Jessica Li

My dance team and I took a picture with Abby Lee Miller at the 2022 Industry Dance Awards in Hollywood on Oct. 18.

On a Wednesday morning three years ago, I boarded a plane to Los Angeles to perform with my dance studio team, Jun Lu Performing Arts Team 2, at the Industry Dance Awards — an annual dance event in Hollywood.  Envisioning stressful homework cram sessions, our team was initially hesitant about flying out to LA and missing school. 

However, we quickly realized that we were in for a once-in-a-lifetime experience to have exclusive celebrity perks for a day and meet some of the largest icons in the dance world.

Upon arriving in LA after a drowsy plane ride, we were directed to a hotel lobby where we would stay until the event started in the afternoon; Already, the vibes and our anticipation of the event provided an exciting start.

After lunch, we walked to the venue and began preparing for the red carpet — a shocker to us, because we expected the event to be simply a quick performance. Transforming into dancers with a celebrity-like status, we put on dresses and applied makeup all while running through our dance routine in our heads. At competitions, we were usually overwhelmed by the pressure to place well, but this time, we felt carefree and were eager to see what fun the night could bring. 

Entering the main room of the venue, we were greeted with a sea of extravagantly dressed adults having small talk and snapping pictures. I, still a freshman in high school and nowhere near Hollywood glam, couldn’t help but feel slightly out of place amidst the vibrant environment.

After a lengthy wait, we finally walked the red carpet while our parents captured the moment in a flurry of photographs. When we arrived at the main stage decked out in our two-piece costumes and stage makeup, we suddenly spotted some few familiar faces, grouped together in the crowd. 

Those faces belonged to none other than reality TV stars Abby Lee Miller, Jojo Siwa and Jessalyn Siwa.

Seeing these iconic figures, celebrities we had grown up watching, hit us with a wave of stunned disbelief. None of us had gone through our childhood without binging the infamous 8-season reality television show “Dance Moms,” starring the Abby Lee Dance Company and her elite competition team; Jojo and her mom Jessalyn joined in Season 4.

Despite having performance to prepare for, we were torn between warming up or soaking up the presence of these stars. In silent, collective agreement, we pushed our way through the crowd toward Jojo. 

When we handed her one of our phones, she immediately began graciously taking selfies with the team, leaving us star-struck. The simple evening had taken a turn to taking selfies with Jojo Siwa.

 

Afterwards, we approached Abby and began snapping pictures with her at light speed, trying to get the most out of the exclusive and unimaginable moment. Suddenly, to my surprise, she turned to me and spoke with an unusual request: “Put your hand on my lap to cover my fat.” Excitement and astonishment mingled with the unexpected interaction, marking a historical moment in my life.

With our impromptu photo shoot over, the performance was just around the corner. Not only would Abby, Jojo and Jessalyn watch our performance, but one of our moms had also requested that she film Abby’s live reaction and commentary during the performance, to which Abby agreed. The uneasiness backstage was palpable.

After a decent performance, as if the evening couldn’t bring any more surprises, we got news that one of the parents had ordered a limousine to transport us to the airport. The sight of the sleek, white vehicle with tinted windows and plush seating triggered uncontainable excitement. Inside, multi-colored galaxy lighting added a new level of exclusivity. Drinks in hand, we glided through the streets of LA, making each passing moment feel like a cinematic adventure.

The anticlimactic plane ride back became an afterthought as our energy collectively agreed: There couldn’t have been a more perfect reason to skip school.