THEN: It’s so wild to suppose that Dance Mothers first aired 13 years in the past. Do both of you keep in mind your first response to listening to Lifetime was going to make a TV present in regards to the Abby Lee Dance Firm?
Chloé: Properly, really, what was completely different about Dance Mothers, was that we have recognized one another since we had been, like, 2. I imply, there have been completely different dancers in our group who weren’t solid on the present, so it did form of change a little bit bit. However I’ve recognized Paige since, I believe, our first dance class. And Brooke was her older sister. I noticed her round. We weren’t shut associates as a result of she was a part of an older group, however I knew her. We had been associates, however not as shut as Paige and I had been. And I’ve recognized Nia a very long time. After which Maddie got here after. And so, I believe that was what’s actually attention-grabbing about that specific solid of Dance Mothers — we even have a extremely natural bond and a whole lot of historical past. And after we first discovered [about the show], it was solely alleged to be, like, six episodes. So, we had been like, “Oh, this will probably be cool. Perhaps it’s going to be good on our résumé in a few years,” after which it turned, like, a very completely different expertise.
I keep in mind my mother filming auditions on her little flip digicam. I used to be like, “Okay, yeah, certain, no matter.” After which, it was bizarre as a result of I didn’t understand I used to be on a actuality present till I used to be, like, 17. That sounds loopy to say, however I used to be like, “Oh, that was, like, a present that individuals watch.” To me, that was simply my life.
Christi: For me, after they put up a casting name, I used to be one of many first folks to begin speaking with the casting director. The entire premise of the present modified as he bought to know the studio. And he was like, “Oh, all the pieces I am on the lookout for is on this one place.” He was really on the lookout for a number of mothers throughout completely different locations. And truly, it was Abby [Lee Miller], who referred to as me in December — Chloé and Paige had been having a sleepover at my home. You guys had been dancing to “Santa Child” in some bizarre outfits — however Abby was like, “Lifetime is within the present.” After which she’s like, “You are gonna be listening to again,” after which they got here in to movie in January.
True story: She really despatched Kelly and me to New York to get out of the best way. Identical to Cinderella and her stepsisters! She despatched us away so we could not be taped. However I used to be speaking to the entire producers who knew that we had been being despatched away, in order that they got here the evening earlier than to do our auditions. However yeah, she tried to eliminate us, which tracks to date, proper?
Then, it was February 28 — I’ve a bizarre factor with dates — that [Dance Moms executive producer] Bryan Stinson referred to as me, and he mentioned the present’s been picked up six episodes. I requested who was within the solid. And he mentioned, “Properly, it is you, Kelly [Hyland]…” And I used to be like, “Hooray!” Then he mentioned Melissa and Holly [Frazier], and I used to be like, “Holly?!” and I mentioned, “Oh, they want somebody regular. Received it.” Then he mentioned, “After which one other lady named Cathy [Nesbitt-Stein].” And I mentioned, “Properly, what’s she like?” And he goes, “Oh, you will discover out.”
We began filming on April 5 — like, six weeks later — and once more, it was solely alleged to be six episodes; the primary half ended up being seven episodes as a result of there was a lot drama that occurred within the first week that they needed to, like, cut up it. Earlier than we had been even on Episode 4, they got here to us and mentioned, “The community thinks that that is going to be a giant present. And we will movie six extra episodes this summer season; pack your luggage.” I used to be like, “I’ve a 1-year-old. What am I alleged to do along with her?” And so they mentioned, “Carry her!” So it was bizarre, wild life. However to what Chloé mentioned, we had been nonetheless residing in the identical home. We had been going to the identical studio. We had been hanging out with the identical folks. We had been purchasing in the identical locations. The one factor that was completely different is that that they had a crew that they bought to be associates with and that they favored.
Chloé: We had been nonetheless going to highschool, too. I really feel like a whole lot of younger stars begin homeschooling and transfer to LA, however nothing modified for us. So, I believe that is why a whole lot of us are nonetheless fairly regular and processing all of it as regular as potential.
