We're headed on the road in Spring 2026! Sign up to be the first to know our tour cities and dates and ticket access! https://forms.gle/zFmxCUNBN2SX42yU7 "The last episode we did was really heavy, and this one is not going to be easy for me. It is for me!" jokes Kelly, but for Christi it really is one last rough plunge. While Kelly gets to sit out the Season 4 Reunion "Playing Favorites", Christi wasn't so lucky. At least she didn't have to go first this time! But it is officially Christi's last...
Oct 13, 2025•1 hr 57 min
We're headed on the road in Spring 2026! Sign up to be the first to know our tour cities and dates and ticket access! https://backtothebarrelive.myflodesk.com/livetourwaitlist "I was the Supervising Producer. That was my official title, but I was also unofficially Abby Lee Miller's rodeo clown." Kelly is going be taking a break this week, so in her place we have Replacement Bitch #2: Erin! Erin was a Supervising Producer on Season 4 of Dance Moms and if you thought Annie had some piping hot tea,...
Oct 06, 2025•1 hr 28 min
We're headed on the road in Spring 2026! Sign up to be the first to know our tour cities and dates and ticket access! https://backtothebarrelive.myflodesk.com/livetourwaitlist "I went old school today. I will be drinking heavily during this episode, because I watched it and I have a lot to say," laments Christi as she does have quite a bit to say about what really went down on her last day as a member of the ALDC. "Hollywood Here We Come Part 2" sees Cathy follow through on her promise to rub it...
Sep 29, 2025•1 hr 50 min
"We know that production is doing this. Everything that was stupid, they did," remarks Kelly. Well how stupid could things get? Well how about a Hip-hop Dance Battle?! Cause sure, that'll make the girls look good! Unfortunately as the two part Season 4 finale gets underway, both the Production AND Abby seemingly have it out for the ALDC and there's good reason these ended up being Christi's last days on the show. The team arrives in Los Angeles for Nationals and Abby has an important announcemen...
Sep 22, 2025•1 hr 20 min
"I cheer for the Dallas Cowboys! Yay! Just so you know, Jill is basically steal your soul at some point." This week we have a very special guest joining us at the Barre: NFL Cheerleader Karley Swindel! On our latest season of Pillow Talk we're covering Season 2 of America's Sweethearts: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and Karly is one of the team's current group leaders. She's also just so happens to be a huge Dance Moms fan! And because this is related to Pillow Talk, joining us today is also ...
Sep 15, 2025•1 hr 11 min
"Chloe turned to me and said I'm never going to dance on this stage again, am I? Like she knew, it was really sad," remembers Christi as she looks back on her last ALDC Annual Dance Concert. On "45 Second Solos", Chloe doesn't even get a chance to shine as she's put on medical rest due to her fracturing her foot suddenly offscreen. Of course it didn't seem that way to viewers as the cover story for her eye problem in the week prior was a foot problem as well, so now it just comes across as Chris...
Sep 08, 2025•1 hr 38 min
"That is one of the dances I pull out and show people to say I had to do this on national television when I was 13," according to Chloe; so despite what the actual results of this week's competition say; we're in for a real stinker this week! As the second half of "Another One Bites the Dust" gets underway at DanceKidsUSA, Cathy makes a surprise appearance... ok well the moms knew she would be there, but Abby was none the wiser and is immediately displeased. She attempts to put on a good face an...
Sep 01, 2025•1 hr 23 min
Get ready for the ultimate Dance Moms reunion night with Christi & Kelly! 🎉 For the first time ever, Back to the Barre is going LIVE — and you’re invited to laugh, reminisce, and spill behind-the-scenes tea right alongside the partners-in-crime themselves. This isn’t just a podcast recap — it’s a full night out packed with fan-favorite moments, insider producer notes, hilarious games, juicy audience Q&As, and so much more. Whether you’re a diehard Dance Moms OG or new to the chaos, this...
Aug 28, 2025•3 min
"We're getting into the end of Christi Lukasiak days on Dance Moms, and I'm feeling a type of way about it." reflects Christi as each week it becomes clearer and clearer the series of events that finally broke the camel's back. And on the first half of "Another One Bites the Dust" Abby is just adding fuel to that fire as she takes aim at Chloe's injury. Of course at this time Christi says they didn't even know what was wrong with Chloe's eye, so instead she offered-up the excuse of a foot injury...
Aug 25, 2025•1 hr 7 min
"Apparently something is going to happen at the end of this episode that goes on into Season 5. And they never show any of it. So I'm gonna unlock that little tea!" promises Christi, and deliver she will as our beautiful Bitches round the corner into the second half of "The Understudies". The ALDC arrives at Sheer Talent greeted by Cathy's lovely insults over the intercom. Abby is already frustrated enough with Cathy and, as if pre-ordained, announces Maddie will be performing her solo despite J...
Aug 18, 2025•1 hr 10 min
"No one from Dance Moms has ever talked about this, so this is like real behind the scenes tea." remarks Christi, so you know it's going to be a must-listen. But even more enticing is the fact that Kelly's back! And just in time to cover the first half of "The Understudies" as Abby's continued insults results in the moms keeping a running tally. After Maddie's surprise solo appearance at last week's competition, Abby sticks her right back at the top of the pyramid. Abby could have given Nia (who...
Aug 11, 2025•1 hr 12 min
"In the words of the infamous Abby Lee Miller, the show must go on!" laments Christi, as it's another week at the Barre without our illustrious Bitch #2. Unfortunately Kelly is back in the hospital this week; we're wishing her a speedy recovery as always. But in the meantime we want to keep the lights on at the Barre so we can continue to help support Kelly as best we can. So while we organize and bring on some additional guests, Intern Matt has continued to sort through all your comments to fin...
Aug 04, 2025•59 min
"I can't imagine you're watching Dance Moms every night, you know for fun!" Christi remarks to Ed Phelan, an OG Dance Moms choreographer who returns to the Barre this week after a two year hiatus to check-in on Christi and Kelly as they tackle Season 4's "No More Crybabies". With Nationals quickly approaching Abby begins to shift focus on to who will be getting solos and whose going to be left on the sidelines. She assigns Mackenzie, Select team member Tea, and Sarah H solos to see who will get ...
Jul 28, 2025•1 hr 31 min
"Kelly is grounded until further notice," commands Christi, and with good reason. Unfortunately not long after recording our last episode, Kelly found herself back in the hospital dealing with another medical emergency. So in the spirit of keeping her healthy she'll be taking this week off while we do a Q&A! Covering for Kelly this week is Intern Matt, who has scoured through all of your messages to try and formulate an ideal Christi Q&A for you all. No duds, we promise! Topics include e...
Jul 21, 2025•1 hr 10 min
"The good news is I'm a giant twat in this episode. You didn't look very happy." That's right bitches, we're back! Kelly is on her road to recovery (no fun at all if you ask us), and we're back with a full breakdown of "Chloe Gets Revenge". This week Abby is pitting the ALDC's two teams against each other once again, but she's switching up the formula. Chloe is transferred to the Select Team and the OG's gain Jade. But Abby of course has no intention of letting Chloe win and steal the limelight ...
Jul 14, 2025•1 hr 26 min
This week as Kelly continues to recover from her recent surgery, we here at Back to the Barre wanted to find something to lighten the mood a little. Well knowing our fanbase fairly well by this point we know it's always fun to listen to the moms scream at, yell at, or fight one another! Four seasons in and we've gotten quite good at it with alarming reliability, but what are the cream of the crop fights? Well we've decided to round up our best Dance Moms fight segments into one episode for a spe...
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 9 min
Join us on Patreon for the After Party and much more! This week Kelly is recovering from a recent surgery, so we'd thought it be fun in the meantime to release another classic Back to the Barre After Party! This After Party was attached to our episode "Paige Doesn't Have Rabies!" which covered Season 2 Episode 18. Topics include what drinks were really in those cups (or better yet what was in the McDonalds cups), Mardi Gras, and the origin of our Favorite Dance segment! Quotes “You said we need ...
Jun 30, 2025•35 min
"Abby's like, 'I'm just exhausted from dealing with moms, problems, and psychos. I'm thinking you and me are the psychos.'" jokes Kelly, who can't help but take a few strays even when she isn't there anymore! It's the second half of "Abby-phobic" and the ALDC is coming face to face with Studio Bleu at Imagine National Dance Challenge. Jade and Chloe prep their solos, but Abby and Gia have fallen behind on giving Chloe the rest of her choreography. Ontop of that, Chloe accidentally smacks Maddie,...
Jun 23, 2025•59 min
"It is Season 4 Episode 24, and it's called Abby-phobic. Hhhhmmmm, I'm Abby-phobic." remarks Christi, and considering the raw deal Chloe gets this week that Abby-phobia is going to be out in full force soon enough. This week the girls are set to attend Imagine National Dance Challenge, a competition primarily set-up to avoid having the ALDC at the standard Star dance Alliance Competitions. This does however mean the ALDC is set to face off against Studio Bleu, Abby's worst nightmare. She panics ...
Jun 16, 2025•1 hr 2 min
"Yep, Abby was barking in the audience. And that's one of those moments were I'm like, I live in the Twilight Zone." Unfortunately for Christi she lives on Earth, and unfortunately for you that cringe-inducing moment didn't make the final cut of "3 Soloists, One Star". Thankfully the producers notes have pulled through once again and preserved this little barking episode for us! Something unfortunately not on the cutting room floor is Christy, though not for long! Sarah H doesn't receive a costu...
Jun 09, 2025•53 min
"Should we have everybody drink every time someone says the word Maddie in this episode? Cause it's a lot!" The funny thing is Maddie isn't even present for most of the first half of "3 Soloists, One Star", but it's Maddie's world and we're just living in it. Maddie is away in Los Angeles, reaping the rewards of her newfound additional fame thank to the Sia music video. In the meantime Abby is forced to offer someone else the usual Maddie solo, and Kendall wins out as the most likely candidate. ...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Join us on Patreon for the After Party and much more! Ever wonder what goes down on the Back to the Barre Patreon? Well wonder no more with this free preview of one of our best perks, the After Party! Every week after the latest Barre episode you can continue the fun with Christi and Kelly on the After Party where we dish out additional thoughts and some hot goss. If you join today you gain access not only to new episodes of the After Party, but our entire back catalogue of episodes! So subscrib...
May 31, 2025•34 min
"Wouldn't we all like tot ell her to shut up? I'd like to tell her to shut up!" says Kelly of Christy, who only a few episodes in is already starting to test Kelly's patience. But just about everyone else is testing the ALDC's patience on the second half of "Kiss or Get Off the Pot", mostly Abby for continuing to make everyone uncomfortable. It's the day of competition and the girls are primed to steal the show. Cathy's team might have the better dance, but at In10city the ALDC is always favored...
May 26, 2025•52 min
"It was the most unhinged 15 minutes I've ever witnessed in my life," recounts Christi in reference to "The Sandwich Incident". But the incident happened entirely off-screen! It's one of Christi's most cherished Dance Moms memories, one she has thought about monthly for over a decade! So on the first half of "Kiss or Get Off the Pot", come for Abby's insistence of making children do things they're uncomfortable with, stay for a classic behind the scenes Abby meltdown. The Select team is out this...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 1 min
"Alright, so this is going to descend into hell very quickly," remarks Christi as the inevitable confrontation between the moms and the Select team comes to fruition on the second half of "Double the Moms, Double the Trouble". The teams arrive at Sheer Talent and Abby's differing treatment of the two teams becomes more visually apparent as the girls receive their costumes. The Select team is blessed with intricate outfits while, as Holly puts it, the Elite team got stuck with $10 pajamas. But Ab...
May 12, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Take a minute to fill out our listener survey! It helps us get better sponsors and make the show even more your vibe. "I just want to point out we're already 40 minutes in and we're not done with Pyramid. Guys the tea is hot the season." It certainly says something that the first episode of Season 4B is so jam packed with things to talk about that we still had to cover this episode over two weeks! But don't fret our little Bitchettes, because we have more behind the scenes to talk about than eve...
May 05, 2025•1 hr 20 min
"We could have done Chloe vs. Maddie but we've talked about everything ad nauseam about that rivalry so who wants to sit and listen to us again?" Yes after two reunion episodes we get a ol' clipshow covering material that's already worn out its welcome. So instead of slogging through that we're going to ump ahead to the next episode... which is still kind of a clipshow but it's different enough! Abby takes center stage as she counts down her top 10 ALDC dances, with the full uncut dances feature...
Apr 28, 2025•47 min
"What's been the highlight of your life so far, nine year old?!" It's time for yet another reunion episode... it feels like we get more every season! But this time around it's no moms allowed for the first Girl's Only Reunion. Jeff Collins asks the girls a series of questions taken from twitter, though it may not shock you to realize most of them were secretly drafted by production. This episode also marked the final appearances of both Asia and Payton. We have thoughts on all of these question ...
Apr 21, 2025•1 hr 4 min
“I didn’t really think about that I was going to be brought up,” laments Kelly, who forgot that even though she’s out for the count doesn’t mean she gets out of being the main subject of Season 4’s first reunion. I mean how could Abby possibly turn down a chance to celebrate her getting her way? Jeff Collins welcomes Abby to the stage and they cover what a hard time it’s been for Abby with the loss of her mother, making Abby the last surviving member of her family. She espouses about the need to...
Apr 14, 2025•1 hr 19 min
Get Season Two of Pillow Talk HERE: https://pillowtalkpod.com "Consistently across the board these are becoming increasingly hard for me to watch," says Christi for what might be the millionth time since Kelly departed the show, but she's also nothing if consistent! And as the second half of "Presenting My New Team" begins the new moms and the OG's are already at each other's throats, or at the very least Christy is making enemies with just about everyone including her fellow new recruits. The o...
Apr 07, 2025•1 hr 23 min
