Dance Moms’ Abby Lee Miller accused of telling black student she’s ‘from the hood’- but now promises to ‘do better’
DANCE Mom's Abby Lee Miller was accused of telling a black student she was 'from the hood' - but now promises to do better.
Two alumni from Abby Lee Miller Dance Academy spoke out about their negative experiences with the dance teacher.
This week, Adriana Smith, student Kamryn's mother, slammed Abby for her treatment toward her daughter.
In a very lengthy post, Adriana claimed: "I recently posted on my FB that racism is not something we can disagree on and still be friends, which in turn is why we are not friends.
"A statement from her that sticks in my mind to this day during my time on DMS8 is 'I know you grew up in the HOOD with only a box of 8 crayons, but I grew up in the Country Club with a box of 64 - don't be stupid.'
"This, my friends, is not something or a statement that can be googled. Ask yourself what does that mean?
"This to me shows that you think you are better than me and in higher rank and all together superior to ME!"
Adriana then dived into another incident where she claimed Abby only let Kamryn on the show to add "a sprinkle of color."
She wrote: "Do you remember you told me, 'Do you want me to tell you why are you really here?' As if I didn't know...again showing your superiority.
"Let me remind you what you said in case you forgot! You told me to 'LOOK in the MIRROR! That's the only reason you are here!'"
The Dance Mom claimed she told her producer she needed to leave after that incident.
She said Kamryn understood why they were leaving, and told her: "Mom, I understand it's not right and I want to go home too."
Season 7 Dance Mom Camille Bridges talked to and said she also felt her daughter Camryn had been discriminated against.
She alleged Abby "loves appropriating our culture and never appreciating it."
"She did not give black choreographers on the show acknowledgment of their work. She continuously put Camryn in afros."
Camille said that when Abby went to jail in 2017 after pleading guilty to felony bankruptcy fraud, she assumed the reality star would not be coming back to the show.
She claimed: "When she returned, I looked at Camryn and told her we're leaving, I didn't care anymore about the 'platform.'
"I was done. The woman is a mess. She is incredibly two-faced. She would say the most terrible things on camera, then tell Camryn how she was better than the girls on the team, mainly the ones she trained.
"It was a traumatic experience that I wish on no one."
After the accusations, Abby, 54, took to Instagram to apologize for her past actions.
She wrote: "I genuinely understand and deeply regret how my words have affected and hurt those around me in the past, particularly those in the Black community.
"To Kamryn, Adriana, and anyone else I've hurt, I am truly sorry.
"I realize that racism can come not just from hate, but also from ignorance. No matter the cause, it is harmful, and it is my fault."
Back in May, the 54-year-old announced on Instagram that .
The reality television personality shared a picture of herself on Monday, and captioned with the news, as she blamed "Satan" for getting her to sign a contract with the network.
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"Nine years ago, we were in AZ filming Dance Moms. Satan stuck a pen in my hand insisting that I sign a contract! I was at the competition, literally in front of the stage, rehearsing a routine. I was kinda busy!" she wrote.
She continued: "But the show must go on, right? I did my eight seasons, two spin-offs and now a new self contained competition show in the midst of our global pandemic."