year-old girl.
Oh, you ended up getting one?
I found one.
Is it blonde?
That would have been good.
I've got lots of wigs I would like to choose from for Nia.
I would never select an Afro wig.
I would like for Nia to be beautiful
and not stereotyped as someone with an Afro from the '70s.
I thought you liked gummy worms!
Getting sleep on a bus with a bunch of kids
just doesn't work.
So, here we are at Star Power, and this
is a big competition for us.
Our girls need to do really well.
Moms, they're running 30 minutes ahead.
So, get the makeup on as quickly as possible
so that we have time to run this number.
That's more important.
Maddie, how's that-- how's it feel?
Does it feel good.
Do you have to go the bathroom? Maddie has to go--
No, I don't.
Maddie, listen to me.
You have to cooperate with me.
We had 30 minutes to get our kids ready.
They had to be stretched.
We had to put French twist in their hair, fake eyelashes, all
their makeup.
It was crazy.
Maddie, you have one number to dance, and that's it.
You're going to deal with it.
Be a grownup.
Sick of this attitude.
I can't deal with Maddie's attitude.
She's eight years old, and sometimes, she thinks she's 16.
Maddie--
Not supposed to look for that.
You need earrings first.
No.
Maddie, calm down, please.
I'm a perfectionist.
I don't like to be rushed when I'm doing my makeup and hair.
Guess what?
Do you want to go home?
You're never like this.
Stop it.
Melissa's always freaking out on Maddie
before the competitions.
I feel bad for Maddie.
Maddie, go do some turns and see if that hair moves.
Please?
What was that about?
What was that?
Melissa is always on time, always prepared, always
where she needs to be.
And when that doesn't happen exactly as she planned,
then she gets worked up.
And that in turn works up her daughters.
Girls, shh.
Stop.
There are 1,500 numbers.
You're the first thing they're going
to see from Abby Lee Miller.
Do you understand how important it is?
Be respectful backstage.
When you come off the stage, I don't care if it
was good, bad, or otherwise.
You act like it was the best time you ever danced.
You understand me?
This is what we have been working for all season.
Today is what matters, right now in 10 minutes.
Do you understand?
Every single competition is really important to us
because each competition is one step closer to nationals.
Please let me welcome "Make You Mine," number 128.
[music playing]
(SINGING) Slip my lace up, put on the makeup.
Slide stiletto shoes on to get my groove on.
Put some Coco Chanel on with a little lip
gloss to knock your socks off so we can get it on.
I'm going to make you mine.
Make you feel good.
I'll be your fantasy.
I'll be your girl.
Make it all--
Nia missed a big glissade.
I corrected her over and over, and she still did it wrong.
No excuses.
(SINGING) Make you feel good.
I'll be your fantasy.
I'm your fantasy girl.
During the "Make You Mine" performance,
Nia was a little off.
I just hope Abbey's not too hard on her.
Maddie's really upset right now.
The group just performed, and she
doesn't feel that they performed to the best of their ability.
Girls, I'm talking to you right
now because I'm disappointed.
And why were you crying?
You got hurt a little?
What happened.
OK.
Maddie was upset because Nia did not do well.
But she told Abby she was upset because she twisted her ankle.
Nobody knows the dance.
You should just go to the bathroom.
Does that say registration?
Yeah.
I am inquiring about the photogenic award.
I entered Vivi in a photogenic contest.
We haven't had the opportunity to do
the costume catalog thing yet.
Now I got a mess going on here.
I thought that this would be a good start to maybe start
to pursue something like that.
Incline your head. OK.
You're going-- all right, I won't touch you, then.
I feel like the eyelashes are drooping.
Do I need to staple your eyebrows up?
Don't look scared.
Don't look like somebody's goosing you.
I'm feeling like you're a bum model.
Come on.
Look alive!
- Look at me and smile. - Big smile.
Big, big, big. Get it.
Click.
Smile!
Uh!
You're just going to look over your shoulder.
She should have her hands down.
Look at me and smile. OK.
OK, that's cute.
Don't change your face.
Freeze your face.
You look like a pug.
Oh, now she's running the show.
I went in with the attitude that I
was going to do all of the posing for Vivian,
and Vivi just took off.
She just went off on her own.
Big smile.
I was amazed because she really started to perform,
and she was doing cute little poses,
and she was coming up with ideas all on her own.
Do what you want to do.
Just do whatever you feel like.
I've just been fired.
[annoucements]
It's very important that the girls
win for their group numbers.
They win all the time for their solos.
That's easy.
It's much more difficult to do a group routine.
Everybody has to be in sync.
Timing issues, spatial awareness,
everybody on the same count at the same time.
When your group wins, you've won.
Only 4/10 of a point separate first from third.
Third place is "Gratitude," number 124.
Your second place world champion today is "Make You Mine,"
number 128.
Name of your studio, and who's the choreographer?
Abby Lee Dance Company.
Our girls definitely deserved first place.
We were totally shocked.