5 biggest fights in Dance Moms history

Dance Moms is a reality TV series that aired from 2011 to 2019. It offered an inside view of the world of competitive dance through the eyes of young dancers and their ambitious moms. Helmed by choreographer Abby Lee Miller, the show was known for its intense drama in which personal rivalries mixed with fierce competition boiled over into screaming matches.

As Dance Moms accelerated in popularity, it became notable for some unforgettable, at times chaotic confrontations that kept audiences glued. While it left the air in 2019, the dramatic fights and raging relationships played a major role in shaping the series' legacy.

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Most dramatic fights in Dance Moms

1) Kendall screams at Ashlee (Season 6, Episode 18)

It was a season of high pressure, with Ashlee accusing Jill of sabotaging her daughter's performance, an accusation that turned into a shouting match. It was then that Jill's daughter Kendall stepped in to confront Ashlee face-to-face. Kendall had an outburst and shouted,

"Why are you so mean?!"

This could be considered a defining moment, underlining the ramping battle between two mothers and how protective they were toward their kids. The confrontation was one of the most illustrative examples of how personal issues can spiral from high to extremely high on Dance Moms.

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2) Someone shut her up! (Season 7, Episode 22)

Kira and Yolanda got into a huge fight (Image via Lifetime)

One of the highly captured scenes in season 7 of Dance Moms was when Kira and Yolanda got into a huge argument about including younger dancers in the team. Kira got frustrated because Abby Lee Miller seemed to have special treatment for the young dancers, which placed the older girls at a disadvantage.

This resulted in a screaming exchange between Yolanda and Kira, with Yolanda accusing Kira of lying. The fight escalated when Jill shouted for someone to shut Yolanda up—the moment summed up how crazy and intense the situation was.

The scenario demonstrated how much tension had brewed between the mothers over issues concerning their children's roles and performances since then.

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3) Go somewhere else! (Season 1, Episode 7)

In the first season of Dance Moms alone, an actual fistfight broke out when Dawn's daughter, Reagan, was sent out from class for failing to wear the right outfit. Dawn confronted Abby Lee Miller, citing her role as a minister and suggesting that Abby’s actions were unfair. Abby fired back that she wanted Dawn and Reagan to get out of the studio.

The argument became so heated that Abby finally called the cops on them to have them removed from the property. This dramatic incident set a precedent for a trend in which cast members engage in highly intense, often explosive interactions.

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4) Christi screams at Abby and Melissa (Season 1, Episode 10)

Christi screams at Abby and Melissa (Image via Lifetime)

Frustration boiled over for Christi during season 1 of Dance Moms when she accused Abby of having a soft spot for Melissa's daughter, Maddie. In her view, this was tipped onto the playing field and hurt her daughter, Chloe, who dances with the other girls. The argument started, then turned very loud, as Christi dug her heels in against Abby and Melissa.

Abby's threat to take away Chloe's national title heightened the drama and reminded everyone of the melodramatic responses and emotional stakes associated with the competitive environment depicted in the show.

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5) Abby gets mad and Kelly fights back (Season 2, Episode 7)

The dramatic showdown between Abby and Kelly started when the latter became upset about the way Abby was judging her daughter's performance, along with that of other girls in Season 2. Abby made some very critical comments regarding their act, which infuriated Kelly, who then approached Abby regarding her strict judgment.

Abby continued to criticize and Kelly responded in anger, for she found this not to be a fair critique. Joined by Christi, Kelly's argument escalated to yells and became very confrontational.

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This argument highlighted the critical responses to Abby's comments and the strong reactions from the mothers in their resistance to her authority. These moments are reflective of the high drama and intense emotion that characterized Dance Moms. The competition-driven, personal-dispute-driven, and perceived injustice-driven conflicts have contributed to the show's lasting impact and memorable TV moments.

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All seasons of Dance Moms can be streamed on Lifetime.