Back to the Barre

"I'm like five feet behind everybody, like you guys go ahead I'm just going to stay back here," Kelly remarks as the second half of "Rotten to the Core" sees bottles and bags being hurled left and right.Cathy's limo entrance in Detroit draws the immediate ire of the moms, which only worsens as Jalen's dad starts to pick a fight with Abby. If that wasn't enough, Holly requests that Abby acknowledge Nia's RND which results in Abby not only insulting both Holly's intelligence and Nia's pain, but also triggers the cancelation of Nia and Paige's duet when Holly pushes back at Abby.While Maddie's big solo return wins first place, the group performance of Avalanche leaves a lot to be desired and Cathy's team takes first overall. Abby tries to avoid Cathy after the show, but their inevitable confrontation becomes the stuff of legend when Abby takes her Wicked Witch joke too far and throws her open bottle of water at Cathy.Is the resulting fight a little overkill? Maybe, but it's certainly something these moms will never forget!(Also pardon the brief sound of the fan in Christi's audio, it was 101 degrees!)Quotes“Cathy says you know what Ab, that hair is not going to make that limo look any worse. I don't know what that means.” (17:51-17:57 | Christi)“So Cathy pulls out a dog whistle, and then she starts blowing it. She says Abby you know what, this is a dog training tool. It makes the dogs sit down and shut up. I'm actually cackling at this point, where doe shtis woman come up with that shit? Although to be fair Abby had that blue whistle in season one that she used for the girls...somebody left a dick whistle at my house this week.” (19:12-19:47 | Christi)“Jill wonders if Holly and Kelly are coming to see Kendall perform, cause that's what's important right now right? God forbid I try and not make Holly be upset. It's not like we were trying to avoid Kendall's dance. Holly was having a breakdown and I was trying to calm her down to get her into the audience.” (38:23-38:43 | Christi and Kelly)“Abby turns around while she's arguing with Jalen's dad at one point and screams at him - My child just went out there and won. I'm pretty sure Maddie did not come out of your vagina.” (53:31-15-53:48 | Christi)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I'm recapping this week and I have to say, it's not all that bad! says Christi. "Yeah, cause you ain't in it!" Kelly points out. It's Christi's dream come true as she can shit-talk all she wants and shares none of the embarrassment as Dance Moms Season 3 Episode 7 begins.Abby is thrilled by Cathy's defeat in the previous competition, but takes the opportunity to chastise the girls for only winning by a tenth of a point. Pointing to Christi and Chloe's absence, Abby threatens to suspend any dancer who isn't performing up to her standards. This frustrates the moms as Abby doesn't have that authority, but it matters little to the girls who continue to feel the pressure Abby forces upon them. With the next competition quickly approaching the group begins to rehearse Avalanche, Kendall and Maddie receive solos, and Nia and Paige prep a duet.Maddie's had weeks to prepare her solo, finishing her prep well ahead of Kendall who is left appearing under-prepared by comparison. After Kendall ends up in tears over the situation, Abby strips her of the solo and offers a solo spot to the newly returned Sophia.However, what behind the scene trickery resulted in Jackie and Sophia's sudden midnight departure? Tune-in to find out!Quotes“How many pairs of underwear have you found under a seat in your car? Gross, that's so disgusting. I know but our kids would change, they had too!” (11:05-11:14 | Kelly and Christi)“Maybe you have a spot on the pyramid Brooke! Here's to hoping, got to have some kind of hope! Maybe I should take out everyone in the group. Then we might be on the top!” (14:00-14:14 | Kelly and Christi)“I was out the other day and somebody asked someone if they had seen the show. He was a guy and was like no, but I'll have to look it up and watch it. No please don't! Please don't! It's like humiliating. I tell people all the time I like them better if they don't watch it.” (1:02:17-1:02:38 | Kelly and Christi) “I really like it, it's got a lot of personality. Just so we all know, personality is code word for not a lot of choreography.” (1:07:58-1:08:06 | Christi) LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Throwing it back to one of our favorite episodes. See you Monday for all new episode! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"It was an acting job for me," says Cathy of how she approached working on Dance Moms. Yes, today Christi and Kelly finally welcome Abby's on-screen rival and former Dance Mom Cathy Nesbitt-Stein to the show! Cathy was seemingly the only person on the show who was keenly aware of what reality TV expected of them. She always played a heightened version of herself. In regards to being Abby's primary foil, Cathy discusses how much of the bitterness was played up for camera and how she really feels about Abby (and of course Jill).Plus Cathy shares some life updates for her entire family. Does her husband still sell beef jerky? What's Vivi's current stance on dancing? But more importantly, was the purse Cathy used to smack Abby actually a designer bag?Quotes“I would say Cathy is exactly like she is on TV, except Cathy understood the game. You understood it was TV and to be a bigger, more grandiose version of yourself.” (08:03 -08:16 | Christi)“You weren't even filming the first episode. You were on the bus to the first episode and you were like, I can't do it! I cannot do buses.” (19:52-20:00 | Christi and Cathy) “The crew used to judge what we had on. Really, they judged our clothes? Yeah, like who was at the top of the pyramid? I think you won a lot Kelly. Did I? Yeah. Well you and your mom jeans weren't winning anything.” (22:03-22:20 | Christi, Kelly and Cathy)“Her dinner was literally a cough drop and licorice. After the show all the little Newsies wanted to meet us. We go up on stage and all of a sudden I look over at Vivi and she's like...BBBBAAARRRFFF...she's throwing up all over the stage! The boys were so sweet; they came and cleaned it up and told her we'll think of you every night we tap dance on this stage.” (40:23-40:59 | Cathy)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhylandFollow Cathy on IG: www.instagram.com/cathynesbittsteinofficialFollow Cathy on FB: https://www.facebook.com/poodletoes1/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I'm not yelling at children!” exclaims Christi as things get heated on the second half of the "Boys Are Cuties, Girls Have Cooties". Abby is fuming over Cathy's all boys team, which Christi correctly guesses will result in their girls getting pushed that much harder. Abby launches directly into harsh criticisms of the soloists and starts getting on every girl's case about their hats for Pink Lemonade.Cathy's boys bring the charm as OnStage America commences. All Abby needs the girls to do is be better than Cathy's group. Things look rocky fast as aside from Kendall's 3rd place, none of the soloists rank highly. It's all up to Pink Lemonade, but a successful performance is marred when Chloe drops her hat.It's a worst case scenario for Christi as Chloe's been the target of Abby's ire for some time already. Even if the performance is well received; any and all faults will be placed squarely on Chloe's shoulders, especially if they lose to Cathy. This marks a low point for Christi, whose already had a very rough go of it this season. As she collects Chloe to leave, Christi is recorded yelling at bystanders in the hallway.Having been unable to escape this clip for a whole decade, Christi would like to share that it isn't what it looks like! What really happened? Well join us today for what's sure to be, for Christi at least, a lose-lose situation.Quotes“Cathy is telling her team it smells like something's burning. Woo, it's us because we are hot. Oh my god get a life. She's so cheesy. Her and Abby. God, they're having like, a lame-off.” (13:38 -13:54 | Kelly and Christi)“The whole thing went on with the costume. Then Jill on the bus and the costume. Then we just never heard another word about it. It just disappeared! Yeah, that was the main story of the first half.” (19:59-20:11 | Kelly and Christi)“Season 3 remains a very dark time in my life. This remains one of my low moments, especially when it aired and people were like Oh My God Christi is yelling at children!” (32:51-33:03 | Christi) “Then you come back and fight with me. You have more on your mind this week, then you take it out on me bitch! I don't take it out on you as much as I think I'd fucking had it. Didn't we all have it at that point? Yeah, on me.” (42:37-46:45 | Kelly and Christi) LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I love when she says wild shit to the kids,” says Christi. “Because the kids just look at her like she's crazy.” On the sixth episode of Dance Moms’ third season, Abby gets angry with the kids. After having come 4th in the last competition, no one is awarded the top of the pyramid. An upcoming On Stage America competition in New Jersey aims to pit the girls against Cathy's all male group; Abby is not prepared to take home anything but first place. The girls begin rehearsing Pink Lemonade while Kendall, Chloe and Nia compete for solo rehearsal time.Melissa struggles to come to grips with her daughters being at the bottom of the pyramid. She fails to stand up for herself, which angers the other moms. In an attempt to bolster's Kendall's standing in the group, Jill hires a costume designer to make Kendall's dance outfit. This upsets Abby so much it results in Kendall being removed from the performance all together, leading to a massive blow-out with Jill.It's a tense week that can't be contained to one episode. Join us for this part 1 look at the events that would eventually lead to the infamous "Chloe's Hat Incident" and discover just how dirty Broadway Baby really was.Quotes“Well we always sound btichy, but come on. You don’t get to come on a show like that where everybody’s fucking tortured and never be fucking tortured.” (12:49 -12:56 | Christi)“Somebody asked Paige are you embarrassed or do you get upset when your mom fights like that with Abby? Her comment was that no, I don’t understand why a lot of the other moms don’t stick up for their kids.” (28:22-28:35 | Kelly)“Kendall doesn’t come first, my dog comes first.” (43:43-43:46 | Kelly) “Broadway Baby sees Abby. She barks. You say I guess Broadway Baby can sense evil too. Yes, dogs are very sensitive. Dogs didn’t like Ted Bundy either.” (46:32-46:45 | Kelly and Christi) LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Me? I'm the biggest bitch of them all," says Dance Moms choreographer Ed Phelan on this episode of Back at the Barre. Ed has been choreographing for over 25 years, including working with Abby well before Dance Moms was conceived.As someone who was there at the beginning; Ed offers insight into why he thinks the show could have only worked with this group of moms and girls. He addresses many of his concerns going in and how producers originally pitched him as Abby's villainous foil.Christi and Kelly cite Ed as the one responsible for some of their favorite routines. Ed gives a little backstory on those dances, including what Abby contributed and what she took credit for (and how that got her kicked out of Dance Masters). Ed could actually teach kids how to dance whereas Abby never taught them anything, though credit is given for her skills as a choreographer.Also, how many Big Macs could Abby fit under one car seat? The answer may shock you, though it certainly didn't shock these three.Quotes“People. They'll talk about the show and things that they think they know and I'm like you don't even know these ladies, they were like my buddies. We used to go out and have a good time. It was so laid back when we were all together. Abby would usually ruin it with some kind of tantrum.” (15:01 -15:18 | Ed)“Those were the five kids on the show because those were the five kids left in that class.” (17:33-17:36 | Ed)“Wait you got Abby thrown out of Dance Masters? Well when they were thrown out of Dance Masters it really had nothing to do with Dance Moms, that was just the icing on the cake.” (21:30-21:37 | Christi and Ed)“Listen, I was married. I have a gorgeous ex-wife. If I'm going to be with a woman I'm going back there.” (42:03-42:08 | Ed)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Please excuse the non-intro and lack of description as we are working through some technical difficulties....what else is new? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“How exactly do you immigrate home?” is the question that hangs over the latest episode of Back to the Barre. The Dance Moms and their girls are headed to Dance Troupe Incorporated in Greensboro, North Carolina to perform an immigration-themed group number. Abby proves that she doesn’t know what immigration means, the difference between Ellis Island and Staten Island, or quite where the Titanic went. She praises Sophia, who has gone to film a movie in L.A., despite having nothing to do with her success, while she criticizes Brooke for being at school, just as she once criticized Chloe for missing a dance class to witness the birth of her sister.The Moms have been tasked with finding props in Abby’s hoarder-level garage and Holly quits when she sees mouse droppings. Melissa cleans out the studio’s equally messy room to try to get back into Abby’s good graces. Jill calls her out for being two-faced and lying about being upset that Maddie has a duet with Kendall instead of a solo, while Jill tries to cover it up with bad acting. Jill continues to understand how Christi and Kelly feel as Abby is nasty to Kendall, as opposed to constructively critical. Christi shares the tragic event that occurred just before the group boarded the bus that made Abby look like even more of a fool. She also explains what they caught fans doing in the bathroom at this week’s competition.Quotes“I didn’t go to Miller Street. I was having Clara…I chose for Chloe to be part of a monumental family occasion. Shame!” (24:06 | Christi)“I like that it's a very serious number, as opposed to all those fun, upbeat, fancy, easy numbers we do. This is serious. Okay. It's serious, Kel.” (27:40 | Christi)“I’ve just got to hand it to Jill. She is unbelievable. In an interview when they're clearly asking her about the Maddie and Sophia situation, she somehow manages to spin it back to Kendall.” (Christi | 38:31)“I wonder why Abby had a black eye, though? Somebody else had to punch her out.” (43:58 | Kelly)“Your boobs are out of control in that dress. You talk about not having boobs. Your boobs were ba-BAM. They were Ba-bammy.” (1:12:35 | Christi)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I got so much hate for this episode,” explains Christi as the Dance Moms return to the ALDC and bring the excitement back to the show. Emotions are running high all around. Abby makes the Moms sign a crazy new contract before allowing them back in the studio. Melissa remains genuinely scared that Sophia–famous for performing 54 consecutive turns onstage–will replace Maddie as Abby’s new star. Sophia’s mom Jackie refuses to argue or get catty which makes the Moms question what she’s doing on the show. Christi makes two bad jokes that she regrets to this day. She and Kelly argue about who really should get due credit for coining some of the show’s recurring insults, and discuss the difference between being tough and being mean. Their definition of mean, of course, looks a lot like Abby, whose insults toward Chloe and Paige reach a new low.Christi first bonded with Kelly over a particular phone call, and today she gives Kelly a tutorial on how to take a basic picture with her phone. She also shares what she taught her daughter Clara about the law, and how one night out clubbing with Abby sent her to the emergency room.Quotes“Do you know how many times Abby has made comments? She would only refer to me as ‘the nose.’ ‘Christie has her nose up in the air.’ She talks about Holly’s thighs, her butt, her clothes. Her cleavage.  She talks about everybody. Let's not forget Nia’s long hair. I'll never get over that.” (22:05-22:31 | Christi and Kelly)“I go out with Abby one night and I get roofied. Coincidence…Ish?” (57:57-58:01 | Christi)“Abby goes ballistic. ’Christi look at Sophia!’ What? You can't tell me where to look. Now, my eyeballs are only ever going to the right, ever. If you want them left, never. They're only going to the right. You cannot command my eyeballs.” (1:15:52-1:16:13 | Christi)“Chloe's very jittery backstage. She crosses herself before she dances…Can you imagine the butterflies these kids had? And people wonder why they forget their stuff. You’re losing your mind back there.” (1:24:15-1:24:40 | Christi and Kelly)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Abby is so gleeful that we’re gone,” says Christi. “Dumbass, you obviously need us.” On the second episode of Dance Moms’ third season, the Moms are sitting in the parking lot, refusing to speak on camera until their contract negotiations are met. Producers have spun this into a protest to get Kelly back on the team. Abby brings in new girls to participate in competition in Indiana, including Hadley who appeared on ‘Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition’ and whom Abby repeatedly called “roadkill.” The Moms and their daughters choreograph their own dance to prove they don’t need Abby.Plenty of TV and movie favorites get shoutouts in this episode. Abby says new dancer Sophia sounds like Mickey Mouse. Christi looks like Miss Piggy and Abby acts like the T Rex from Jurassic Park. Jill’s infamous wardrobe choices take a hit as Kelly’s wearing more aggressive fur, mom Jackie’s Bumpit is much bigger, and Cathy insults her Louis Vuitton purse with a classic Dance Moms line. Melissa’s genuinely worried Maddie could be replaced by a better dancer. Things are changing, but the fun and craziness stay the same. Join the fun to find out how the girls ended up toilet paper-ing Abby’s parking lot and the strange connection between the girls and infamous grave robber Ed Gein.Quotes“Abby says, ‘They're all going to the ladies room together?’ She doesn’t have a friend to go to the bathroom with. She’s jealous.” (19:27-19:38 | Kelly and Christi)“I love that Abby says, ‘They're not speaking…‘You never want us to talk. You should be reveling in this.” (20:42-20:49 | Christi)“How about Gianna’s face when Abby calls the cops on us? Rachel, too. They're both laughing. They love it. ‘Oh, this is great.’ Everybody always asks us about Gianna. Here's your answer: Watch that scene.” (37:25-37:41 | Kelly and Christi) “This is a woman who, two weeks ago, asked why Holly would wear a dress. You have on a felt star that a kindergartener cut out and that you had Kelly rhinestone upstairs as a fashion accessory. I am not taking credit for rhinestoning that.” (55:20-55:42 | Christi and Kelly) LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“We're getting into the deepest recesses of Dance Moms hell. I can feel the heat,” says Christi about the show’s Season Three opener. Abby has returned from filming her spin-off show more arrogant than ever, but still so jealous of the girls’ success and newfound opportunities, she’s now scary cruel. This only bands the Moms closer together, everyone but Kelly, who has kept Brooke and Paige away. Of course, Abby’s worst offense is her blue rhinestone jewelry and matching eyeshadow, not to mention her day-glo orange tan. With two new shows on Lifetime, she has real power which she uses to punish the girls by holding auditions to bring in two new dancers, Ally and Ava. Kelly immediately recognizes Ava’s mom Jeanette as a suck-up. This of course is all set up by production and Christi and Kelly explain all the hidden giveaways including a blink-and-you-miss-it scene with Paige that pokes holes in the illusion the reason other studio moms were always mad at the Dance Moms. Cathy and Vivi plot their next move in a scene that made Christi fall to the floor laughing. Kelly explains the scandal behind her former “date’s” appearance.Kendall gets a solo, and she and Jill start to catch on to Abby’s game. Maybe Christi and Kelly weren’t such dumb bitches, after all. They just sometimes throw up on their babysitters. Quotes“You see us all pulling into the parking lot. Note to all: We are a worldwide phenomenon.There's lots of money to be made but there are still potholes.” (13:33-13:43 | Christi)“Holly and Jill say, ‘Work with what you have.” Abby’s been working with what she had for 39 weeks…She does not want to sleep with dogs anymore. She wants quality dancers from other teachers.” (1:02:49-1:03:30 | Christi)“I hope at some point there is a psychology class that does a deep dive on all of the mental illnesses or personality disorders displayed in ‘Dance Moms.’ We each have one. All of us do.” (1:14:26-1:14:40 | Christi) “My side-eye is so strong… if anybody ever told me to walk into that studio and go after you or I'd say, ‘Oh, no, f*** you.’” (1:36:34-1:36:56 | Christi)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“If this is a foreshadowing of Season 3, Back to the Barre might be ending soon,” says Christi. This Dance Moms reunion episode made both her and Kelly physically ill to rewatch as it marked the beginning of dark times for the show. Producers were accusing them of dirty off-camera behavior, including Christi choking Cathy, which Christi vehemently denies. There was major drama involving meet-and-greets, who did them first and what they charged, the hypocrisy of it all and the early insight it gave into Abby’s shady dealings. Christi reads a letter that Abby wrote accusing Christi of “pimping” Chloe, and discusses a plan for an ill-fated jewelry line that left certain Moms out. Abby’s diva attitude was beginning to outgrow the dance studio. Her greed, entitlement and jealousy began to affect the cast in more ways than one. They accuse her of staging paparazzi shots showing off fake boyfriends and of always trying to bring Holly down a peg. Abby has even gone after Christi’s husband Mark spreading a bizarre lie about him. On the lighter side of things, they discuss the crazy lengths Jill would go to to look good at all times, and Abby’s misguided choice in style icons. Christi shares which serial killers the girls might have resembled by now, and the sweet thing Cathy always did for Chloe.Quotes“You know what else I find really interesting about Abby, is that she always puts so much weight on pretty…‘Why is she always talking about who's pretty?’” (59:43-1:00:23 | Christi)“This is before there were brand deals and social media managers, like there are today…They were very much trailblazers.” (1:06:01-1:06:34 | Christi)“It's amazing that they're all good kids. I said they should be serial killers. We should have a Jeffrey Dahmer amongst us, for sure. At least a Lizzie Borden. Somebody murdering their mother with an ax, at minimum.” (1:36:50-1:37:09 | Kelly and Christi) “That’s one thing I’ll give Cathy: she always came to Chloe and me, whether off camera or not, and said, ‘Chloe, you are a beautiful little dancer. Please don't let her destroy that in you.’” (1:49:25-149:35 | Christi)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“You tortured us for years, now we get to torture you,” Kelly says to Bryan Stinson, co-creator of Dance Moms and today’s guest on Back to the Barre. He shares funny moments and memories from the show which he credits with sending dance class registrations across the country skyrocketing with its debut. He, Christi and Kelly discuss the show’s legacy and what they would change if they could do it all again. He answers the long-standing question as to why production didn’t show more fun and funny moments with the kids and reveals the show’s one strict drug policy that Christi managed to break.Though he recognizes Dance Moms as “lightning in a bottle,” and marvels at how unlikely it was to find such perfect kids in one small dance studio in PA, he is nonetheless rebooting the series and explains how it will differ from the original. Kelly and Christi give their best advice to potential future cast members and Kelly reveals why she was so angry with Bryan back when they were filming, and why all was forgiven when Bryan showed his abs. They dispel common misconceptions fans still have about the show’s rehearsals and competitions.Christi and Kelly have their own plans for future reboots involving the two of them as grandmas living in a retirement home. Christi reveals the unlikely group of parents who embraced the show while Bryan names the cast member who genuinely scared him.Quotes“You guys have to be really proud of what you accomplished and what the show did around the world. It really did fill up dance classes around the world. Registration doubled based on the TV show…You guys did that. It was the first of its kind.” (30:57-31:28 | Bryan)‘We were never anything but ourselves. Real people in ugly dresses and that's why people related. They said, ‘I saw that dress at Walmart, too. And we’d say, ‘I'm wearing it on national television.’” (1:04:34-1:04:51 | Christi)“When Kelly and I finally move into our Golden Girls house together…That's going to be a show.” (1:18:28- 1:18:45 | Christi and Kelly)LinksDance Moms Reboot Casting: www.dancemomsrebootcasting.comSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I did not have time to make a drink because I was being chased by a bear,” Kelly explains in one of many revelations from this latest episode of Back to the Barre. Before launching into their review of Dance Moms Season 3, which they admit will take a dark turn, she and Christi wanted to have some fun answering fan questions. They reveal their most drunken moments both on and off camera and the key to determining which of their famous fights were the most authentic. They explain their favorite holidays and give the story behind the dog tags that the girls are often seen wearing at competition ceremonies. They discuss their wild times in college, give advice on keeping love alive in long-term relationships and describe the difference between raising their oldest daughters versus their youngest. Christi describes the crazy thing she used to do for her husband every day before finally telling him “no more.” Kelly describes how she met her husband, her son Josh’s time with the ALDC and the biggest issue that her girls ever fought about. They discuss their favorite mealtimes, dishes, and of course, their go-to drinks. They play Marry/Smash/Kill using the other cast members of Dance Moms and reveal the surprising third member of the original trio. Quotes“I did not have time to make a drink because I was being chased by a bear.” (27:53-27:56 | Kelly)“I like the fireworks at night, although now I know fireworks are totally un-PC because they scare animals, whatever. But I'll always like them. Well, we need some over here so they’ll scare away the bear. I’ll start lighting off fireworks every night before I take my dog out.” (35:49-36:04 | Christi and Kelly)“The best piece of advice anybody's ever given me about any relationship–not just  a romantic one–is never do anything at the beginning of a relationship that you're not willing to do forever.” (39:58-40:11 | Christi) “I think my other favorite dances would be maybe the first solos they ever did, like bird dance and the inchworm. God, I would just love to go back to those moments.” (48:21-48:33 | Kelly)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“I have to sit here and take it, and be the one who says, ‘Yes, I'm a terrible human on every level, sure,” says Christi, as she and Kelly walk us through the second part of the Dance Moms Season 2 reunion. They explain which statements were taken out of context, attributed to the wrong people, and just flat out made up. One of the most difficult aspects of filming the reunion–and filming the show in general–was the struggle for the ladies to tell their side of the story or to defend themselves without breaking the fourth wall and revealing manipulation from producers. As Kelly points out, most of the issues the Moms had, which were made to look like they were directed at specific people, were actually with the show as a whole. Cathy was made to look like the show’s “gremlin” who always lost to Abby, when actually Candy Apples had often beaten the ALDC. Christi now has more sympathy for Kaya’s experience, but like Abby, Kaya was allowed to say whatever she wanted and no one could rebut. Kelly divulges more of the complicated history between her and Abby, which goes back to high school–where Kelly kissed a boy Abby liked–and beyond. She and Christy hint at what more will be revealed about this shared history in the upcoming season. They also discuss what it was like filming in and touring soundstages in L.A., Abby’s strange obsession with lingerie and their plans to open a male version of Hooters. Quotes“They still hate each other. 100%. To this day, if you say ‘Cathy’ in front of Jill, she says, ‘Ugh,’ and Cathy, the same way.” (19:25-19:42 | Christi)“I listened to my kids because I know what it felt like. I did that, I danced every day and I never had friends in school and things…So I just felt, if they didn't want to dance, they didn't want to dance, you know?” (45:09-45:45 | Kelly)“To this day, if you go to dance competitions, moms all over the world are having a cocktail at a dance competition. Yep, that's just the way it is. It really is.” (53:12-53:26 | Christi)“No mom who steps foot in the door can claim that it's not about them in some capacity. You don't go on a TV show if it's not about you.” (1:14:31-1:14:39 | Christi) LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

They always asked me the most stupid things, Kelly says, about Dance Mom reunion shows, the first of which is the subject of today’s podcast episode. Christi reminds us that the Moms were the real stars of the show and they got up to a lot while their daughters were endlessly rehearsing with Abby. They attempted to work out at the gym but always got sidetracked to the same place. Christi reveals why she would sit outside of the studio at the bus stop and who she spent hours talking to there. Abby spent much of her free time seeing hundreds of Broadway shows, which she always managed to brag about.The Moms have an unbreakable bond that far precedes and has long outlasted the show. Christi recalls what she said to the officer who pulled her over while she was rushing Nia and Chloe to a competition, as well as the incident during Clara’s birth that Paige and Chloe still talk about every time they see her. No one talks to Abby anymore, but they still think of her and the lingering influence she and the show had on the girls’ psyches, and the Moms’ careers and parenting styles. If Abby had had a child, things might have been very different, since she would have understood the extent of the Moms’ responsibilities, and the lengths to which they were willing to go for their children. They give suggestions to improve Jill’s reunion show wardrobe and discuss the hit job Kelly’s stylist did on her hair.Quotes“It's funny because I said nobody understands like us, we all have each other's back and Abby's rolling her eyes. The five of us still talk and nobody talks to her. So roll your eyes all you want Abby.” (41:12-41:24 | Christi) “Abby said, ‘I can always create another family.’...None of those little families worked out as well as us. No, they were all just trying to be us.” (41:42-42:06 | Kelly and Christi)“Abby was trying to take Jill to etiquette school to teach her how to glide down the stairs. You can't sit in a chair, but you're going to teach Jill how to glide down stairs. OK. Whatever.” (1:44:49-1:45:03 | Christi) LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“We thought we’d take you guys on a little jaunt down memory lane,” says Christi, who describes, along with Kelly, what it was like, as regular moms from Pittsburgh, to attend the 2012 Teen Choice Awards. They recall which celebrities acted like fans toward the cast and which were really rude to them. The drama that went into getting ready–including Kelly throwing a pair of shoes at Christi– reflected the gray area between their old lives and their newfound fame. While it wasn’t always as much fun as it might have seemed, the thought of that time still makes them emotional. Later in the episode, they answer fan questions about the state of their friendship and how their time on Dance Moms has changed the way they view reality TV. The real drama, they explain, took place behind the scenes among the crew, including a strange image that one of the cast members found on one of the crew member’s laptop. Fame still feels strange though people still refer to them–literally–as icons all these years later.  Despite not seeing each other as often as they used to, Kelly and Christi always pick up right where they left off. Hear them find out which of the Golden Girls best represents each of the Dance Moms, their plans to open a bar/laundromat and why Kelly hates Mother’s Day.Quotes“This is before we realized that people had stylists…When people brought it up, I thought, ‘The Kardashians have stylists, not Kelly Hyland from Pittsburgh…‘That's just weird.’ (21:06-21:34 | Christi and Kelly)“I intentionally keep those shoes in the front of my shoe rack. They make me smile every time I look at them, because it was such a moment where I thought…‘How did we get here?’...” (28:43-29:07 | Christi)“I remember them saying, ‘Everybody practice ‘Call Me Maybe’ because they're going to have us sing it…’ I did not know the song. The entire world sang that song over and over and over and over again. I’m old. A little behind the times...still wearing a f***ing banana clip.” (30:43-31:18 | Christi and Kelly) “They give you Dixie cups of wine at the awards show. So, we had 27. I had one between each finger.” (34:52-34:58 | Christi)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks to Chloe for being our very special guest this episode!LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“It’s finally time,” says Brooke about making her long-awaited guest appearance on Back to the Barre. Throughout the episode, her references reiterate the robust second life that Dance Moms has been given on TikTok. She explains what the platform has dubbed “The Brooke Effect,” and that she learned from many of her followers that her inability to remember much from her time filming the show is actually a trauma response. As Kelly points out, Brooke was the worst age to film the show, not only because she was basically going through puberty on camera. She was old enough to teach the younger girls how to kiss on the back of the bus while traveling to competitions, but too young to join Kelly and Christi as they passed wine back and forth through the cracks in the seats. Producers of all kinds continue to sell the Hyland girls short, as this episode shows Brooke recording her “Summertime Love Song” in L.A., where the girls have stayed to compete at Intensity Dance ahead of Nationals. Music producers autotuned her naturally lovely voice beyond recognition, and the show forced her to work with small-time producers who buried her singing career. According to Kelly, Brooke never made a penny from the record or the merch. Abby appointed herself director of Brooke’s music video which featured all the girls, even directing Maddie to dance in heavy traffic. Throughout today’s episode, they discuss behind-the-scenes stories and clips that were never aired, like what the big lips on Kendall’s costume were a tribute to and what Brooke’s young male co-star said about Brooke off-camera. We also learn why Kelly sat in a dumpster all afternoon and why Christi had to explain STDs to the girls at seven in the morning. Quotes“We're always on the bottom row, huh, Brookie? We lived there. That’s where all my money went. I paid rent on the third row of the pyramid.” (23:09-23:20 | Kelly) “People who grew up watching the show and are coming back have a better understanding of it now that they're adults…I mean, there is absolutely an element of crazy there ” (100:53-1:01:20 | Christi)“McKenzie was sucking her thumb and carrying around a blanket and I had a boyfriend who was driving around.” (1:07:59-1:08:06 | Brooke)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.