Everything I Learned about Life, I Learned in Dance Class Hardcover – July 15, 2014

Some people can't take a joke. If you watch the show you are already aware of Abby's personality and therefore should've expected her to say some things that aren't "politically correct" However, those sometimes she can be brutally blunt she never talks about people in a malicious manner that some people try to make it seem like she does. One other reviewer brings up comments about the Lukasiak's and Hyland's and I read that review thinking "oh abby...why" INSTEAD when I read the book I find that the reviewer took those quotes completely out of context. HERE ARE THE REAL QUOTES"CLEVER, QUEENLY CHLOE Chloe is always with the tutor at the front of the bus. It seems like she's always monopolizing the tutor's time" I didn't find anything "demeaning" about this comment, I took it to imply that Chloe was very studious just like she describes Nia as "always having her head in a book" During this passage Abby is describing all of the girls' quirks and hobbies during their many long bus rides. During this same passage she describes the girl's quirks with fondness such as when she describes Paige as "Fun and Sweet and always the life of the party"It's the same with the quote about "Chloe conspiring with her mother." Again, it was referring to what the girls do on the bus. It's clear that she didn't mean that literally, learn to take a joke! Then there is the silly blondes commentREAL QUOTE/CONTEXT"When the show initially aired, all the girls were friends. There was never an odd one out, but the way they pair up on the bus is quite interesting. Nia and Mackenzie are thick as thieves. Brooke, being the oldest, sits with Maddie, probably because they're both boring. Chloe and Paige are silly blondes- there you have it" Once again this reviewer leads you to believe that Abby was being "demeaning" towards Paige, Chloe, and Brooke. Yet when she calls Maddie, her FAVORITE "Boring" that's just showing favoritism... Any reasonable person can see that Abby was not being rude by calling them silly.I'm bringing all this up because the one particular reviewer talks about this book in a way that is extremely biased and misleading and I almost didn't buy the book because of it. Yes, she talks a lot about her dance careers and her accomplishments....what else did you think she was going to talk about? The "name dropping" that she does is all about her former students in that she tells cute stories about them in a way that you can tell that she's proud of them. I find it especially funny when she's talking about the moms. Please don't be turned off by this book because some people purposely try to twist everything the woman says into being something "rude" or "negative" when it's really not. This book shows that Abby is a very intelligent, and fair woman. Her explanations are very reasonable and her advice is sound. Her humor is wicked too.

I have watched Dance Moms from the beginning, and I freely admit I do NOT like Abby Lee Miller. I do think she may be a good dance teacher to a limited extent, but I must admit that I am a bit biased because I love ballet and do not like many of the dances that she has choreographed, which are heavy on aerials and on rolling around on the floor. Does the Swan Queen do a walkover? Does Sleeping Beauty roll on the floor? She does admit that ballet is a basis for all dance, but she does not seem to care for it much. In a later chapter she says that parents should be required to take their children to a Broadway show and the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show. What about The Nutcracker? I have taken my three daughters to see it and own about 5 versions on DVD.Abby never admits to being nasty, just strict. She's wrong; she's absolutely nasty. She doesn't realize that different kids need to be treated differently, and she also lets her feelings toward the mothers affect the way she treats the kids. She also doesn't seem to value higher education, feeling that kids who go straight to New York or to work in Disneyland or on a cruise ship are ahead of the kids in college. She places no value on kids socializing or doing the usual teen-aged activities, especially when it takes them away from dance class or rehearsal. Her overemphasis on competition is ridiculous. My kids have been to very good dance schools which did not participate in competitions but instead gave performances once a year and occasionally in places like the National Capital Trolley Museum. Schools which are primarily ballet schools do this rather than compete. She also never, to my knowledge, sent a student on to a more specialized school like the one run by the Pittsburgh Ballet.She also does not value education very highly, encouraging Melissa to homeschool Maddie and Mackenzie Ziegler so they can take more dance classes, act, and make videos. Her appreciation of Maddie's talent approaches worship, and she has started referring to Mackenzie as her little star. This leads to jealousy and resentment by other students and their mothers. To my knowledge she has turned out no "stars," although she has produced a number of working dancers. And she should encourage Chloe Lukasiak to go to a ballet school.To reiterate, there are some good things in this book. But there's too much bad Abby and not enough good Abby.

Bought this some time ago as a present for my wife as she was very much into Dance Moms at the time. This book was, apparently, shining a new light on the shows host/dance teacher Abby. Haven't red it myself but my wife liked it.

This is a testament to a strong, talented and forthright woman whose person a on TV is just how she obviously really is! She gets. the best from her pupils by taking no prisoners...a great read!

I am really happh . I think it shows a very different perspective but is hard core facts, not all, believe in yourself and you will reach the stars . Its more telling truth than what you want to hear . I wouldn't recommend this for sensitive kods , because they might take it to heart to much and think that that they are rubbish. It tells you tips on how to handle real situations which have been written by parents. But overall great 👍.

Love her or hate her....Abby knows what she is doing..and it works. She really is a force to be reckoned with. Loved the book...

This book is an excellent book for all abby lee miller fans/dance moms fans. It's a great guide to the world of dance and I really enjoyed it!