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Though she is arguably now the series’ breakout star — perhaps even outshining Maddie Ziegler — Jojo Siwa’s Dance Moms journey was one of humble beginnings.
The divisive public figure has gone on to star in multiple reality shows, front her own competition show, and garner attention for her drastic rebrand as a pop star. On the latter front, she also recently claimed to have “invented” gay pop, which for the record, is pure fiction.
Given her meteoric rise to the spotlight, fans have been casting their memories back to Siwa’s illustrious run on Dance Moms. Her seasons-long appearance made waves, mostly on account of her mother, Jessalynn, and her status as the replacement of Chloe Lukasiak. Here’s exactly when Jojo Siwa entered the Abby Lee Dance Company.
When did Jojo Siwa join Dance Moms?
Jojo Siwa’s Dance Moms journey began on its spinoff series, Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition, which she joined during its second and final season in 2013. Siwa made an impression during that season with her bright personality and large hair bows, leading to her casting on the mothership series Dance Moms.
Siwa debuted on Dance Moms during the show’s fourth season in 2014, in the third episode titled “Abby Strikes Back”. Siwa’s entry to the show was particularly difficult given the staple status of the original castmates, which included Nia Frazier and her mother Holly and Brooke Hyland and her mother Kelly, alongside the Zeiglers and Lukasiaks.
Jojo and Jessalyn were initially cast as guests, with Jojo dancing minimally as part of the ALDC team. She was enlisted as a core member of the team and cast in season five, which aired in 2015. Siwa was brought in as a replacement for Chloe Lukasiak, whose mother Christi had a notoriously tumultuous relationship with Miller. After a three-season run, Siwa left Dance Moms towards the end of season six, after signing a deal with Nickelodeon.
Siwa appeared on the show again in season eight as a surprise guest in 2019, dropping in unexpectedly on an all-new cast that featured none of the original castmates. More recently, Siwa entered the Dance Moms orbit yet again as part of the reunion special episode, which aired in May 2024. She was one of multiple original castmates to return for the special alongside Hyland, Lukasiak, Kendall Vertes, and their respective mothers.
Since departing Dance Moms, Siwa has fronted her own dancing competition show, titled Siwas Dance Pop Revolution. The series was accused in February 2024 of creating a hostile work environment for its young dancers, though Siwa’s lawyers have denied these claims.