Maddie Ziegler and her little sister Mackenzie officially bid their "Dance Moms" family goodbye in the recently concluded reunion special, where emotions ran high and tears were shed.
The Ziegler sisters have been on "Dance Moms" since it premiered in 2011. While the elder Ziegler quickly became a fan-favorite and her dancing career catapulted as the show progressed, Mackenzie's dancing skills also grew.
Leaving "Dance Moms" was especially heartbreaking for Mackenzie because she knew it at the same time her co-dancers and friends learned about it.
"I was just really shocked because I feel like I would have been there until the end because I was there from the beginning," Mackenzie said during the "Dance Moms" season 6 reunion special "The Girls Say Goodbye."
While it appears that the exit of the Zieglers from "Dance Moms" was mainly because of Maddie having bigger commitments, reunion special host Jai Rodriguez reminded everyone that Mackenzie should not be in any way underestimated.
"Don't think for a minute that means that Maddie is more talented than Mackenzie because that's actually not the case at all," Rodriguez told the IB Times. "They're both stars, just in different ways. She's got that thing that any producer would love for a headliner," he continued.
Now, Maddie moves on to bigger things to boost her career. She will be pursuing some acting, and is about to make history by being the youngest judge in the history of "So You Think You Can Dance." Mackenzie will continue dancing and inspire young girls to follow their dreams.
As for "Dance Moms" itself, new stars will rise and steal the show. But what won't ever change is dance instructor Abby Lee Miller's stern teaching.
Miller has received criticism about being too mean to the youngsters she manages, but she defended her methods to People.
"I don't want to see a child cry, nobody does. However, there are lessons that need to be learned and I have things to teach – life lessons, technical lessons, specific terminology," Miller explained.
"And sometimes the kids get upset because of the mother's reaction, or the other children are present," she continued, adding that despite how it looks on TV, she assures that she is always there for the kids.
