By MIKE CHAIKEN EDITIONS EDITOR You say Abby Lee Miller to a young dancer and he/ she immediately knows who you are speaking about. The Lifetime reality show, “Dance Moms,” is a pop culture phenomenon. It draws in viewers each week to see what the larger than life dance instructor is up to and has made stars of her competition dance company. It has spawned a series of spin-offs including “Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition” and the latest, “Raising Asia.” Abby Lee Miller has become a brand name in the world of American dance. And Miller’s dance studio in Pittsburgh has become a mecca to ambitious young dancers, who want to see the television setting live and in person. And from Aug. 14 to 17, a group of local dancers— who train with Triple Threat Dance in Wolcott and are members of the studio’s dance competition teams— had a chance to meet Miller and the dancers from “Dance Moms,” as well as learn from some of the best choreographers in America at “Only the Strong Survive: Abby Lee Dance Company Booty Camp.” Southington’s Madison Yurgaitis, 15, and Morgan Perschy, 11; Wolcott’s Sarah Hull, 12; Ava Creto, 11; and Hailey Creto, 8, [...]
By MIKE CHAIKEN EDITIONS EDITOR You say Abby Lee Miller to a young dancer and he/ she immediately knows who you are speaking about. The Lifetime reality show, “Dance Moms,” is a pop culture phenomenon. It draws in viewers each week to see what the larger than life dance instructor is up to and has made stars of her competition dance company. It has spawned a series of spin-offs including “Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition” and the latest, “Raising Asia.” Abby Lee Miller has become a brand name in the world of American dance. And Miller’s dance studio in Pittsburgh has become a mecca to ambitious young dancers, who want to see the television setting live and in person. And from Aug. 14 to 17, a group of local dancers— who train with Triple Threat Dance in Wolcott and are members of the studio’s dance competition teams— had a chance to meet Miller and the dancers from “Dance Moms,” as well as learn from some of the best choreographers in America at “Only the Strong Survive: Abby Lee Dance Company Booty Camp.” Southington’s Madison Yurgaitis, 15, and Morgan Perschy, 11; Wolcott’s Sarah Hull, 12; Ava Creto, 11; and Hailey Creto, 8, [...]