It's been almost three years since Dance Moms officially came to an end, but as a popular reality series that ran eight seasons, there's no denying that it had some major staying power. Following the ups and downs of the kids who studied at the Abby Lee Dance Company (and their moms, of course), this show had no shortage of drama — most of it stemming from the owner of the studio, Abby Lee Miller herself.
Though there have been a few attempts to revive the series, they haven't panned out, usually due to Abby Lee's penchant for getting herself embroiled in a scandal (including, but not limited to, prison time and alleged racism). Over the years, the show has cranked out some major stars, among them JoJo Siwa and Maddie Ziegler, and following along so closely with these girls means we often wonder what they're doing today.
Read on for an update on all of your favorite Dance Moms stars — both students and moms.
Abby Lee Miller
It would be impossible to talk about Dance Moms without talking about Abby Lee Miller — after all, she's the reason the show exists. The famously strict dance coach has been through a lot since her time on the series. In 2018, Abby served eight months of a one-year prison sentence after she was found guilty of hiding money during her bankruptcy, and that same year, she was also diagnosed with cancer.
Though she is now cancer-free, Abby is still learning how to walk again. In 2020, she was set to make her return to reality TV with Abby's Virtual Dance-Off, but the show was canceled after she was accused of making racist comments toward her dancers.
JoJo Siwa
Another former Dance Moms star who has been through a lot is JoJo Siwa, who is now 18. After gaining massive fame and popularity on YouTube and Nickelodeon, JoJo has released quite a bit of music and frequently tours the country. In 2021, she came out as gay on social media, and since then has been sharing her journey with her followers — along with shocking the world when she cut off her signature high ponytail in favor of a much shorter hairstyle.
Jessalynn Siwa
JoJo's mom, Jessalynn, is just as involved in her daughter's life as she's always been — but she's working on her own projects, too. She and JoJo created a girl group called XOMG POP, made up of talented young girls (just like baby JoJo on Dance Moms) and she has her own online rhinestone shop, along with a podcast, Success With Jess.
Maddie Ziegler
Maddie Ziegler's Dance Moms fame has already taken her so far! In the years since her time on the show, she has continued to work closely with Sia, but that's not all the 19-year-old has been up to. She's pivoted to acting, starring in movies including The Fallout, Spirit Riding Free, and West Side Story.
Mackenzie Ziegler
Maddie's sister, Mackenzie, now 17, has also found fame outside of the Dance Moms universe. She now goes by Kenzie, and last year she released a single, "Happy for Me." She played Cassie in the YouTube series Total Eclipse, and was even revealed to be competing as the Tulip on The Masked Singer in 2021.
Melissa Gisoni
Now that we know where Maddie and Mackenzie are today, what about their mom, Melissa? She and some of her fellow former Dance Moms stars host a podcast called Because Mom Said So. She's also launched The 360 Dance Experience, which is described as a "dance convention and competition event" that will travel the country in 2023.
Chloe Lukasiak
These days, 20-year-old Chloe Lukasiak is keeping fans up-to-date on her life via her Instagram and YouTube channel, but that's not all. She also launched her own jewelry collection with Evry Jewels, and shares her poetry online (though she hasn't added to her writing on social media in a long time).
Christi Lukasiak
Chloe's mom, Christi, was known for duking it out with Abby Lee, but these days her life seems far more peaceful — and she's trying to help others find success, too. She hosts a podcast and is working as a life coach, along with offering budgeting and financial courses.
Nia Sioux
Nia Sioux is now 20 years old, and like many of her former costars, she's all about that podcasting life. She hosts her own, called Adulting, along with acting and — like many other kids her age — going to college. "My dreams are huge. I want to be an EGOT one day. That sounds kind of insane, but you never know. I'm throwing it out there. I'm going to manifest it," she told Forbes in 2021.
Holly Frazier
Nia's mom, Holly Frazier, also has been pretty busy. She cohosts the Because Mom Said So podcast with fellow Dance Moms alumni, and even wrote her own book of affirmations called Moments of Clarity, which makes sense after her appearances on Dance Moms.
Kendall Vertes
Now 19 years old, Kendall Vertes has easily traveled down the reality star to influencer pipeline — after all, she has more than 9 million Instagram followers. According to her bio, she's still a singer, a dancer, and an actress, and she hasn't held back on speaking out about the way Abby Lee treated her on the show.
Jill Vertes
Add Kendall's mom, Jill Vertes, to the list of Dance Moms stars hosting Because Mom Said So. Along with the podcast, Jill seems to be fully focused on her family — in fact, most of her Instagram posts are about her daughters instead of her!
Brooke Hyland
Brooke is now 24, and it's been nearly 10 years since she left the show. In that time, she earned a college degree from Ohio University, and she seems to be busy traveling, vlogging, and even running own Instagram account focused on the food she eats.
Paige Hyland
You might also remember Brooke's little sister, Paige, from the show. Today, she is 21 and frequently shares photos of her adventures (usually including her boyfriend, college football player Jayvon Thrift). Like her sister, Paige also has her own YouTube channel.
Kelly Hyland
Kelly is another mom who joined the gang at the Because Mom Said So podcast, and as for the rest of her life? She's been busy speaking out against Abby Lee's treatment of her daughters and focusing on her family — this mama is not messing around!
