[upbeat music]
GIRLS: La, la, la, la.
Next thing is to assign you wardrobe.
CHRISTI: I feel like we're in an AA meeting.
Hi, my name is Christi, and I'm a dance mom.
Here we are the day of the music video,
and it's so amazing to be in Hollywood.
All I can think is how did we get here?
We are a bunch of moms with kids from Pittsburgh.
Like, how did we end up here?
Listen, this is a professional job.
You're in LA.
You're in Hollywood.
You're at a soundstage.
You are doing a real video shoot.
Today, the girls are going to get their first taste
of being a professional dancer.
This is everything that they have worked for.
They just need to apply everything
I've taught them, remember everything they've learned,
and they'll do fine.
I think all of these boys have worked before.
They've all done videos.
They're used to doing this.
I want you to be just as professional as they are.
OK?
The girls are dancing with boys,
and the girls are really excited about that part.
It's really adorable.
ABBY: Thank you all for working with my girls today.
And have fun and make them look good.
You know that's the guy's job, right?
I'm watching the boys partner my girls, and I'm a little bit
concerned.
First of all, they're not very big.
A guy should be about six inches taller than his partner.
Phillip, we're going to put you with Mackenzie.
Mackenzie's with this little boy.
He's darling, and I'm sure he's a very good at what he does.
But he has to drop her down into the split and pick her back up.
I don't think he can pick up his backpack.
1, 2, 3, and 4, back, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
We're watching the boys and the girls starting
to rehearse together, and Mackenzie's partner
is the same size as her.
And he is a bit clueless.
5, 6, 7, 8.
1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
Up, 1.
Let's try it again, OK?
Just so we can get it all in our heads and partner together.
What's wrong?
You know it perfectly.
Why?
What can't-- what?
I can't.
Yes, you can.
Mackenzie, you look--
Mackenzie, you look great, girl.
Yeah.
Can we just try it one more time?
They're ready to do it, Mackenzie.
No, I'm not ready.
Yes, you are.
I'm not ready.
Mom, I'm not ready.
You have to be. Look--
I'm not--
I'm not ready.
I don't want--
All right, let's keep going. Ready?
Here we go.
Let's keep rehearsing. She'll be back.
Ready.
Mackenzie runs out of the group, over to mommy, crying.
Big temper tantrum because she doesn't want to do it.
She's not ready. She doesn't want to do it.
She's not ready. - Listen to me.
You cannot act like this and cry because you
become difficult to work with.
People don't want to work with kids that are difficult.
You are a professional.
You are representing me.
If I didn't think you could do the dance,
you wouldn't have been at the audition.
If the choreographer didn't think you could do it,
he would have come to me and said, look,
this kid's not ready. Give me another kid.
Do you understand?
I believe in you, she believes in you,
and the choreographer believes in you.
You need to believe in yourself.
You know the dance, babe.
Right now, we're in a professional atmosphere.
I cannot have Mackenzie crying on set.
She is going to ruin her reputation in this business
before it even starts.
Maddie, you're going to go with Phillip.
And you're going to go with Anthony.
Let's try that split.
Ready?
5, 6, 7, 8.
Drop, 1.
Uh-- oh.
Phillip, you got to hold her, bud.
I filled in for Mackenzie.
I wanted to help out.
I can dance with anybody.
Do you want to try it with Anthony or Ethan?
Yeah?
Let's try it with Anthony.
Try it from the top.
1, 2, 3, and 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
Up, 1.
That was better, Mackenzie.
See, you know it.
I just cry sometimes.
It's no big deal.
See, he's cute.
He looks like William, kinda. Did you see what he did?
- Hi. - It's good to see you again.
Nice to see you, too.
The producer Seven arrives.
And of course, he immediately sees Melissa
and gives her a big ol' hug.
Hi.
How are you?
So lovely to see you again.
And I'm thinking, like, I could be out in the back,
and he wouldn't even notice anybody's missing because I'm
not his coffee mate.
- Hey, girls. - Guys.
Girls, scoot in.
So Lux wants to meet you.
She wants to spend some time with you
and is really excited to see which one of you
is going to get to play little Lux.
Come inside with me, OK?
Come on.
Let's go to the big room.
We're finally going to meet Lux.
Good luck, ladies.
I'm so excited!
[pop music] - Hi.
Hi.
Hey.
How are you? - Good.
- I'm Lux. - Hi.
Hi.
It's nice to meet you. What are your names?
- Nice to meet you, too. - Paige.
- Nia. - Chloe.
- Maddie. - Mackenzie.
- Brooke. - Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
- You girls are beautiful. - Thank you.
Thank you.
We met Lux, and she is so beautiful.
And she has a great voice, and she has a lot of star quality.
I hope I get chosen as Lux.
- Are you from here? - No.
We're from Pittsburgh.
All of you are from Pittsburgh?
- Yeah. - Far away.
Wow.
One of you is going to be playing a miniature me.
I'm so excited to do this with you guys.
So are we.
Yeah.
All right, time to go.
It's time to go. - Thank you.
Thank you.
Thanks so much for coming over.
After seeing Lux for the first time,
I realized that if you want to be a little Lux,
you have to look like Lux.
So girls, these are our directors.
- Hi. - Hi.
I've got my man, Ben, and we have Tony.
Hello, ladies.
The idea here is we want to see what you guys have
so we can make a decision on who's going to be
the lead for the music video.
CHRISTI: So the producer and the director
tell the girls first thing they have to do
is kind of a catwalk with some poses.
I think it's nerve-racking for the girls
there when you have 50 people all standing there, eyes
on you, with cameras, and they're kind of-- like,
there's not just three judges.
It's 40 judges plus all of us, and
your competition's sitting there,
watching what you're doing.
- We excited? - We're rolling.
Let's do this.
[pop music]
Go, Maddie.
Go.
ABBY: Maddie is walking across that set
like she owns it, like she's in her bedroom and nobody's
watching.
She has it.
It's in the bag.
I worked the catwalk, and I think I did really good with it
in the poses. - Keep rolling.
Keep rolling.
Let's get Mackenzie back into position.
We'll do it once without the music.
And 3, 2, 1.
Go.
Very cute.
Thank you.
Paige.
And walk out.
Fabulous. Gorgeous.
We're all set. Let's go, Chloe.
Let's go.
I think they're not going to do the--
Here we go.
I don't think it's much about talent.
I think it's about the look.
And the thing I'm worried about is that Chloe
has the same hair as Lux.
CHRISTI: For the music video, the person determining the lead
is the director and the producer of the music video.
It's not Abby.
So for once, there is an even playing field,
and Chloe has a chance.
And action, Brooke.
Nice, Brooke.
Nia.
[crowd murmuring]
- Very good. - Very original.
- I thought you got hurt. - Yeah.
I thought you lost it.
It's called the death drop.
I thought there was a trapdoor.
I just thought-- - I know, completely lost.
Thought somebody took you away.
I knew I wasn't going to get the lead because we had
to be like her as a little kid.
And I'm African-American, and I have brown hair.
But I think I made a really good impression.
Thank you so much.
We had a fun time watching you and a great time
working with you.
If they're looking for the strongest dancer,
short, it's going to be Maddie.
If they're looking for the strongest dancer,
tall, it's going to be Chloe.
I don't know what's required of the lead.
I think--
I definitely think this one is just way too young.
I think Brooke is just too old.
That's what you're thinking?
Exactly.
I really, really, really want to be
the younger version of Lux.
It would be a dream come true for me.
Girls, you did an amazing job.
And this is unlike just going out for a dance competition.
There are many different levels to this.
There's not only your dance ability,
but your acting ability.
And then it comes down to a certain essence or a quality.
Of course, every girl wants the lead in this,
but we all pretty much know that Maddie will get it.
And naturally, kids are going to be jealous.
It's just a natural thing.
We need to find someone that comes
as close to looking like looks and feeling like Lux.
At the end of the day, we have to make a decision about what's
going to be best for the video.
I think my biggest competition for the music video
is probably going to be Maddie because she's good,
and she also has the look.
With everything that I mentioned before, I
think that I have to, uh--
We have to go with Chloe because Chloe,
you've got that thing that's just working
for this video right now.
Seven just said that I am Lux when she's little,
and I'm so excited.
I finally did it.
I made it big in Hollywood.