Abby Lee Miller Quits ‘Dance Moms,’ Opens Up About Her Replacement
After a rather tumultuous relationship with its producers, Abby Lee Miller quit the long-running Lifetime series Dance Moms. Even with her dramatic exit, the show’s producers didn’t take long to find a replacement for Miller. As of the moment, the show’s new choreographer will be none other than Cheryl Burke of Dancing With the Stars.
Abby Lee Miller’s career with Dance Moms ended after she posted a rather long Instagram post about her exit. Early speculations put it that Miller was just crying wolf. On the other hand, the ex-host of Dance Moms is still embroiled in a legal matter for fraud and only awaits sentencing. Some speculated over time that possible jail time was the reason for Abby Lee Miller’s resignation on the show. On the other hand, Miller’s post clearly said that she’s done with those who “treat women like dirt” with no mention of her jail sentencing even after she pleaded guilty to fraud charges.
“I just have a problem with being manipulated, disrespected and used — day in and day out by men who never took a dance lesson in their lives and treat women like dirt!”
Even before she quit Dance Moms, Entertainment Tonight learned that Abby Lee Miller already bailed out from some of the episodes without saying any reason as to why she did. In turn, the show’s producers have to consider choreographer Laurieann Gibson to take her place for the remaining episodes of the Season 7 of Dance Moms. Aside from that, the insider also said that Miller’s temper tantrums are not something new since she does it all the time in the set.
Those who have watched Abby Lee Miller on the show knows that she employs a strict style to teaching kids. Some cannot handle the pressure so they leave the show early on. As hard as she is to her students, Miller has her own brand of drama that can make people cry.
A source from Lifetime also told ABC News that they can still continue without Abby Lee Miller as the choreographer in Dance Moms. Her replacement with Dancing With the Stars pro Cheryl Burke only solidifies that statement, a decision that took the producers just a few days to make shortly after Miller quit the long-running Lifetime reality series Dance Moms. A source also said that most of the finished taping was shorter than normal because of Miller’s schedule, but that it might be better to have a Miller-less Dance Moms if all the legal drama escalates and affects the show.
In an exclusive with Entertainment Tonight, Abby Lee Miller shared her thoughts – which proved to be too many – on her decision to quit Dance Moms and her replacement, DWTS‘ Cheryl Burke.
“I bet you she’s treated differently.”
In the exclusive, Abby Lee Miller thinks that Cheryl Burke is not her replacement, but the vibe with Burke is definitely going to be different in Dance Moms with a much bigger budget – and better treatment.
“I bet you she’s treated differently. I bet you the budget is completely different, and I bet you she is never driving her car, with her gas, getting parking tickets that she has to pay, walking up and down the streets looking for fabric on her feet.”
Miller also remembers how she had to deal without a costume budget, run downtown, buy something, and drive her own car in a rush of traffic just to buy everything she needs before shops closed.
“Wait until Cheryl Burke deals with [no costume budget]. At Dancing With the Stars, they have two floors — an entire building of seamstresses sewing, rhinestoning, fringe — she’s going to have to run downtown to Santee Alley and buy something off the street in her own car, at 4:30 in rush hour traffic after we wrap, when everything is closing, because that’s what I did for six years.”
During the exclusive with ET, Abby Lee Miller once more made it clear that her decision to quit Dance Moms is not because she will be facing jail time. She quit because she doesn’t want to fight anymore for a great idea, a better music, or a bigger costume budget.
“I think the word ‘respect,’ the word ‘trust,’ and the word ‘thank you’ was missing from my relationship with the production company.”
Apparently, Abby Lee Miller feels very unappreciated despite the success of Dance Moms on its seven seasons with her as host. However, Miller’s statement and inside sources have conflicting takes with her on Dance Moms. Obviously, Miller has plenty of issues to deal with on the show even before she quit.
Abby Lee Miller ended her exclusive by saying that the dust is not going to settle until Dance Moms‘ producer is dead and cremated to dust.
What do you think of DWTS pro Cheryl Burke as Abby Lee Miller’s replacement on Dance Moms? Is Burke going to be better at it than Miller? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
[Featured Image by Michael Buckner/Getty Images]
