Melanie Ziegler || Dance Moms

Old Friends, New Enemies

"This is nationals week!" Abby exclaims and everyone smiles, except me.

I tried really hard, but I just felt numb. I cried myself to sleep last night after the news.

"This year, 15 victories, out of 25 competitions," Abby tells everyone, "Now that's 10 competitions that the group did not win. The odds are not betting odds. I'm not gonna go to the racetrack and say, 'Ooh, yeah, I'm gonna bet on that pony'. No. That horse should be taken back and shot. You want to win, you want to be the best!"

Really Abby? Her way to explain what she 'did' with Nia winning last week.

"Word on the street, that other team will be performing as well." 

"We're gonna beat those BDA's." Mom adds.

"Saturday is our opening of the ALDC LA." We all clap, "Obviously, it's not gonna be finished. We have a lot to do--"

"This is huge," Jess says, "This is not a little dance studio in a strip mall."

Abby reveals the first headshot.

"JoJo, I'm correcting you, over and over and over on the same thing." Abby says, "You're not getting what I'm telling you is wrong. Next--"

She reveals the next headshot.

"Melanie," Mom looks at her confused, "You weren't here all of last week, and after that, you messed up with the prop on stage, but I think I overreacted."

"You did." Jess says and Mom nudges her arm.

Nia

Maddie   Kalani   Kendall

Mackenzie   Melanie   JoJo

"Now, solos. Maddie, I think it goes without saying, you'll be performing a solo at Nationals." Abby announces and we all clap, The name of your routine is 'Someone Special'. You are someone special."

"Thank you."

"Show everybody just how special you are." Abby says, "Next solo, it's going to Melanie."

Everyone claps.

"The style is--" There's silence for a moment, "Hip-hop."

Hip-hop? At Nationals? In general? Is she crazy?

"The name is 'WOW' and I'll bring in a choreographer to work with you."

I sigh in relief.

"One more solo," Abby tells everyone, "And I think, going into last week, I assumed that that solo would go to Kalani."

"We all assumed that." Jill says, "However, going into the solo you said whoever comes out on top gets the solo."

"No, I said 'might'." Abby 'corrects'.

"Well--"

"That's not. I don't think anyone's interpretation of what you said was the 'might'." Holly says.

"I think it should go to Nia." Jill agrees.

"No." Abby says.

What?

"It was head to head." Holly tells her, "It's been head. That was the challenge the entire time."

"When you're knocked out, you're knocked out." Jess adds, "Like, I took it for what it was worth."

"I agree with that," Kira says, "But I think in this instance, I don't agree because it was a competition judged by kids. As Kalani's mom, I do feel that it was not a fair battle as far as a kid judging."