This week, we will travel to San Jose, California.
[all exclaiming]
San Jose!
We will compete at New York Dance Experience.
Oh, we love it there.
ABBY: It is.
The group routine.
Northern California is more well-known for something
a little scary.
I think every parent has concerns about their child
falling prey to a cult. And sometimes, they're
even brainwashed to drink the Kool-Aid.
That looks very cult-like there.
Get in forced arch, though, JoJo.
Get your feet up there and all of that.
You're always flatfooted.
This routine is contemporary in style.
But it's called "The Cult."
Already, people are freaked out.
Just the word cult is, like, taboo.
The stigma with the cult is that it's bad because you
don't think for yourself.
Someone's thinking for you.
Here, drink this Kool-Aid and die.
OK, whatever you say.
All right, let's go.
6, 7, 8.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7--
Oh!
DANCER: There you go.
ASHLEE: We are traveling this weekend,
and our group dance still is not finished.
And you know what?
We lost a whole day of rehearsal time.
So I don't know if the girls are going to be
able to pull it off or not.
When you girls heard that we were doing like a cult theme,
everybody was really kind of curious about it.
And does everybody understand?
Well, what do you think it is?
You think of bad people because that's usually
what's associated with it, that something
negative has happened.
People are attached to it, and they feel a sense of belonging.
Or they--
A loyalty, a connection.
It's a family.
Because like, look at us.
Abby is not even in the room.
HOLLY: We are a family, Ashlee.
ASHLEE: Look at us sewing our head pieces,
worrying about this.
Yeah, because our cult leader looms over us everywhere we go.
MACKENZIE: The moms are really bad at explaining the cult.
I think it's just a bunch of moms fighting.
I'm just ready to drink the Kool-Aid and dance.
I don't even know what the Kool-Aid is.
ANNOUNCER: Number 300, The Cult.
This is going to be a tough number for our girls.
They lost a full day of rehearsals.
If we want to win this competition,
we need every member on board.
It is time to drink the ALDC Kool-Aid.
[music playing]
(SINGING) Oh, hoo.
Oh, oh.
Now I'm flying solo on my own.
And I'm free to be wherever I want to go.
[cheering]
JUDGE 1: The opening sequence was beautiful, you guys.
Great job on the timing on the floor work.
Another thing I was really impressed with was the emotion.
You guys were all there emotionally from the get go.
So you guys already had us vested
in from the very beginning.
Very well-done, very pleased.
Good job tonight, you guys.
ABBY: I thought the judges critiques
were right on the money.
The group became those members of the cult.
They were in it to win it.
They were living in the moment, and nothing
backstage, nothing in the audience, a baby crying--
nothing distracted them.
ANNOUNCER: All right, it's time for team groups.
First place, number 300, The Cult--
Abby Lee Dance Company.
Ladies, come on down.
Who choreographed this beautiful dance number?
Abby Lee Miller and Gianna Martello.
ANNOUNCER: Ladies, unbelievable.
Thank you so much.
Even though I was nervous about the girls
dancing at the group dance because they
lost a whole day of rehearsal, they really connected to it.
Congratulations, Mad!
MELISSA: And you know what?
I love when our kids dance as a team together.
And I think that's what's important.
Maybe the ALDC being a cult isn't a bad thing after all.