TRENDING

Grab your twinnie, mom and trio members—it's finally time for the Dance Moms reunion special!

Lifetime's Dance Moms: The Reunion aired last night, and it was everything we could've hoped for—complete with laughs about old group numbers, tearful revelations, a bit of drama and lots of hugs to go around.

If you missed the premiere or can't wait to watch it online, DW: We've compiled some of the best (and most emotional) moments from the episode that had us glued to the edge of our seats.

Who all was there?

@dancemomstv

The reunion episode brought back many of the main faces of Dance Moms. Previous Abby Lee Dance Company members Brooke Hyland (seasons 1-4), Paige Hyland (seasons 1-4) and Chloé Lukasiak (seasons 1-4 and 7) were in attendance. They were joined by Kendall Vertes (seasons 2-7), Kalani Hilliker (seasons 4-7) and Jojo Siwa (seasons 5-6). The only original ALDC team members missing were Maddie Ziegler, Mackenzie Ziegler and Nia Sioux.

And it wouldn't be a true Dance Moms reunion without the moms, ofc! Dance moms Kelly Hyland, Jill Vertes, Kira Girard and Jessalynn Siwa all attended the show. Chloé's mom, Christi Lukasiak, was noticeably absent, but she was FaceTimed early on during the reunion and was able to share a couple of her own comments in her typical fiery Christi fashion.

There were a few tears...

@dancemomstv

Dance Moms had more than a few moments that brought both the moms and the daughters to tears, and the reunion was no different.

The episode got into some of the more painful DM moments almost immediately, with Brooke and Paige being asked about their abrupt departure from ALDC and their decisions to not dance since their last day at the studio.

The ex-dancers didn't appear to regret their exit, but seeing the video of their mom fighting with dance teacher Abby Lee Miller brought up some emotions. Their mom, Kelly Hyland, spoke about how guilty she has felt for taking them away from their dance careers, but the younger Hylands were quick to wipe her tears and embrace, claiming that they are happy with being able to live normal lives since leaving the show.

Chloé was hit with some of her own painful memories of ALDC next. She spoke about being treated poorly on the show and having her self-worth diminished through the rivalry that was created between her and Maddie. But Chloé also spoke about how she's working to overcome Abby's idea of her not being enough. She's creating her own definition of who she is and realizing how much she is truly worth...and we couldn't be prouder.

The last major bittersweet moment came at the end of the episode when Kalani was asked about the group dance she was the lead in, "Suicide Hotline." The dance was an emotional one that helped many viewers seek help with their mental health, including Kalani. She spoke about her relationship with the group number and her own struggles with her mental health before being engulfed in hugs by all the girls.

...But also plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments!

@dancemomstv

Some of the best parts of the episode were the ones where the girls were just being themselves and having a good time:

✨Brooke, Paige, Chloé and Kendall doing their iconic backstage warm-up ritual before their interview
✨Paige referring to Chloé as her "twinnie"
✨Paige talking about how much she loved not having to actually dance in "The Last Text"
✨The nostalgic montage of good times on early Dance Moms episodes (showing the dancers traveling, pranking Abby and having fun together)

We also loved seeing Jojo's pretend proposal to Kalani, and Christi's video message to Chloe about how strong and loved she is was super sweet! And ending the episode with the girls doing their "Boss Ladies" choreography? Iconic.

So, where are the girls headed next?

@kendallvertes

Although the girls agreed that their time on Dance Moms will probably follow them around for the rest of their lives, they've also each been pursuing a bunch of cool things outside of the show:

Brooke graduated from Ohio University and hosts trips for her followers to travel the world with her, Paige graduated from West Virginia University, Chloé recently graduated from Pepperdine University and is now working as the co-founder of Elevé Dance Competition, Kendall is in college studying political science, Jojo is working on 23 songs to be released and Kalani is serving as a mental health advocate and running her own beauty care line, Kare by Kalani.

The girls agree that they're forever sisters, and we can't wait to see what they accomplish next!

Follow us on Instagram @girlslifemag for the latest entertainment news!

Check out these Dance Moms posts next:
🩰EXCLUSIVE! The advice Chloé Lukasiak would give herself before the very first episode of Dance Moms is... (plus reunion tea!)
🩰The time I met the original cast of Dance Moms
🩰The Dance Moms girls *totally* own TikTok with these funny throwbacks

Slider image: @dancemomstv
Header image: @dancemomstv

by Maggie Salter | 5/2/2024