[music playing]
We're back.
First competition of season 5.
And a lot has happened.
A lot has changed.
Does anybody know where Chloe is?
No. -
MADDIE: We all texted her and me and Kendall tried FaceTiming
her, but no response.
Chloe has been a part of this competition team since day one.
So looking at the girls, it feels
as if it's not a complete team.
ABBY: Chloe was welcome to come.
You all know it's her mother.
It's not her.
All I know is, this is show business,
and the show must go on.
ALDC LA is going to happen.
You will jump higher.
You will turn faster.
But you will also act.
You will sing.
We're preparing for you to become stars in Los Angeles.
[applause] - I like that.
That's what I'm preparing you for,
and that's what this journey has been all along.
Whatever your mothers think of me,
there's a method to my madness.
And I think I know what I'm doing.
This week we are going to Sheer Talent Niagara Falls.
Our routine is entitled "Freak Show."
This is a musical theater piece.
It's dark, and it's evil, and it's scary.
And it should make people uncomfortable.
Now, I have given each girl a specific role that they
have to play on stage.
Nia is going to be the strong woman.
And Mackenzie, of course, will be the contortionist.
Kendall and Maddie are going to play Siamese twins.
The problem is, there's only four of them,
and they're dancing so far apart.
You have to stay in character.
Nothing looks freaky and weird to me now.
You're not getting that dark, seedy vibe that these
are like carnival folk.
I have an idea.
Hi.
WOMAN (ON PHONE): Hello.
So what are the odds of you getting on a plane
and getting to Pittsburgh this week
to join us for the competition?
Gianna, this is Kalani's mom.
Oh!
- There she is. - Hello.
Hello. Hello.
Hello.
I'm very, very surprised that Abby has called
Kalani and Kira to come back.
She left us before.
Who's to say she's not going to leave us again?
DANCER: It's so weird not having Chloe here.
Yeah, it is.
I feel like I've definitely lost a friend, because, I mean,
I've been dancing with her since I was four years old,
and it just doesn't feel right without her.
ABBY: Faces! Faces!
It's about the character, and I'm not seeing that.
You're still worried about the dance, and it's the last day.
When you guys step out on stage, you need to take people
to that dark, weird place.
We should be sitting in the audience,
feeling like we're walking into that carnival.
And I'm not seeing it.
HOLLY: Abby keeps going on, and on,
and on about these big ideas.
And like, I'm not there yet.
I'm still stuck on the fact that Christi and Chloe
are not here with our team.
In one year, they've lost three team members.
When Abby's just, like, blasting them,
they're still trying to figure things out.
JILL: We will have a big hole without Chloe.
[screams]
ABBY: Let's do it.
I want you to be your character.
[laughs]
HOLLY: Oh, I was so not prepared for that!
You're still pretty!
JILL: That is so fun!
I'm so glad we're starting the year off with something fun
like this.
[inaudible] we need to prove that we're, like,
a winning team. DANCER: The A-team.
[music playing]
[applause]
Woo!
I was blown away by the girls.
The whole audience was gasping.
Their mouths were open because they expect the pretty lyrical.
That is not what the Abby Lee Dance Company gave them.
ANNOUNCER: First place in the preteen group category,
entry number 93, "Freak Show"! [cheers]
[music playing]
First competition back, the Abby Lee Dance Company was
the overall high-score group.
And now with the big move to LA, we need to keep going.