Back to the Barre

Julia Stiles had all the ingredients for an unforgettable Dancing With the Stars performance — a tribute to Heath Ledger, nostalgia for 10 Things I Hate About You, and an audience ready for an emotional moment. So why did Christi and Kelly walk away so disappointed from it?

This week on Back to the Barre, they question whether Julia's performance lived up to the massive hype and whether emotional tributes are sometimes more about winning votes than the dancing itself. Plus, Christi and Kelly reveal who they would dedicate their own performances to — and why those choices would mean...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms.

This week, they’re revisiting Season 2, Episode 7, “Bullets and Ballet,” where Paige finally gets the moment she’s been waiting for: a win, the top of the pyramid, and her spot back in the trio with Maddie and Chloe.

But instead of letting Paige enjoy any of it, Abby immediately starts picking her apart. Kelly looks back on the rehearsal where Paige is crying, lo...

Abby is hiding in the back room, crying, screaming at the moms, and threatening to QUIT Dance Moms. For good! The show makes it look like her federal indictment has finally pushed her over the edge. But... Christi has some EXPLOSIVE NEW INFO — and it turns out Chloe may have been the real reason behind the entire meltdown!

This week on Back To The Barre, Christi and Kelly revisit Season 6, Episode 4, "Now You See Abby, Now You Don't," with a revelation that completely changes how they see the episode. Christi reveals what she learned about Abby's fu...

Guillermo might not be the best dancer on Dancing With the Stars, but Witney Carson is determined to make him look like one. And somehow, while very pregnant, she pulls off one of the most entertaining routines of the night. Christi and Kelly are blown away by the choreography, the spectacle, and everything Witney manages to squeeze out of her partner.

But even then, they were still eliminated. Womp womp womp. But Christi and Kelly wonder if Witney's pregnancy played a role in the elimination...

They also react to Carrie Ann's criticism of...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms.

This week, they’re revisiting Season 2, Episode 6, “Jill on the Rampage,” and this might be the most appropriately named episode yet.

Every girl gets a solo, the moms are put in charge of costumes, and somehow that is enough to send Jill completely over the edge. After Abby rejects Kendall’s costume, Jill starts packing, throws a shoe, shoves a chair, and threatens to pull Ke...

Dance Moms is already wobbling in season 6. Maddie is away filming, the team is trying to prove it can win without her, and Abby’s legal problems are getting harder to ignore.

So naturally, Abby decides this is the perfect time to bring in a mini team. The girls who built the show are still standing right there, but Abby is already talking about the next generation of ALDC dancers. The minis are younger, eager, and moldable — everything Abby keeps saying she misses about the original team. And the moms know exactly what that means.

Christi and Kelly thought they were being responsible by flying in early for their Connecticut show. Instead, the day turned into an airport horror story that almost took the whole tour down with it.

A delayed flight becomes a bird-strike situation, then a mad dash to switch airlines, then a luggage disaster, then a missed flight, then New York traffic, then a race to make a 6:00 show with merch, signs, suitcases, tech, and Kelly in a wheelchair all moving in different directions. By the time they finally get to the venue, there is barely enough time...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms.

This week, they’re revisiting Season 2, Episode 5, “Brooke’s Back,” where Brooke returns to the ALDC, Kendall is finally off probation, and Jill decides that it’s time to start making some moves....

What starts with asking for better parts quickly turns into gifts, special treatment, and eventually a surprise massage for Abby and Gianna — all while Jill insists she’s just doing what she needs t...

This is the episode where Dance Moms gets hit with something way, way bigger than pyramid drama.

Abby’s federal fraud indictment finally becomes public, and suddenly every strange moment feels different. Abby is acting even more erratic. The moms are trying to figure out what this means for their kids. And the whole room is realizing their daughters are not just tied to a difficult dance teacher anymore — they are tied to someone facing some serious charges.

And somehow, while all of this is happening, Abby is still trying to act like it i...

Yacht Rock Night should be an easy week in the ballroom — bad shirts, soft rock, a few awkward hips, and everyone trying to survive another dance.

But Christi and Kelly are starting to see the real game underneath Dancing With the Stars. Harry actually shows up and dances. Amber looks like she is gaining momentum. Maura keeps winning them over even when the routine is not their favorite. And then there are contestants like Tyler Cameron, who may not be the cleanest dancer in the room, but might have enough fans — and enough hot-guy energy — to stick...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms. This week, they’re revisiting season 2 episode 4, “No One Likes a Bully,” where Abby somehow decides she’s the perfect person to teach a lesson about bullying....

The group dance is built around the subject, but the irony gets harder to ignore as the week goes on. Holly pushes back on Nia being cast as the bully, Paige is made to sit and watch her replacement rehearse...

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We have officially made it to Dance Moms season 6… but this is nowhere near the same show Christi and Kelly were once on.

The old Pittsburgh studio feeling is long gone. The team is in Los Angeles, Candy Apples has basically become BDA, Maddie is off filming a movie, Brynn and Ashlee are walking in, and Abby is suddenly insisting this season is all about training, technique, and getting “back to the beginning.”

Except everything feels like it is moving further and further away from the beginning.

This week, Christi and Ke...

Dancing With the Stars is oh so back, and Christi and Kelly already have one big question: how fair is this competition when some stars are learning from scratch and others look like they could be teaching the class?

This week, Christi and Kelly break down the brand new DWTS season, from Jenna Dewan looking almost too good to Harry Shum Jr.’s real dance background to contestants who clearly do not have the same head start. They love a great performance, but they also know what dance experience looks like — and once you see it, it i...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms.

This week, they’re revisiting season 2 episode 3, “Brooke’s Turning Point,” where Brooke is suddenly forced into one of the messiest choices of her time on the show: dance or cheerleading.

But looking back now, Kelly says that storyline was never as simple as it looked. Brooke wanted to do normal teenager things with her friends, and Kelly wanted to let her figure that out f...

Dance Moms finally tried an episode with no moms allowed... but it doesn't really pan out like you'd hope.

Christi and Kelly recap the girls-only special that previews season six, where the team answers questions about boys, competition, Abby’s pep talks, the music video drama, and what they hope happens next. On paper, it sounds like a fun idea: let the girls talk, keep the moms out of it, and give fans a lighter look at the team before season six.

But it just doesn't click, mostly because the same old problems st...

Christi and Kelly start with Housewives Girls Trip, but the real rabbit hole this week is Secret Lives of Mormon Wives — because Christi cannot stop seeing Dance Moms all over it.

From the “star” being protected to bad behavior getting rewarded, cast members worrying about fan backlash, and everyone trying to figure out how honest they can actually be on camera, the whole thing feels a little too familiar. Christi breaks down why Taylor reminds her of Abby, why some of the other women fall into very Dance Moms-like roles, and why watching the behind-the-scenes reality TV mac...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms.

This week, they’re revisiting season 2 episode 2, “Return of the Candy Apples,” and the second Cathy comes back, the adults begin spiraling one by one.

Abby is declaring war over apples, Cathy is throwing soirees and stirring the pot, Jill is still trying to prove where Kendall belongs, and the moms somehow find themselves united by having someone else to fight. It is one of t...

Dance Moms season 5 officially ends with a "slumber party "special, which somehow feels exactly right for one of the strangest seasons of the show.

Christi and Kelly recap the girls answering fan questions, talking about makeup, boys, bows, injuries, emojis, friendships, and who would be what character if Dance Moms was a movie. It is lighter than a normal episode, but still full of very season five energy — Maddie as the obvious star, JoJo being completely JoJo, Kendall getting roasted for taking forever to get ready, and everyone pretending this was a totally normal way to wr...

Christi and Kelly are back for a Friday mini, and this week Housewives Girls Trip turns into a bigger conversation about what actually makes reality TV work.

They get into the latest Housewives episode — the costumes, the glam, the parties, the drinking, and the cast members who know exactly how to keep the show moving.

But not everyone seems ready to play along. Christi and Kelly talk about Vicki looking totally miserable, Lisa holding up the bus for glam, and why reality TV ONLY works when the cast understands the job: show up, en...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms.

This week, they’re revisiting the season 2 premiere, “Everyone’s Replaceable,” and immediately, something feels different.

Dance Moms is not just a little show from Pittsburgh anymore. People are watching, the girls have targets on their backs, new dancers are lining up outside the studio, and Abby is already leaning into the one warning that hangs over the entire premiere: everyone is replaceable.

F...

Christi and Kelly wrap up the Dance Moms throwback specials with Kendall, Kalani, and JoJo — three girls who all came onto the team in very different ways, but ended up dealing with the same Dance Moms problem: nothing was ever just about dance.

Kendall’s special brings back the chaos of joining the ALDC, leaving for Candy Apples, getting pulled into the Chloe rivalry, and trying to launch a music career while Abby wanted control of every detail. Kalani’s special revisits the secret duet, the pressure of being Abby’s chosen new girl, and the never-en...

Christi and Kelly are back for a mini episode, and this time the Dancing With the Stars finale turns into a bigger conversation about reality TV, online backlash, and why fighting the internet almost never works.

In case you missed it, there is A LOT of online drama among the DWTS cast. Christi and Kelly explain why jumping into the comments can make things way worse, not better. They know the feeling of wanting to defend yourself when fans are twisting the story, but they also know what happens next: every word gets picked apart, and...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms.

In this throwback, they’re joined by Dance Moms creator John Corella, who was there before the pyramid, before the blowups, and before anyone knew this little dance show from Pittsburgh was about to become a phenomenon.

John explains why the original moms and girls worked so well on camera, why their real history mattered, and why the OG cast had something that coul...

Christi and Kelly recap not one, but two Dance Moms throwback specials, this time looking back at Mackenzie and Nia — two original team members who spent years proving they were MORE than the roles the show tried to force them into.

Mackenzie was the baby of the team, the funny little sister, and the kid everyone remembers for wanting to stay home and eat chips. But behind all those adorable one-liners was a girl constantly being measured against Maddie. Christi and Kelly revisit the moments that made Mackenzie so lovable, while also talking about how hard it...

Christi and Kelly are back for a mini episode, and this one starts with a little nostalgia, a little heartbreak, and a lot of comfort-movie talk.

After the passing of Dolly Parton and Tim Curry, Christi and Kelly look back on what made both of them so memorable — from Dolly’s perfect one-liners and 9 to 5 to Tim Curry’s iconic role in Clue. That leads them into the movies they will always stop and watch, including Grease, Pretty Woman, Sweet Home Alabama, Titanic, Jurassic Park, The Goonies, and the behind-the-scenes stories that make those classics even better...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms. This week, they’re taking a break between seasons to tell the REAL story of how Dance Moms began.

Before the show became Dance Moms, before the pyramid became infamous, and before six episodes turned into a full-blown pop culture machine, Christi and Kelly thought they were signing up for something much smaller. Looking back now, they can see all the warning signs they missed, all the...

Christi and Kelly recap the Dance Moms season 5 reunion, where the nationals fallout is still fresh, Abby comes armed with handwritten signs, and the whole thing reminds them why reunion episodes were always so miserable to film.

This reunion perfectly encapsulates how messy Dance Moms had become by the end of season 5. Christi and Kelly talk about how different the show felt once it moved to LA, why the old Pittsburgh “comfort show” version of Dance Moms was basically gone, and how the reunion exposed the same double standard they have talked about for years: when the...

Christi and Kelly are back for a mini episode, and this time they are calling out the reality TV shows that keep trying to recreate the Dance Moms formula.

After Christi shows Kelly the new series Team Moms: Baseball (that's produced by Kim Kardashian), they immediately notice how familiar it all feels — competitive kids, intense parents, a name that sounds a little too close, and even a look that reminds them of Dance Moms. They also talk about Ice Moms, the version that never fully got off the ground, and why networks keep coming back to th...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms. This week, they’re revisiting the season 1 special that counted down the 15 most outrageous moments from the very first season.

But for Christi and Kelly, this special feels less like a celebration and more like a full hour of reliving their most chaotic, embarrassing, and frustrating moments on national television. From Christi’s fight with Abby over Chloe’s headpiece to Kelly hiring another choreographer for Paige, t...

Christi and Kelly recap Dance Moms season 5, episode 31 — “Chaos at Nationals,” where the ALDC FINALLY makes it to nationals after weeks of build-up. But instead of a grand triumph, the season ends with Abby storming out in disappointment.

With the grand opening of the ALDC LA studio happening right before nationals, Abby is distracted, the moms are frustrated, and the girls are left trying to pull together one last group dance before facing BDA. Nia finally gets her nationals solo, Maddie goes up against Ava, and the ALDC performs “The Waiting Room,” a dark contemporary routine Christi an...

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Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms. This week, they’re revisiting season 1, episode 12 (“There’s Only One Star”), where the ALDC girls head back to Los Angeles for a music video audition.

For once, Abby is not the person choosing the lead, which makes the whole week feel like it could finally be a fair shot. The girls learn hip hop, go through the audition process, and get the chance to be part of a...

Christi and Kelly recap Dance Moms season 5, episode 30 — “Nia vs. Kalani: Winner Takes All,” where Abby turns the final nationals solo spot into a head-to-head battle between Nia and Kalani… until Nia actually wins.

After weeks of Abby questioning Nia’s focus, side-eyeing her music career, and acting like every opportunity outside the ALDC is a problem, Nia walks into competition and does exactly what she was told to do. She beats Kalani. But instead of giving Nia the moment she earned, Abby immediately starts acting like the result does not count and decides Kalani is still the...

Christi and Kelly are turning things over to the Dance Moms fans this week, and the comments are just as unhinged as you would expect!

They read through fan responses about who their ride-or-die cast members were when Dance Moms first aired. But things get even better when fans admit the WILDEST arguments they got into defending the cast — from Reddit battles over Christi and Kelly, to debates about the New Orleans fight, to people still fighting for Nia’s talent, Chloe’s treatment, and why season six is apparently “a garbage season.”

This episo...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms. This week, they’re revisiting season 1, episode 11 (“It All Ends Here”), where the ALDC heads to Lake Tahoe for nationals and Kelly reaches another breaking point with Abby.

After weeks of watching Brooke and Paige get bad costumes, weaker choreography, and less attention, Kelly is already exhausted. But when Abby brings up Brooke’s national title during another argument, Kelly has had enough — and tells her exactly wher...

Grab your tickets to our LIVE TOUR here: x1entertainment.com/bttb See you in 2026!!

Christi and Kelly are in the Bahamas, but are still here to recap Dance Moms season 5, episode 29A — “Baby Dance Mama Drama,” where Kendall is put head-to-head against Maddie in Abby’s latest nationals solo battle. But per usual, there's funny stuff going on.

While Maddie gets a haunting solo, stunning choreography, and one of the best costumes Dance Moms has ever seen, Kendall is handed a scarf prop, weaker choreography, and a routine with way more room for erro...

Christi and Kelly are living it up in the Bahamas, but the content doesn't stop! And today's mini-episode is super fun for the occasion.

Intern Matt pulled some of the wildest Dance Moms conspiracy theories from the internet, and Christi and Kelly are reading them for the first time live on the show. Did Melissa secretly sing the Dance Moms songs? Was Abby actually obsessed with Kalani? And did production have a whole revenge storyline planned for Christi and Chloe before they left?

Some theories are absolutely ridiculous from the start, but a...

Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms. This week, they’re revisiting season 1, episode 10 ("Cathy Brings It On!", where the ALDC heads to Los Angeles and Kelly finds herself stuck between a rock and a hard place.

After last week’s costume disaster, Abby tells Kelly to hire her own choreographer if she is so unhappy with the way Paige is being treated. Kelly ends up doing just that before everything blows up. Paige...

Christi and Kelly recap one of Dance Moms season 5’s throwback specials, where the show looks back at Maddie’s history through old clips, old dances, and some of the biggest moments that shaped her time at the ALDC.

As Maddie and Melissa revisit the journey, the special shines a spotlight on the pressure that came with being Abby’s star student — from Maddie’s perfectionism and fear of disappointing Abby to the solo she forgot onstage, the crown scene, the Drop Dead Diva audition, and the Maddie vs. Chloe rivalry.

Christi and Kelly reac...