Melanie Ziegler || Dance Moms

Family Comes First

You know, I never met my maternal grandmother, she passed away years before I was born, my Mom and her were really close. So Mrs. Miller has always been like family to me, but she might join my grandmother soon. Her health has been declining lately and no one knows how much time she has left. It hurts to see someone you care about get worse and worse and not being able to do anything about it. Personal experience. 

But this isn't time to get emotional, I'm going back to the Studio and the show today after being a week in LA, and I have catched up with everything, thanks to Kenz and Mads. We arrive at the studio and go into the Dancer's Den, I was wearing some pink and black ALDC dancewear and my hair was on a high ponytail and I had a pink bow. Kenzie was going to have a mini photoshoot on the studio today, to promote her new singing career, and it sounds cool. 

"Let's go. Come on. All right, congratulations girls. The group was the overall high scoring winning routine 12 times in a row. I wanted a 12th for my shelf and now I have it. All right, you are going, once again, to Ohio. Columbus, Ohio. Let's get to the pyramid, okay? Melanie, you were in LA filming a show, and I think that's great, now you need to get your head back in the game."

Kalani

Nia Chloe Kendall Mackenzie Maddie Melanie

"Let me give out the assignments, let's go, this week, moms, I might not be there. As you know, my mother is dying. She's not gonna get better, she's not going to be cured. Right now, what the hospice care tries to do is to make her comfortable." Abby tells us and I start tearing up.

"Can I say something? I just want to tell you that, thank you so much for letting me be such a part of your mom's life. These last couple of years, we've been-- your Mom-- Like I told her today-- She looks right in my eyes and I said, 'You know, Mom, you are my mom now, because my mom left me so long ago. I love her so much. I love you, and--" Mom says as everyone starts crying and Abby hugs Maddie.

"There's some place better." Abby whispers.

"But she's gonna be, she-she's gonna be so much better, you know?" Mom says and continues crying.

"There are good dance teachers, and there are bad dance teachers, but every dance teacher has to love children. They would never do this job. There are a million other jobs that you could do besides this." Abby says and hugs Chloe, "My mother, even at this age, has people working in the entertainment industry. You never know where it's gonna stop, and you never know what you're gonna end up doing. This career could take you onward and upward to a million things. And that's why I believe that every child should dance. Okay all right. Solos. Kendall, you're doing a solo. It is called 'Dream It'. I want you to dream that your feet are stretched. Nia, solo. Nia, the name of your solo is called 'Damsel In Distress' it is a musical theater piece. Melanie, you have a solo and the name of it is 'Don't Your Worry Child', and it is dedicated to my mother."

Everything goes silent and emotional for a moment.

"The cheery mood disappeared, okay. Duet. Chloe and Kalani. The name of your duet is 'For You, Too' and the group routine. Until now, everybody's in it. It is called 'Bollywood And Vine'. Like Hollywood and Vine. So, let's get working. Ready? Come on, girls, spread apart."

The group dance rehearsal was honestly kinda fun, but Abby is obviously under a lot of stress, I mean her mom is slowly dying. All of the girls leave and I'm left alone for my solo rehearsal. Gianna was going to be the one in charge of it, instead of as usual, Abby.

"I know you don't really like them, but this is on the dance so we need to use it." Gianna sys and gives me a teddy bear.

"This is a prop?" I ask and she nods.