"Dance Moms"
"Dance Moms" co-stars Abby Lee Miller (L) and Cathy Nesbitt-Stein (R) in a scene from the "Dance Moms" Season 4 finale Lifetime

Due to Lifetime’s inability to secure the rights to hit songs to use on “Dance Moms,” ALDC coach Abby Lee Miller is known for picking obscure singles and remixes of top 40 hits for her dancers, but the rights issue took a dramatic turn in last Tuesday’s finale of hit reality-TV series. Miller’s longtime rival, Candy Apples coach Cathy Nesbitt-Stein, surprised viewers (and her team) in “Here We Come, Hollywood, Part 1” by revealing that her group would be dancing to Sia’s hit single “Chandelier” at nationals -- pretty shocking considering ALDC team member Maddie Ziegler danced in the popular music video for the song and helped fuel its success.

“With this being nationals, I have put everything on the line with this idea,” Nesbitt-Stein said. “I’ve decided to use Sia’s song ‘Chandelier.’ I know that Abby thinks that it's Maddie’s song -- she’s very territorial over that -- but hey, that’s her problem.”

Following the episode’s premiere, Nesbitt-Stein, 55, hinted that Sia may have given the show’s producers permission to use her hit song due to her alleged distaste for the tyrannical Abby, 48. “CATHY WAS TOLD SIA HATED ABBY AND WANTED THEM TO USE HER SONG BECAUSE OF IT. CALM DOWN EVERYONE,” one “Dance Moms” fan and self-classified friend of the Canton, Ohio-based studio, tweeted to Cathy last week, a tweet that the “Dance Moms” star reposted to her official Twitter page Sept. 30. Prior to being acknowledged by Nesbitt-Stein, the viewer posted this to Twitter Tuesday:

Despite Cathy’s claims that Sia may not like her “Chandelier” star’s coach, some “Dance Moms” fans are not buying into the drama. “But does she really hate Abby? I wonder, or did the producers lie?” said one viewer. Others were quick to believe Nesbitt-Stein. “I guess only the producers know that. Wouldn’t surprise me, though,” said one fan.

No matter the truth behind the alleged Abby/Sia feud, one thing is for certain: The ALDC coach is not fazed by the Candy Apples' questionable song choice. After Nesbitt-Stein’s reveal on last Tuesday’s episode, Abby had this to say on Twitter:

Abby last spoke out about the network's issue with securing rights to songs during a fan meet-and-greet in Melbourne, Australia, in July. “That’s a big issue with us, the music,” Miller said. “Lifetime made some deal with this library music called Jingle Punks so we have to get all of our music from that source.” Despite the show's music limitations, the series has used several original pieces in the past including Joseph Kerschbaum’s song “Where Have All the Children Gone” in Season 1, and Rachael Sage’s single “Happiness” in Season 4.

Part 2 of the “Dance Moms” Season 4 finale, “Here We Come Hollywood, Part 2,” airs Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 9 p.m. EDT on Lifetime.

RELATED STORIES
Twitter