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Back to the Barre
Whale of a Tale
"Me? I'm the biggest bitch of them all," says Dance Moms choreographer Ed Phelan on this episode of Back at the Barre. Ed has been choreographing for over 25 years, including working with Abby well before Dance Moms was conceived.
As someone who was there at the beginning; Ed offers insight into why he thinks the show could have only worked with this group of moms and girls. He addresses many of his concerns going in and how producers originally pitched him as Abby's villainous foil.
Christi and Kelly cite Ed as the one responsible for some of their favorite routines. Ed gives a little backstory on those dances, including what Abby contributed and what she took credit for (and how that got her kicked out of Dance Masters). Ed could actually teach kids how to dance whereas Abby never taught them anything, though credit is given for her skills as a choreographer.
Also, how many Big Macs could Abby fit under one car seat? The answer may shock you, though it certainly didn't shock these three.
Quotes
- “People. They'll talk about the show and things that they think they know and I'm like you don't even know these ladies, they were like my buddies. We used to go out and have a good time. It was so laid back when we were all together. Abby would usually ruin it with some kind of tantrum.” (15:01 -15:18 | Ed)
- “Those were the five kids on the show because those were the five kids left in that class.” (17:33-17:36 | Ed)
- “Wait you got Abby thrown out of Dance Masters? Well when they were thrown out of Dance Masters it really had nothing to do with Dance Moms, that was just the icing on the cake.” (21:30-21:37 | Christi and Ed)
- “Listen, I was married. I have a gorgeous ex-wife. If I'm going to be with a woman I'm going back there.” (42:03-42:08 | Ed)
Links
Subscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w
Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarre
Thank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510
Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiak
Follow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland
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DWTS Sends Guillermo Home After His BEST Dance Yet | Back to the Barre
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Jill’s Most UNHINGED Dance Moms Meltdown | Back to the Barre Rewind
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Abby Tries To Replace The Girls Before They’re Even Gone | Back To The Barre
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The Total Travel DISASTER That Almost Ruined Our Tour | Back To The Barre
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Jill Takes Kissing Up To Abby To A WHOLE New Level | Back to the Barre Rewind
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Abby’s Federal FRAUD Indictment Finally Hits Dance Moms... And The Show Was Never The Same | Back To The Barre
01:51:30|This is the episode where Dance Moms gets hit with something way, way bigger than pyramid drama.Abby’s federal fraud indictment finally becomes public, and suddenly every strange moment feels different. Abby is acting even more erratic. The moms are trying to figure out what this means for their kids. And the whole room is realizing their daughters are not just tied to a difficult dance teacher anymore — they are tied to someone facing some serious charges. And somehow, while all of this is happening, Abby is still trying to act like it is business as usual. She is yelling about Mackenzie’s feet, launching a mini team, dodging the questions everyone wants answered, and acting like the real crisis is whether the girls are hungry enough to win.Christi and Kelly break down one of the biggest turning points in Dance Moms history. With the benefit of hindsight, this ends up being the beginning of the end for the show...GET TICKETS TO SEE US LIVE!Connecticut (October 2): https://ridgefieldplayhouse.org/event/back-to-the-barre-ridgefield-ct-2026New York City (October 3): https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00006518C2C668A9New Orleans (December 4): https://laughlife.standuptix.com/calendar/2026-12?day=04Welcome to Back to the Barre, the ultimate podcast channel where Kelly Hyland and Christi Lukasiak from Dance Moms spill the tea, share the laughs, and take you behind the scenes of your favorite reality TV moments! 🎥✨Join us as we relive the wild drama of pyramid days, outrageous competitions, and unforgettable moments that made Dance Moms a pop culture phenomenon. But this isn’t just about rhinestones—we’re giving you the real stories: the chaos, the camaraderie, and yes, the cocktails that got us through it all. 🍸💃If you love binge-worthy reality TV, snarky humor, and behind-the-scenes gossip, you’ve come to the right place. Expect hilarious recaps, juicy secrets, and unfiltered opinions (because honestly, what else would you expect from us?). Get ready to laugh, cry, and question how we survived it all! 💅💥 Subscribe now for your weekly dose of drama and fun—you know you can’t look away. 😉 And if want more video content, subscribe to our exclusive Patreon channel below! https://www.patreon.com/backtothebarre
Does DWTS Reward Popularity Over Dancing? | Back To The Barre
34:10|Yacht Rock Night should be an easy week in the ballroom — bad shirts, soft rock, a few awkward hips, and everyone trying to survive another dance.But Christi and Kelly are starting to see the real game underneath Dancing With the Stars. Harry actually shows up and dances. Amber looks like she is gaining momentum. Maura keeps winning them over even when the routine is not their favorite. And then there are contestants like Tyler Cameron, who may not be the cleanest dancer in the room, but might have enough fans — and enough hot-guy energy — to stick around anyway.That’s the question this week: does DWTS really reward the dancing, or does it reward whoever has the biggest fanbase, best partner, strongest social media pull, or most drama after elimination?Plus, Christi and Kelly talk Connecticut and New York tour dates, New Orleans plans, Mardi Gras myths, Real Housewives lingerie party chaos, Whitney Leavitt’s post-elimination drama, and why the next few Dance Moms recaps may come with a lot more behind-the-scenes tea.GET TICKETS TO SEE US LIVE!Connecticut (October 2): https://ridgefieldplayhouse.org/event/back-to-the-barre-ridgefield-ct-2026New York City (October 3): https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00006518C2C668A9New Orleans (December 4): https://laughlife.standuptix.com/calendar/2026-12?day=04Welcome to Back to the Barre, the ultimate podcast channel where Kelly Hyland and Christi Lukasiak from Dance Moms spill the tea, share the laughs, and take you behind the scenes of your favorite reality TV moments! 🎥✨Join us as we relive the wild drama of pyramid days, outrageous competitions, and unforgettable moments that made Dance Moms a pop culture phenomenon. But this isn’t just about rhinestones—we’re giving you the real stories: the chaos, the camaraderie, and yes, the cocktails that got us through it all. 🍸💃If you love binge-worthy reality TV, snarky humor, and behind-the-scenes gossip, you’ve come to the right place. Expect hilarious recaps, juicy secrets, and unfiltered opinions (because honestly, what else would you expect from us?).Get ready to laugh, cry, and question how we survived it all! 💅💥 Subscribe now for your weekly dose of drama and fun—you know you can’t look away. 😉 And if want more video content, subscribe to our exclusive Patreon channel below!https://www.patreon.com/backtothebarre
The IRONY Of An Anti-Bullying Dance When Abby Is The Teacher | Back To The Barre REWIND
01:10:05|Welcome back to our REWIND series! Christi and Kelly are going back through the archive, re-editing, and re-uploading our old episodes — in order, from the very beginning of Dance Moms. This week, they’re revisiting season 2 episode 4, “No One Likes a Bully,” where Abby somehow decides she’s the perfect person to teach a lesson about bullying....The group dance is built around the subject, but the irony gets harder to ignore as the week goes on. Holly pushes back on Nia being cast as the bully, Paige is made to sit and watch her replacement rehearse, Payton gets pulled into the middle of the drama, and Christi believes Abby spends the entire week trying to rattle Chloe after she beat Maddie.What was supposed to be a dance about bullying ends up becoming one of the clearest examples of why Christi and Kelly had such a problem with the way Abby treated the girls in the first place.We originally aired this episode back in 2022, but it's been re-edited specifically for YouTube!GET TICKETS TO SEE US LIVE!Connecticut (October 2): https://ridgefieldplayhouse.org/event/back-to-the-barre-ridgefield-ct-2026New York City (October 3): https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00006518C2C668A9New Orleans (December 4): https://laughlife.standuptix.com/calendar/2026-12?day=04Welcome to Back to the Barre, the ultimate podcast channel where Kelly Hyland and Christi Lukasiak from Dance Moms spill the tea, share the laughs, and take you behind the scenes of your favorite reality TV moments! 🎥✨Join us as we relive the wild drama of pyramid days, outrageous competitions, and unforgettable moments that made Dance Moms a pop culture phenomenon. But this isn’t just about rhinestones—we’re giving you the real stories: the chaos, the camaraderie, and yes, the cocktails that got us through it all. 🍸💃If you love binge-worthy reality TV, snarky humor, and behind-the-scenes gossip, you’ve come to the right place. Expect hilarious recaps, juicy secrets, and unfiltered opinions (because honestly, what else would you expect from us?).Get ready to laugh, cry, and question how we survived it all! 💅💥 Subscribe now for your weekly dose of drama and fun—you know you can’t look away. 😉 And if want more video content, subscribe to our exclusive Patreon channel below!https://www.patreon.com/backtothebarre