This weekend, we are going to Dance Kids USA.
It's in Orlando, Florida!
[applause]
This is our last competition before nationals.
Nia, I am putting my differences with you aside.
She is still doing the solo.
[applause]
The name of the routine is "Goodbye Maya."
And it's a tribute to Maya Angelou.
James and Gianna will be working with you.
HOLLY: Abby can't be nice to my kid.
I'm more than happy to have Nia be in an environment
with teachers who can teach without being mean.
You're doing a tribute to Maya Angelou, which
is wonderful, because she was a fighter,
she was a brilliant woman.
I don't care what the challenges have
been over the last few weeks.
Make this tribute fitting and make
the most of this opportunity.
Be confident even in rehearsal as you're learning it, OK?
- Mm-hmm. - All right.
Like, really pop.
Think eyes up, directly front.
Nia's solo this week is called "Goodbye Maya,"
and it's a tribute to Maya Angelou.
And it's a contemporary dance.
Gia and James are phenomenal teachers,
and Mia needs to seize this opportunity
and make the most of it.
JAMES: Flick, step, around the jump, pick it up and--
yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm so glad that James is here.
I am too.
Because I think the temperament is different.
JAMES: Swipe up, sit down, leg, and good.
HOLLY: Nia looks relaxed.
She's picking up the choreography.
And Gia and James are on her, but they also are encouraging.
They're pushing her.
ABBY: We're competing Saturday.
We leave tomorrow. This is it.
This is your time right here and right now.
Take the corrections and do what you want with them.
I added something tricky to this routine.
Nia is performing this as a spoken word piece.
Stay true to yourself.
Know your worth.
So I need to make sure that she is really embracing
the spirit of Maya Angelou.
And if you don't like my teaching methods,
Holly, nobody said you had to stay here.
I need you to have that powerful voice.
Well, Holly, all your dreams are coming true.
Abby's in the room with Nia.
Oh, yeah.
That might be a nightmare by the end of this dance.
Abby just called me down.
The place she messed up the routine, the big snafu,
was the speaking.
So if you want to just sit here and stay in here
so you can hear the constructive criticisms or corrections--
HOLLY: Absoultely.
--that they are getting.
Take it from the top.
I speak to Maya.
Goodbye.
ABBY: OK.
You have to get the breathing out of the words so much.
Think of being a singer on Broadway and a dancer.
I'm watching Abby rehearsing with Nia, giving
her constructive critiques.
This is all I've been asking for.
You know what you're going to do out there?
Famous.
Mm-hmm.
ABBY: Holly always claims that Nia is a work in progress.
Well, Nia will either rise to the occasion,
or she's going to crumble.
And perhaps, that may be the end of nationalists.
ANNOUNCER: Please welcome Nia to the stage.
[applause]
"Goodbye Maya."
[music playing]
I speak to Maya.
Goodbye.
[applause]
I think Maya would have been incredibly proud of Nia.
I thought Nia looked fabulous.
First place overall solo.
As I'm hearing the awards, I can
barely look Nia in the face, and I
can barely it hold it together.
Act number 39, "Goodbye Maya," Nia.
[applause]
HOLLY: Good job, Nia!
I am just on cloud nine.
And this is, like, the first time Nia has won.
It's just, like-- it's incredible!
ABBY: Holly! - [inaudible]
Are you going to come give me a hug for that wonderful solo?
[cheering]
What did we think about Nia, the overall high score
winning soloist? [cheering]
NIA: I'm really excited that I went out there
and I danced the best I could dance.
And I won for my mom.