ASHLEE: Brynn is more talented
MOM: Ashlee loves to say Brynn is Maddie's replacement.
We beat you.
MOM: You got your dream.
Take it, girlfriend.
ABBY: Is Brynn maybe the next Maddie?
Can you just push right off that, and inside leg turn?
It's the wrong way.
Good.
MOM: Something's going on here.
No that's Abby.
Abby always does that when someone new comes in.
She cannot wait but just to lavish them will all of this
like, over the top.
Brynn, you've inspired me.
But is it real, or is it fake?
Why would she be fake?
I think she wants Brynn to stay.
She's going to suck up to you.
MOM: Mm-hmm.
MOM: The first few weeks are always nice.
MOM: We call it the honeymoon phase.
ABBY LEE MILLER: Ashlee, come down here.
MOM: Mm.
Oh, good luck with that.
So I think your daughter has a special gift.
God made her to dance.
I think you have something really, really special.
What was your chat like with Abby?
What were you guys talking about?
She was like, just like, gushing, just nice things
about Brynn.
Well, it's interesting that Abby has given Brynn
all those accolades, and then she continues to tear down
the kids on her team.
She's buttering you up.
MOM: Yes.
You guys, you are doing a beautiful lyrical routine.
I couldn't be any happier.
ABBY: And-- I know, but Brynn is.
Brynn is taking the lead.
BRYNN: Oh, gosh.
Maddie's coming back next week.
So I'm really nervous that I have the lead role.
And if we don't win, Abby may send me home.
ABBY: This is kind of like your anthem.
Ms. Abby said that I was born to be a dancer, that I have
what it takes, and I'm going to do it.
Understand?
All right, we ready to start this?
The junior elite group routine is entitled "Better Off Now."
I think Brynn is better off now.
Now she's supposed to be Maddie, right?
Kind of, sort of.
But what will happen when Maddie comes back next week?
Mm-hmm.
ASHLEE: She needs to go in and be better than Maddie.
She's got to have better technique,
and she's got a better acting.
[MUSIC - SUZI ORAVEC, "BETTER WITHOUT YOU"]
(SINGING) I'm not going to fall down,
because I'm better without you.
So I'm moving on.
[applause]
JILL: I think Brynn is a fine dancer, but I miss Maddie.
ANNOUNCER: And in first place we have "Better Off Now."
First place.
Congrats.
Brynn did an outstanding job, and I'm
going to keep her around.
I want Brynn to realize that she can go up against Maddie.
Maddie is being pulled in so many directions right now,
and that has really put a wrench in her training.
If Brynn really wants to be Maddie's replacement,
right now is the time.
This is our chance to show what Brynn can do.
[big band music playing]
Woo.
Go, Brynn.
So good.
[inaudible] Thank you.
ASHLEE: I know without a doubt the Brynn is
more talented than all the girls here.
And this is our chance to prove it and show everybody,
we're here to be Maddie's replacement.
In fourth place, entry number 2A, "She's Magic," Abby Lee
Dance Company.
Come on down.
You are magic.
MELISSA: I have no idea why Ashlee has to brag about Brynn
all the time, because she'll never
be anything like my daughter.
ABBY: I put Brynn on probation because of her mother.
And that's a shame, because when Brynn steps into that room
to dance, she's beautiful.
Is Brynn maybe the next Maddie?
That's up to her mother.
I did notice that you missed a name in the program.
I did?
Well, I didn't know if she was on the team or not,
but I guess she's not listed.
MOM: Who?
MOM: Brynn.
MOM: Oh, her name's not in the program.
ASHLEE: Did you in the room, though, yesterday-- you said,
now that you're on the team.
ABBY: No, I did not say that.
I was very careful in my choice of words.
I said, now that you're here and you're part of our family.
ASHLEE: Well, she misunderstood, because she said,
now you're part of our family. You know--
She's part of my family.
I adore her.
It's fine.
OK.
I misunderstood what you said.
MOM: She's not even in the program with the girls
as listed as a team member.
And actually, I was happy to see that,
because she tells everyone that she's on the team,
and she's not.
And that she's better than all of our kids.
I never said she was better.
I said, of course when--
Every day you do.
--we're trying to make the team, I'm going to talk her up.
I mean, why would I not?
MOM: Because it's called being humble.
ABBY: Ashlee is like every other young mom.
They don't know when to zip it.
This is exactly why I need for her to be on probation.
You don't need to brag about your child to us.
Let her talent speak for itself.
You just sit back and relax and keep your mouth shut.
How do you really feel about Maddie's success?
Are you feel like she's beyond you?
Do you feel like you're jealous of her success?
Like, we've thrown out a bunch of stuff.
How do you really feel?
ABBY: --whatever you're throwing out is going to get your kid
and you kicked off my team.
If there's one thing that I can tell you,
back me up, because I can do wonderful things for your kid,
or I can do a whole lot of nothing for your kid.
Come on.
I think it's a good sign for me
that Maddie's not the advertisement anymore.
I think that's a good sign for Brynn,
personally, because I don't think Abby's going to promote
her next girl from somebody who's already been here.
Because she could have pulled any of you guys' kids and said,
you're the next Maddie, but she didn't.
MOM: You still think that she brought Brynn in here
to be the next Maddie.
The first day we walked in, Abby said, welcome to the team,
and handed her Maddie's jacket.
MOM: She didn't hand her Maddie's jacket.
She said, you can wear it until Maddie gets here.
MOM: And you took, welcome to the family,
as, welcome to the team.
Like, talk about manipulating things.
ASHLEE: But she was there to be Maddie's replacement.
That's what she was invited here to do.
And now Maddie's back.
So--
And we're still here.
MOM: But you're on probation, and you're not
even in the program.
ASHLEE: I could care less if we're in the program or not.
I think if we were going to be going home,
we would've gone home when Maddie came back each time.
ABBY: Great.
Ashlee, you can help me out.
Come on.
Ooh, your BFF is asking you for help.
She's running.
She's going to be put to work at the front desk, I think.
Good.
Let her.
I'd like to see her fail, because she will.
No mothers are allowed in the office, but go head in.
MOM: [kissing noises] Ashlee is a total kiss-up,
but so is Melissa.
I mean, where do you think Ashlee got this idea from?
OK, so if I do a good job, you don't have to pay me.
But can Brynn do a solo next week?
Maybe.
MOM: She's doing it because she wants
to follow in your footsteps, and she wants Brynn to follow
in Maddie's footsteps.
MOM: You didn't touch Abby's face, did you?
MOM: Did you do her hair?
I did do her hair.
It looks a lot better.
The day will come when your child isn't sitting on top--
MOM: That's just wrong.
--and you won't want to do her hair,
and you'll be just like the rest of us.
Your day will come.
It'll be really fun when it does.
Ah, we'll see.
Melissa's day still hasn't really even come.
MOM: Oh.
You're not Melissa.
You never will be.
Stop it.
It's not about your child.
[bleep] you, Jill.
I'm not talking about that.
Would you listen?
You just said, Brynn--
ASHLEE: Let me finish my damn sentence.
JILL: Oh, she's so classy lady.
Nice.
I clearly do not have any allies on this team.
Abby's the only one I feel like at this point that's even
somewhat of an ally of mine.
ABBY: Are you crying?
Yes.
Why are you crying?
Because I'm tired of being torn up.
Girl, save those tears for your pillow.
Just the constant picking, and I'm
not allowed to say anything.
Well, I don't blame you. Don't cry.
You're a pretty girl.
You don't need to be crying. - OK.
[sniffs]
All right?
Thanks.
The mom's have disliked me since day one,
and now they've left me out of something else.
I have no idea where they are, and I have no idea what they're
doing.
We're the only one here.
What's happening?
ASHLEE Well, I just don't have no clue where everybody is.
Don't have no clue.
ASHLEE: Abby's going to realize that Brynn and I are
the only ones that are really committed to this team.
I mean, it really could end up working out in our favor.
[music playing]
(SINGING) Hello.
I know the only time--
PRODUCER: [inaudible] They're outside.
[inaudible] here. - Jess is here?
[music] - (SINGING) --watch your back.
What the heck are you guys doing?
Seriously? - We had--
We had so much to do.
Done.
Yeah, but you know what, we already have an Abby.
We don't need four more Abbys.
Seriously.
Oh, we're not Abby.
We're not Abby.
ASHLEE: But that kind of screws up
the whole week for everybody.
MOM: Why is Brynn dancing?
No one else is dancing.
KENDALL: Because we're not allowed to dance.
Her mom is here.
MOM: No, they weren't allowed to.
MELISSA: We didn't tell our kids anything this morning.
JILL: Ashlee knew exactly where they were.
She should have had all of the girls dancing
in the studio, not just Brynn.
ASHLEE: Yeah, Abby was here, dressed
and ready to go for a pyramid, and nobody was here but me.
We had a lot, lot, lot of choreography to do.
Well, I guess we missed Brynn's solo.
ABBY: Brynn was the only kid out here,
and I told Gianna, go ahead and take her in.
And she said, OK. That was it.
Well, why is she learning a solo?
ABBY: Because she was only one dancing.
Your kids were sitting in a dressing room doing nothing.
For Ashlee not to talk to production and tell them,
it's OK for the girls to dance, is sneaky and conniving
and once again, just puts Brynn in the spotlight.
ASHLEE: We're traveling this week.
And now we're starting late, and we have all this stuff to do.
It's kind of like, now we have like a day and a half left.
So what's the plan at this point?
What are you worried about?
Your kid knows their solo.
All this chaos for what?
Whatever you need, Ashlee.
ASHLEE: I left the girls alone until their moms could show up.
It is not my fault that their pajama prank didn't work.
I totally would've taken care of the girls if they would have
clued me in to what was going on, but they didn't.
I just think it's amazing that Jill turns everything
against me, and I am so over it.
I'm told by production they can't be on camera.
There's nothing I can do about it.
You're not a mom.
You're not a dance mom.
You don't care about these kids.
You are bull [bleep].
Bull [bleep].
You're a puppet.
You are a pure evil, seriously.
You are the one who said it.
ASHLEE: --make me look as horrible as possible.
All of you--
You do that all yourself.
You know what, you guys can all go to hell.
You guys didn't come today, and that's your fault, not mine.
Oh, go walk away and cry.
ASHLEE: You're just jealous that Brynn has had a better season
than Kendall.
JILL: You're not allowed to speak or look at my child.
I wasn't talking to either of you.
I was talking to Abby.
I care about her feelings.
So much that she has to tear down every kid
to make hers feel good.
ASHLEE: I have not torn down kids, Jill.
Yes, you do.
Yes--
You're the one who tears down kids every day.
You guys say crap about my kid all the time.
ASHLEE: Uh, you're not out there, Kendall.
So you don't know.
Excuse me, Abby, I am not allowing this woman
to talk to my child like that.
MOM: Don't leave.
Not for her.
Jill, Jill, how long have you been here?
Not for her.
MOM: Don't leave.
She's a bitch, talking about kids the way she does.
Abby--
ASHLEE: No, I said she doesn't--
MOM: Shut up, Ashlee.
You got your dream.
Take it, girlfriend.
You look like a pig.
Oh, my god, how cute.
I wish I could scream in her face and say how mean she is,
but I'm not a brat, so I'm not going to do that.
[cheering]
I'm happy for you guys.
I'm happy-- where's your chair?
Oh, my god.
Woo.
Hey, congratulations, girls.
What did they say?
- Why? - I don't know--
Classic.
All I can say is, look at caliber of the dancers.
[laughs] I know.
Shh, shh, shh.
DANCER: --before the group went on, and she's like--
We still beat them.
I was really proud of the number.
To show somebody up?
I'm thinking.
No, you would have never been in that dance.
BRYNN: You would never let me.
Good.
She's not welcome.
MOM: --narrow-minded, too.
All, right I'm going to go out.
See you guys. All right.
Wait.
Wait, why are you running?
MOM: Someone over here said that our kids look like strippers.
Ashlee-- MOM: There she goes.
Ashlee.
Ashlee. MOM: Christi.
I know you hear me.
Christi, don't chase her.
CHRISTI: Ashlee.
Ashlee, did you say that about our children?
MOM: Look, she runs.
Did Ashlee really say our kids look like strippers?
Did she really say that, and she's cowardly walking out?
What?
That they're disgusting, disgusting mothers
for letting their kids do that?
That's what I think.
Why are we disgusting moth-- you're a disgusting mother,
because you can't own your words.
Your children are 14, 15 years old.
What is wrong with you?
What is wrong with you for talking about our girls?
Disgusting.
You're disgusting, a disgusting,
narrow-minded person.
CHRISTI: How dare you?
Hey, what place did Brynn get?
And look at the minions running behind her.
Look at that.
That's a bully, a bully and a mean girl.
You'll never be on Broadway.
Never.
Oh, we beat you.
[laughter] You
MOM: You got a lot going on.
I don't want to be here.
What's the matter?
I just don't want to do it.
I woke up to a tweet on Christi's Twitter that accused
Brynn of calling the other team hookers.
And Brynn just wants to dance, but I
don't want to show up every weekend to be a human punching
bag.
If that's what we're here for, then no thanks.
I'm out.
Brynn and I are flying home tonight.
We need some time off.
ASHLEE: Just say how you feel.
It's because we're tired of waking up every morning
and not knowing what's going to be said
about us on the internet.
And that's--
True.
I think where it becomes increasingly difficult to take
for you is that it's coming from people that you were friends
with.
ASHLEE: --from a mother who's intentionally
trying to destroy her.
That's why I'm not staying.
Not a mother, three.
ASHLEE: End of story.
Three moms, Christi, Kira, and Camille.
They started it 100%.
I woke up to three people attacking me on the internet.
You think I'm not going respond?
You think I'm just going to sit there?
Sorry, I'm out.
So [bleep] what?
Who [bleep] cares if we got second place at a stupid dance
competition?
Really, like, you think that we're so desperate to be
on TV that this matters.
It doesn't.
My reputation in the public matters more
than a second place, OK.
I'm so done.
I came here to make Brynn a better dancer,
to give her an experience that most kids are never
going to have.
And that experience did not entail having her be destroyed
publicly.
I think that it's better to walk away with as much control
as you can have than to stay and be at the mercy of people
you don't trust anymore.