For many of us watching Dance Moms growing up was practically a ritual. Week
after week, waiting for the next pyramid placements, group dance, and the constant
drama at the Abby Lee Dance Company. From the original dancers there was
Brooke Hyland, the quiet, sometimes unbothered, oldest girl who always seemed
torn between her passion for dance and all the chaos that came with it. Now, more
than a decade after the show first came on our screens, seeing Brooke walk down
the aisle felt weirdly emotional for fans who grew up watching her. Her wedding
didn’t just seem like any other influencers, it felt like a bittersweet reminder of how
much time has actually passed since the beginning of Dance Moms, and how the
dancers aren’t the only ones that have grown up.
One of the reasons Brooke stood out to viewers of Dance Moms was that she often
seemed notably different to the younger teammates. As the oldest member of the
team Brooke always appeared as unenthusiastic about the dances and unbothered
by all the drama that unfolded. Many of the younger dancers were fully involved in
the experience and excitement of competitive dancing, but Brooke often came
across as having done it for years was bored and wanted to live a more ‘normal’
teenage life.
Looking back, this is what made her so memorable and a fan favourite. Her dry
sense of humour, sarcasm, and visible lack of care during rehearsals or when being
shouted at made her feel more real compared to reality shows nowadays. Even
though reality tv is never completely real, Brooke showed a pretty accurate
representation of a teenage girl. A time when things like going shopping and hanging
out with friends are the most important things ever.
In a lot of ways, she became an early, raw example of being burnt-out, something
much more recognised now. Even in the early shows, it was very clear that the
expectations placed on the dancers and the environment they were in was intense.
Brookes slight defiance and lack of enthusiasm reflected the insane pressure they
were put under.
More than ten years after Dance Moms first aired, it may be slightly surprising that
fans are still so invested in the lives of the original members. But for a lot of viewers,
the show aired during a very formative time. I know for me this is true. What was
meant to be a mini docu-series ended up becoming one of the most iconic shows of
the 2010’s with clips, quotes and dramatic moments continuing to circulate online
way after the show ended.
Because the dancers were so young when they started out on the show, fans didn’t
just watch them perform but also watched them grow up. Over the years, there have
been graduations, careers, relationships all being followed on social media, creating
a long -term familiarity like seeing what a friend you knew years ago is up to.
This all helps explain why big moments like Brooke’s wedding still gain attention
years later. It isn’t necessarily about the event itself, but about the contrast between
her wedding and the environment she grew up in on the show. Dance Moms thrived
off the intense pressure, constant criticism, and very public conflict, and Brooke was
often at the centre of this. Looking back now, being older it is difficult to watch
someone so young experiencing so much drama and criticism. Seeing her married
and seemingly settled into a more normal adult life with others from the show
supporting her doesn’t take away from what they all went through, but it does offer a
happy ending to the story us fans watched unfold years ago.
In the end, the reaction to Brooke Hyland’s wedding says less about celebrity culture
and more about the longevity of shows like Dance Moms. What once was a dramatic
reality show has slowly turned into a time capsule of the early 2010’s. Seeing Brooke
reach a milestone like marriage highlights how much time has passed since the
beginning. for the fans, it’s not just about reliving the show’s drama (well partly), but
about acknowledging the different stages of life both the cast and the audience have
entered.