Tonight on Lifetime after a couple of months break Dance Mom returns and we have your Dance Moms recap below. On tonight’s Dance Moms Season 6 Episode 23 “Nia & Kendall Face Off,” Abby abandons the team after the girls’ technique is criticized at a competition.
If you missed the Fall Premiere where Abby assigned Brynn and Kendall head-to-head duets with male partners we got you covered. We have a full and detailed Dance Moms recap, right here for you!
On tonight’s Dance Moms Season 6 Episode 23 as per the lifetime synopsis, “Nia and Kendall perform tough head-to-head trios, but the moms aren’t satisfied with the group’s tribute to Madonna. Later, Holly brings Nia’s manager to the studio after suspecting Abby has a hidden agenda for her daughter; and Abby abandons the team after the girls’ technique is criticized at a competition.”
Tonight’s episode will surely be filled with the usual Dance Moms drama. So make sure to bookmark this spot and come back for our Dance Moms recap from 9PM – 10PM ET! While you wait for our recap make sure to head over and check all our Dance Moms recaps, news, spoilers & more!
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#DanceMoms starts with everyone showing up at ALDC and they wonder where Nia is. Jill says Nia has been doing a lot of stuff and she has a new manager and new agency. Jill says Holly is taking things into her own hands.
Jill says Abby didn’t want anything to do with Abby last season. She says now that Abby sees Nia doing well, she’s jumping in. Jill says Abby has done nothing for Kendall since her music came out 18 months ago.
Jessa says they have all given a lot to come to LA. Jessa says the morale isn’t good and they need to support each other and we see flashback to bickering last week with Ashlee. Kalani asks Brynn how she’s doing and if she’s feeling better.
Apologies and fresh starts
JoJo says she didn’t tell anyone why she was said. Brynn doesn’t want to make the other girls mad but thinks their moms don’t want her there. Kalani says they can’t let the mom stuff affect them since they’re a team.
Jessa issues a blanket apology and says she doesn’t want to fight. Holly says he likes it. Ashlee isn’t sure it’s sincere but hopes so. Abby calls them for pyramid. Abby says the duets had some issues. She says no crying.
Abby says if anyone cries unless you are physically hurt, she’s putting a pillow case on their head. At the bottom is Brynn. Abby says she’s pretty with no tears. Next is JoJo, then Nia, Kendall and that puts Kalani at the top.
Two trios and a group number
Fierce National Dance Comp in Fresno is next. Abby says there’s a trio of Kendall, Kalani and JoJo doing a jazz number called Abby’s Angels. Nia gets a trio too and says she’s bringing in two young men to do it with her.
The group routine pays homage to Madonna. Abby says they will do the stages of Madonna and they break to start rehearsals. Abby starts with the trio rehearsal. They talk about how touch competition is in Fresno and that even Maddie didn’t win.
The guys show up for Nia’s trio. Abby assigns roles for the Madonna number according to her different stages. Jill says the girls have to learn to excel as teens and they need to push the envelope more. They talk about the level of competition is harder as teens.
Competition tougher
Jill thinks the girls don’t train enough and are up against girls that have eight hours of ballet a day. Jill says the girls need to work and Ashlee says they need to push Abby on training. She says character pieces that aren’t technical enough won’t work as teens.
Now Abby works with Nia and the two guys on the trio. Nia is shocked to be performing with two boys and says she and her mom have been asking for mature choreography. Nia says Abby was mean to her last year and now she’s worried about Abby sabotaging her.
Holly is thrilled with the attention that Abby is giving Nia. Holly goes to call Nia’s manager. Holly says Abby has never shown this kind of interest in Nia or her career so she had to hire a manager. She hired Lesley Brander and makes a call to her now to give her an update.
Holly calls Nia’s manager
Lesley says she wants to come down to talk to Abby and says she should understand the strategy and where they’re going. Holly says she likes the idea but is also nervous about Abby shutting things down when things go Nia’s way.
We see Holly arguing with her over an audition. Lesley says they should have Abby on the team so long as she understands boundaries and that she has to be helpful or move out of the way. Nia says she has to prove she can do mature choreography.
She hopes she and the boys can pull this off. She tells the girls that her manager is coming in to talk to Abby. Kendall says Abby is supposed to be her manager but hasn’t helped her. Abby now works with Kendall’s trio.
Rehearsals continue
Abby continues to coach them and Kendall is worried about going up against Nia and says she wasn’t even born when Charlie’s Angels came out and that’s the inspiration. The moms talk about Abby raising the bar.
Jessa sees something on her phone and gets up and runs outside. The moms wonder what’s up. Holly goes to check on her. Jessa is crying and says her family is upset that she’s not home when her mom is struggling with an illness.
Jessa says her mom’s cancer is back and a lot of people in her family aren’t supportive of her being out there with JoJo. She says her dad posted on social media that her niece is a better dancer than JoJo. Jessa says it’s been hard to be away but JoJo is brilliant.
Moms encourage Jessa
Jill tells her not to cry or Abby will put a pillow case on her head. Ashlee walks away from them and goes back inside. Abby is working with Nia’s trio and tells the guys to make Nia look great. One of the guys drop her and she’s worried about dancing with the guys.
Jill says bringing in two people Nia has never danced with is difficult. Lesley the manager shows up and greets Holly with a hug. Holly says they have to make sure Abby keeps giving Nia opportunities like this. Lesley says she needs to be moved out of the back row.
Lesley asks Jill if Abby is still managing Kendall and Jill says Abby is doing nothing and isn’t taking time to focus on the album that Kendall worked on all summer. She has 13 songs ready and Abby is sitting on it. Lesley says it makes no sense.
Manager talk
Abby comes out and Holly introduces her. Abby tells them they can come with her and they go back into the studio. Ashlee says that wouldn’t have happened before. Jessa says Lesley wants to make Nia a star, but maybe not Abby so much.
Lesley thanks Abby for all of this and Abby critiques Nia as they talk. Abby tells Lesley that Maddie never had good legs either. Lesley says Nia is unique and she needs Abby to celebrate Nia with them and says she can sing, act and dance.
She says Nia will make it and Abby says Nia already has made it. Lesley says she doesn’t see Abby celebrating it and Nia is always in the back row. Abby says later that she wants Nia to be a star but she doesn’t execute the choreography the way Maddie did.
Nia drama
Holly says she looks great as Abby gets harsher with Nia in front of the manager. Holly says Abby is responsible for the technique and is holding Nia back. Abby tells Lesley that they gave Nia good choreography and Nia waters it down and Holly has blinders on.
Lesley asks how she can help and Abby says knee cap Holly. She gets on a call and walks away from Lesley. It’s one day til competition and Jill talks with Kendall and says Abby is too busy to follow through with her. Jill says they will move on when the time is right.
Jill says they have to hear Abby’s plans for Kendall’s future and says Abby could end up in jail but she also doesn’t want to mess things up by fighting with Abby. Group routine rehearsal. Abby criticizes Kendall and Ashlee says the team is recreating itself like Madonna does.
Moms debate the issues
Kira thinks the dance is not technical enough and is character-based once again and also thinks the girls need more training so they can win. Ashlee asks Jessa about how it went last night. Jessa says it’s all coming to a head because her mom is doing well.
Ashlee says the worst criticism she got was from her sisters but those closest to you will kick you when you’re down. Jessa says she is doing this for JoJo. Abby tells the girls that it’s not the guys’ fault what is turning out problematic with the dance.
Now it’s competition day and hundreds of screaming fans await their bus. Holly says they need to be at the top of their game in Fresno. Abby asks how the girls feel and Ashlee asks if this is a performance piece or they will win with this.
Abby vs Holly and it’s epic!
Abby says if your performance is flawless, you will win. Kira says they all need ballet training and an hour a week won’t fix that. Jessa says maybe they need fewer frivolous classes and more technique. Abby says when they were at home, the girls didn’t work like they need to.
Holly says stop it and Abby says Nia wasn’t even seen. Holly says stop lying about my kid – she was working with Debbie Allen’s studio. Abby makes a crack about the size of Nia’s thigh. Holly says shut up and Abby flips her off.
Holly calls her a coward and she walks out. Kira says the new beginnings lasted a week. That was an ugly fight. The other moms are stunned. Jill says Abby is empire building and doesn’t care about the kids. The other moms agree.
The moms talk smack and the kids are worried
Nia asks where’s Abby and Holly says she flipped her off and walked out. Jessa calls Abby and gets voice email. Jessa steps up and says she runs a dance studio and can do this. She says they’ll make the worst of this. The other moms are happy as Jessa takes her seat.
She runs them through rehearsal. Gia just laughs and sits there. Jessa gives them final notes. Jessa says she can lead these girls and Abby can go eat in her car. Jessa gives Nia some notes that are very positive. Holly thanks her.
Holly says it’s a huge week for Nia and Abby abandoned the team and she’s glad that Jessa stepped in. Jessa then talks to the trios. Jessa says they never win in Fresno and have a lot to prove. They head out for performances.
The show must go on
The moms find Abby sitting in the audience near a stranger eating popcorn and drinking soda. Kendall’s trio is up first. Jill thinks they nailed it. Nia is feeling the pressure now that she has a new manager and worries Abby won’t give her a dance like this if she fails.
Abby eats her popcorn. Holly is worried about the pressure on Nia especially since Kendall’s trio did so well. Nia’s trio starts. It looked good. Holly is thrilled with how mature and radiant she looked. Jessa and the moms go back to chat with the girls before group.
They give the girls positive feedback on the trio performances. Holly says it was a breakthrough moment for the team. Ashlee says Jessa’s pep talk was great. The moms agree they need to stick together on this and asks if Ashlee will stick with them.
Group pep talk
Kira says she can’t run to Abby and tell her. Ashlee says she sees the benefit and won’t go to Abby. She says Brynn isn’t happy being isolated and held to the Maddie standard. Ashlee thinks the moms are being nice since Brynn doesn’t have a featured dance this week.
The girls come in all done up in their costumes and Jessa gives them a big positive pep talk. Ashlee says the stakes are higher on the group number since Abby is ignoring them and Abby might ditch them and move on to the minis.
Abby does cheer for them after the group. Ashlee says they did the best with what they were given and thinks they pulled it off but we’ll see. Jill says both trios were good but they’ve lost in Fresno before and Abby will tear the kids to shreds if they lose.
Awards time
It’s trio time first and Kendall’s trio takes second place. Holly hopes that Nia isn’t out of it. Abby eats her popcorn and Holly is sure that Abby will thumb her nose at her. Nia’s trio wins first place and Holly is overjoyed. Holly and Gia smile.
Holly says Abby is still eating popcorn and she tells Holly the popcorn is better than movie theater popcorn. Now it’s time for group awards and Kira says this week has been a mess and she’s worried. The group number takes second place.
Jessa says the dance could have been amazing and Abby is to blame for not providing enough training. Outside, the team gets together to celebrate the awards. Abby comes out and Jessa sends the kids off to get ready for the trip back.
Angst after awards
Ashlee says when Abby left, the girls calmed down. Abby says she left because she makes the girls crazy. Holly says it’s a cop out and Jessa says they felt abandoned. Abby says she’s coddling them and the girls can be better and do more.
Jessa says get off your butt and give them classes. All the moms pile on yelling at Abby and telling her she’s going to be alone and by herself and Abby says fine. Holly says she’s alienating all of them. Abby says you’re born and die alone.
Jessa stalks off and the other moms follow. They leave Abby all alone.
THE END!