JoJo Siwa Got Real About Why She Left ‘Dance Moms’
Dance Moms saw tons of talented dancers come and go in its eight seasons. But, out of all the cast members, JoJo Siwa is undoubtedly the most successful. At just 16 years old, Siwa has done multiple tours around the world and has a whopping net worth of $10 million. She also currently has a brand deal with Nickelodeon. But, before she was a household name, Siwa was just another hopeful dancer on Dance Moms.
Siwa joined the cast of Dance Moms in season 5. She actually met teacher, Abby Lee Miller, on Miller’s spinoff show, Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition in the second season. Placing fifth, she was recruited by Miller to be a guest on her team. However, Siwa wasn’t satisfied with a guest position, she wanted to be a permanent member of the Junior Elite Competition Team. After several episodes of her trying her hardest, she was made a member of the team.
JoJo Siwa left ‘Dance Moms’ abruptly
But Siwa’s time on Dance Moms was short-lived. She left very abruptly toward the end of season 6. In an episode called “JoJo Is a No Show” Siwa was assigned a difficult ballet duet alongside Kendall Vertes, which was not, at all, her specialty. Rather than do the duet, her mother, Jessalynn Siwa, pulled her from the number. Siwa didn’t show up to the competition that weekend, nor did she return to Dance Moms for the duration of the season or the following season.
Fans have been speculating about why Siwa left Dance Moms for years; particularly after she worked so hard to get on the team. Some fans felt it was due to poor treatment while others believed there to be bad blood. But, when Siwa made an appearance on the eighth season of the show, all seemed to be well. So why did the singer leave the hit Lifetime show?
The touring artist got real in a YouTube video
In a video on her YouTube channel, Siwa addresses the real reason she left Dance Moms. Calling it her “dream show” and one of her favorite things she’s done in her entire life, the 16-year-old gushed about the show and her tenure on it. She also shared that she would never say a bad word against Dance Moms because it gave her an incredible platform. Finally, Siwa shared that she simply had an opportunity with Nickelodeon that she couldn’t pass up which was the reason she inevitably left the show.
“It was honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done. But, the only reason I left is because I had a really good opportunity to take with Nickelodeon and I really felt that that was the right thing to do for me at the time and so now look where I am now,” Siwa shared about her brief stint on Dance Moms.
Siwa has a higher net worth than any other ‘Dance Moms’ cast members
Siwa mentioned that, of course, her journey on Dance Moms had its ups and downs. She remembered days she was sometimes moved to tears. While she cites that nothing about her emotions were fake, she understands that there are ups and downs to every job. Furthermore, her overall opinion of her time on the show was overwhelmingly positive. Additionally, she understands that without the platform that Dance Moms gave her, it would be harder for her to do all the things she does today.
Finally, Siwa wrapped it up by sending love to the fans she gained from Dance Moms and reiterating that her decision to leave was due to the opportunities she was getting from Nickelodeon. Clearly, Siwa’s decision to leave the show was the right move. It’ll be interesting to see what’s next for her career.
