Abby Lee Miller, the polarizing figure behind the reality TV show ‘Dance Moms,’ drew a crowd of 500 students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a recent evening, as fans waited hours for a rare in-person appearance. The event, hosted by the University Program Council, was held in the Union Lyceum and quickly sold out, with students lining up for hours around the campus.

Event Draws Large Crowd Amid Controversy

Students began forming a line around 1 p.m., more than five hours before the 6:30 p.m. start time, stretching all the way toward Willis Library. The event was first-come, first-served, with UPC members monitoring the line to prevent cutting. Those who could not get inside were directed to an overflow area on the Union South Lawn, where they could watch the event live on a large screen.

Tensions flared minutes before the doors opened when several people attempted to cut in line, prompting a reaction from the crowd. “We ended up booing people who cut in line, and people clapped and cheered when they left,” said Wil Renfrow, a user-experience design sophomore who waited two hours for the event.

Renfrow, who left work early to attend, said the event was worth the wait. “I’ve been waiting for this ever since UPC announced it. I was so stoked. I left work early to come here. I was like, ‘OK, Abby Lee Miller is here. I gotta go.'”

Curiosity and Controversy Draw Attendees

Attendees were drawn by a mix of curiosity and controversy, especially for Aniah Ross, a theater and communications freshman, who waited in line with her friends since 3 p.m. “She’s someone who’s famous, and I kind of want to be around that crowd,” Ross said. “I just want to know what she could say as a person, because there’s a lot of controversy revolving Abby Lee Miller.”

Ross found out about the event after UPC posted the flyer on Instagram during her African Students Organization event. She said the announcement drew several immediate questions, including, ‘Why is she coming here out of all people?’

Ross was particularly curious about whether Miller would address Nia Sioux, her former dancer, who accused her of racism, verbal abuse, and unfair treatment in her memoir, ‘Bottom of the Pyramid.’

Miller Speaks on ‘Dance Moms’ and Her Career

The show began at 6:30 p.m. with Miller thanking the audience, particularly those who waited in line for hours. After jokingly referring to them as ‘dingbats,’ she addressed her appreciation for her hit show ‘Dance Moms.’ Miller also expressed frustration, saying the audience should stop watching the show since she no longer profits from it due to network buyouts.

“Thank you for being here and giving me your time,” Miller said. “First thing we’re gonna talk about is stop watching the show.”

‘Dance Moms’ premiered on Lifetime in 2011 following young dancers at the Abby Lee Dance Company as they trained and competed nationally. The series became widely known for its dramatic conflicts, intense rehearsals, and Miller’s coaching style. It ran for eight seasons and launched the careers of several dancers while also drawing criticism for its treatment of children and confrontational tone.

Miller said she was never supposed to be the main on-camera presence when the show began. During the filming of the first episode, a confrontation with a parent changed the direction of the series. Miller said when police asked whether the woman had any weapons, she replied, ‘just her mouth.’

It was at that moment that Miller caught the attention of the Lifetime network. “So when that footage got back to the network, suddenly they were like, ‘Who is this? Why don’t we have an interview? Why don’t we have pictures?'” Miller said. “Next thing I know, I’m standing there in my big, plastic, fake jewelry, and I am ripping these pictures off a chalkboard, calling it a pyramid.”

After all the ‘Dance Moms’ chatter, Miller answered questions from the audience. The questions or answers were not to be recorded or shared anywhere, and Miller made it clear she did not want to be canceled again. “But you cannot videotape the questions,” Miller said. “Because I don’t know who’s gonna ask what, and I don’t know what I’m gonna say and I cannot get canceled again. Not again.”

The event concluded with Miller teaching the audience choreography to her song ‘Walk Walk Woohoo.’ Students stood, danced, and recreated popular moves and phrases from the show before Miller thanked everyone for providing ‘just what [she] needed’ before her tour travels to London on March 20.

Renfrow said seeing Miller in person changed how he viewed celebrities who exist largely as internet memes or pop culture icons. “It’s realizing that she’s not just a meme on the internet,” Renfrow said. “Sometimes it helps seeing famous people outside of their habitat, like seeing them as people instead of celebrities.”