Just a couple of weeks ago, Abby Lee Miller teased the return of Dance Moms.
Now, sources are confirming that the series is coming back for an 8th season, starring Miller, who is already looking for fresh-faced new stars.
Not bad for a woman undergoing chemotherapy for cancer just months after getting out of prison, wouldn’t you say?
Yes, if Miller’s own tease (or threat!) that she was coming back to star on more Dance Moms wasn’t enough for you, worry no longer.
A source confirms to Entertainment Tonight that Dance Moms is returning. This will be the show’s 8th season.
And, though Dancing With The Stars pro Cheryl Burke temporarily took the reigns last year, Miller will be back.
If you were hoping for further proof, the Dance Moms casting page is looking for new cast members, ages 7 to 12.
And Miller is in charge.
The page says: “Abby Lee Miller is currently holding auditions for her new ALDC elite competition team.”
Miller is known to have complained about unbearable working situations on Dance Moms in the past, but she has made it clear that this was not the fault of the children.
“I don’t have a problem working with any kid,” Abby wrote. “I love children and have dedicated my life to making other people’s children successful!”
Some have accused of her of being overbearing in dealing with children or of being unpleasant and harsh.
But Miller says that her issue with Dance Moms had less to do with the children and everything to do with male producers.
“I JUST HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BEING MANIPULATED, DISRESPECTED, AND USED,” Miller wrote in all caps.
“DAY IN AND DAY OUT BY MEN WHO NEVER TOOK A DANCE LESSON IN THEIR LIVES,” Miller continued. “AND TREAT WOMEN LIKE DIRT!”
Miller is battling more than producers at the moment, however, which is why this Dance Moms news comes as something of a shock to so many people.
She has Burkitt lymphoma, a type of fast-spreading cancer that threatened to paralyze her just months ago. It was during her first emergency spinal surgery that doctors were able to identify that the “infection” was cancer.
The good news is that Burkitt generally has a 90% recovery rate.
The bad news is that it’s usually found in children, and the recovery rate in adults is said to be lower.
The other good news is that, because Burkitt lymphoma is a fast-spreading cancer, doctors say that it also responds quickly to treatment.
Last month, Abby Lee Miller underwent a second emergency surgery as part of her ongoing cancer battle.
The Dance Moms star even shared a graphic post-op photo, showing how the incision along her spine was healing.
Hopefully, she will not need to undergo any further drastic procedures.
For her sake, and for the sake of her return to the reality series that launched her to fame.
But while we don’t foresee Miller spendng a lot of time flashing her back scars on camera, there’s likely to be one difficult-to-ignore sign of her cancer battle when she starts filming the series in earnest.
In Miller’s most recent photos, she has been covering her head — with hats or towels.
In others, she simply keeps her hair out of the camera’s view.
Recently, she posted “Hair today, gone tomorrow” to her Instagram captions, warning followes that she anticipated hair loss as she undergoes chemotherapy treatments.
Many fans expect that she will wear wigs while on Dance Moms.
But it is indisputably better to lose your hair for a little while than to lose your life.
It also remains unclear how much of Miller’s cancer battle will be addressed on the series. It may be that she is soon cancer-free.
At the moment, she is focused on casting. Would you want your child to star on Dance Moms?