The Abby Lee Dance Company certainly won a lot of awards during the eight seasons Dance Moms ran on Lifetime, the most important of which was the coveted group dance award. But which group dance was actually the girls’ best?
I’m ranking the ALDC’s best group dances, taking into account overall entertainment value, memorability, and fan favorites—so this ranking isn't based strictly on judges’ scores or technical ability. Basically, I won’t judge seven year-old Maddie against 15 year-old Maddie.
Okay, now that that’s cleared up, let’s get into it! These are the all time best Dance Moms group dances, ranked.
10. Light As A Feather, Stiff As A Board (Season 4, Episode 21)
Chloe really stole the show in the first group dance from Season 4, “Light as a Feather, Stiff As A Board.” Like most of Abby’s dances, this one has a little “mystery” to it. The choreography depicts girls at a sleepover playing with a Ouiji board, and Chloe was tasked with the job of playing the girl who gets possessed.
While the girls all nailed their choreography, Chloe was by far the standout as the “villain” of the dance. This dance was probably one of Chloe’s best ever—so despite the fact that this group dance came in second place, it still ranks as one of the group’s most iconic.
9. The Waiting Room (Season 5, Episode 31)
Some people will probably be surprised that “The Waiting Room” isn’t closer to #1. This Nationals group dance has always been a fan favorite, likely due to Maddie’s acting performance and Kehlani’s chilling walk across the waiting room chairs.
However, “The Waiting Room” didn’t win—and I think I understand why. While the girls did really well portraying their characters (especially Maddie), the dance almost featured their acting skills more than their dancing skills. However, still a very moving performance that deserves its roses.
8. Beautiful Bizarre (Season 5, Episode 23)
Fan favorite “Beautiful Bizarre” was choreographed by Travis Payne, a choreographer known for working with Michael Jackson. Maybe the girls just needed a shakeup from Abby’s choreography, but they all totally embraced the different style. From the rehearsals to the performance, you could tell the girls loved this dance (especially Jojo).
Complete with moves like “voguing,” “waacking,” and tons of ponytail flips, this dance is undeniably one of the ALDC’s most unforgettable. The girls slayed. The only reason this dance doesn't rank higher is because choreography was technically pretty easy for the girls at the time they performed it.
7. Where Have All The Children Gone (Season 1, Episode 6)
This Season 1 group dance started Abby’s tradition of picking spooky/controversial topics for Nationals. I actually don’t really know what Abby meant with her choreography in “Where Have All The Children Gone,” but the key theme is children going missing.
Set to a creepy recording that sounds straight out of The Twilight Zone, the girls do contemporary and acrobatic work while Mackenzie pushes Vivi-anne on a swing set. The girls start to disappear one at a time, but my personal favorite “disappearance” is when Paige jumps off the stage.
“Where Have All the Children Gone” earns its spot on the list thanks to shock value, Brooke’s acro skills, and Abby’s execution of her concept.
6. Bittersweet Charity (Season 6, Episode 9)
The girls stepped out in heels for this mature Fosse-inspired dance. I don’t think anyone could deny "Bittersweet Charity" is one of the ALDC’s most impressive. From beginning to end, the girls looked like professional dancers—especially Maddie, whose high-pony real steals the show. The choreography in this dance also made full use of the prop. Rather than feeling like a crutch, the barre felt like an essential part of the number.
Overall, the dance really showed off how much the team had matured as dancers with choreography that was unlike anything they’d done in the past. And Jojo’s little “how about it, palsy?” at the end kills me.
5. Blush And Bashful (Season 7, Episode 9)
Any dance that features Kalani is a favorite of mine, which is why “Blush and Bashful” stands out as one of the girls’ best group dances.
When I saw this number for the first time, I thought the rose petals were a huge gimmick at first. However, I was proven wrong. The effect of the rose petals floating around the girls while they dance is honestly magical, and I love the way the petals get stuck in their big tulle skirts. Abby’s vision was crystal clear on this one.
Aside from the entire dance being beautiful, Kalani’s feature at the end of the number is incredibly strong. While the rose petals make the dance unforgettable, it’s Kalani’s performance that makes this dance one of the group’s best.
4. Decadent Darlings (Season 5, Episode 11)
A personal favorite of mine, “Decadent Darlings” is essentially a flapper dance. Despite being filled with a lot of high-energy moves and fast footwork, the girls made this dance look easy in their pink outfits and pincurl wigs.
While the dance didn’t win, it still ranks as one of the ALDC’s best—the performance legitimately looked like a professional broadway dance number. It was super fun, and I couldn’t take my eyes off Maddie and Mackenzie the whole time. They’re both so versatile in every group dance, but this one in particular shows off the sisters’ ability to pick up any style of dance quickly.
3. The Atlantic (Season 6, Episode 17)
One of the most captivating dances the girls have ever done, the choreography in “The Atlantic” is meant to mimic the ocean. The way the girls weave through each other as they dance truly looks like waves crashing against each other. I think this dance really shows off Abby’s skills as a choreographer.
With simple, beautiful costumes and fluid, graceful movements, “The Atlantic” is decidedly one of the most beautiful dances in the girls’ repertoire.
2. Suicide Hotline (Season 6, Episode 29)
Abby continued her theme of controversial topics with this dance that doubled as a PSA for a teen suicide hotline. Kalani starred as the lead, playing a troubled teen looking for help. The whole number had to be reblocked after Jojo quit the team, but the end result looked as if it had been meant for four girls all along.
The message behind this dance is powerful, but yet again it’s Kalani’s performance that truly makes “Suicide Hotline” one of the very best dances in ALDC history. You could really feel that Kalani gave her everything to this performance. Not to be forgotten, Brynn, Nia and Kendall do a lot of tricky lifts and partner work with Kalani in this dance. Literally and figuratively, Kalani’s life was in their hands for some of these tricks.
By far one of Kalani’s strongest performances, and a definite contender for top spot.
1. Stomp the Yard (Season 5, Episode 2)
And at the top of the pyramid… Abby’s Orange Is the New Black-themed dance from Season 5 titled “Stomp the Yard.”
Each girl played a character from the Netflix original series Orange is the New Black (Maddie was Piper, of course). This dance is probably the most fun to watch—but it also feels like it was one of the girls’ favorites to perform. You can literally see how much fun they're having onstage.
Competing in the jazz funk style, “Stomp the Yard” included a lot of moves the girls had never done before, like Mackenzie’s trick near the end with Nia. The girls' attitude and ferocity during this dance, combined with Mackenzie’s scene-stealing performance, make “Stomp the Yard” the number one group dance on my list.
Honorable Mention
My one honorable mention goes to MDP’s Monster Under the Bed Dance, which goes extremely hard:
They definitely beat the ALDC with this one.
Episodes of Dance Moms are available to stream with a Hulu subscription. You can also stream the series for free on Lifetime.
