The Celeb Maddie Ziegler Called Her Guardian Angel During Dance Moms

Maddie Ziegler was coached to act like "a brat" on "Dance Moms," which only made her experience worse. She was notoriously known as her dance teacher Abby Lee Miller's favorite student, and this caused Ziegler to often be criticized by the other moms for getting special treatment or better choreography. While there is no doubt that Ziegler's skill and musicality were top-notch, constantly feeling the pressure to be the best didn't encourage the healthiest mindset.

In fact, in a Cosmopolitan interview from June 2022, Ziegler actually explained how the reality show environment wasn't great for kids, even admitting that she doesn't remember much from that time because she "disassociated." Ziegler further elaborated on how her mindset has changed, noting that her dance teacher instilled in her that winning was everything and made her feel "less than" if she wasn't the best, which is a limiting belief that she's had to deconstruct in the years since.

It actually didn't take long for Ziegler and her mom to realize that the environment of the reality show was not for them. Unfortunately, they had signed a contract that was quite difficult to get out of. However, Ziegler credits Sia for helping her eventually leave the show.