‘Dance Moms’: Abby Lee Miller on the Secret to Maddie Ziegler’s Success
Abby Lee Miller never made it a secret of just how much she favored Maddie Ziegler. From the very first episode of Dance Moms, it was abundantly clear that Miller valued Ziegler above any of her other students. Ziegler started the series at the top of Miller’s hierarchical pyramid and throughout her tenure on the show, she was consistently Miller’s “go-to” girl. But what was it about Ziegler that made her Miller’s favorite? The choreographer once explained what she felt was the secret to the dancer’s success.
On ‘Dance Moms’ Abby Lee Miller constantly put Maddie Ziegler up on a pedestal
Ziegler was always the girl to beat on the ALDC Junior Elite Competition Team. Miller spent an exorbitant amount of time championing Ziegler at the expense of her other dancers. She loved The Fallout actor’s work ethic and penchant for winning dance competitions. She championed the dancer’s pefectionist tendencies and constantly berated her other students while telling them to just “be like Maddie.”
Miller explained why she felt her student achieved such incredible success
Of course, Ziegler’s talent was undeniable. Even without Miller’s incessant praise, it was clear that the dancer felt at home on stage. Each time Ziegler performed a solo, it was obvious that she truly loved what she was doing. Eventually, that passion got her recognized by Sia, which led to her finding fame and success that eclipsed what the attention she recieved on Dance Moms.
Following the success of the Chandelier video, Miller gave her opinion about what she believed to be the secret to Ziegler success. According to the former relatity TV star, it was Ziegler’s focus and intelligence that skyrocketed her to great heights.
“She’s smart,” Miller shared about Ziegler with USA Today. “She has great musicality. She’s 100% focused on the task at hand, while other children — no names mentioned — may have one eye upstairs on the parents. Others may be socializing with friends. Maddie is focused on the teacher. Since the age of 4, Maddie’s brain has kept her ahead of her peers.”
Ziegler hasn’t had any contact with her former teacher since she left ‘Dance Moms’
Ziegler’s success has only continued since she left Dance Moms. And while she’s had various opportunities over the years, these days she seems laser focused on her acting career. In fact, her upcoming film Bloody Hell is due to premiere at South by Southwest next month. The film will mark Ziegler’s very first leading role in a film and she’s expressed plenty of excitement about it.
But being Miller’s favorite is no longer a priority for Ziegler. In fact, the dancer has severed all ties with her former dance teacher and has no intention of ever reconnecting. The West Side Story alum feels at peace now that her Dance Moms days are fully behind her. And while Miller has expressed disappointment that Ziegler is no longer in contact, we can’t say we blame the dancer. While Ziegler was the favorite she still was treated questionably and was saddled with an exorbitant amount of pressure. And considering how Miller treated her little sister, Kenzie Ziegler, and some of her best friends, severing ties was likely the best choice for her.
