The Pyramid of PRESSURE!
Nia Sioux Bottom of the Pyramid
Growing up as a dancer, every Tuesday I would look forward to coming home from dance rehearsal and watching the new episode of Dance Moms on Lifetime TV. I remember the iconic lines from the show, such as "stop eating, that's why you're fat," which my mom and I recite and laugh about to this day. I remember the drama, the fights, the tears, the dances, and even the good times the girls had with each other. I would look forward to seeing who would make the top of Abby Lee Miller's iconic Pyramid, where Abby would rank the girls based on the performance from the week before. What I didn't realize as a younger viewer, entertained by the show and the dancers, was the emotional impact this "pyramid" had on the girls, especially Nia Sioux, who was consistently found at the bottom of the pyramid week after week.
Rising from the Bottom
Now, years later, Nia is taking back her story in her own words.
If you are a fellow Dance Mom fan like me, you have probably kept up with the girls on social media and watched them grow into young women, finding their own paths in life. About a year ago, a reunion special brought back the cast members —except Abby, the Zigglers, and the Sioux — to tell their stories and share their experiences on the show, including the good, the bad, and the unseen moments behind the cameras. Each girl had a different experience on the show, which led to Nia Sioux's side of the story, Bottom of the Pyramid.
In Nia Sioux's book, she tells us the truth, the story she wants to speak, her journey on Dance Moms. Nia wants to share what it was like being the only African American girl on the show and how Abby's treatment of Nia shaped her confidence. She wants to tell her story without producers trying to save Abby's reputation or making edits; she wants people to read about her childhood on Dance Moms.
I haven't read her book yet, but it's on my to-read list. I'm excited to hear her unfiltered behind-the-scenes story of Nia growing up on Dance Moms. Nia Sioux's story reminds us all that the bottom of the Pyramid isn't the end, it's where the strengthening begins.
Fun Fact - My Dance Moms Cameo!
I was a huge fan of Dance Moms, as was the studio where I danced. See if you can spot me in Dance Moms' Season 3, Episode 17, "Big Trouble in the Big Apple."
