“Dance Moms” Star Abby Lee Miller Says She’s ‘Sad’ Former Student Brooke Hyland Didn’t Invite Her to Her Wedding

Abby Lee Miller Reflects on Being Excluded from Brooke Hyland’s Wedding

Abby Lee Miller, the former dance instructor and star of the reality series “Dance Moms,” has expressed her feelings of disappointment after revealing that she was not invited to the wedding of her former student, Brooke Hyland. The 28-year-old Hyland tied the knot with Brian Thalman at La Casa Toscana in Fort Myers, Florida, on February 21, surrounded by family and friends, including several of her co-stars from the show.

In a recent episode of her podcast “Leave It On The Dance Floor,” Miller shared her surprise at being left out of the nuptials. “I never, ever thought that Brooke Hyland would be getting married and I wouldn’t be at the wedding,” the 60-year-old said. In discussing the event, she acknowledged how beautiful Brooke appeared, expressing her pleasure in seeing her former pupil mature into a young woman. “I thought she looked stunning. She didn’t look like a little girl,” Miller added.

Miller also reflected on the significance of missing this milestone in Hyland’s life. Despite her feelings of sadness regarding the absence of an invitation, she maintained a positive outlook, describing the wedding as a “beautiful event.” However, she could not help but reminisce about the time spent teaching Hyland and supporting her as a child. “I thought always that when I worked with that little kid and I was on my knees, literally, my hands and knees spotting her, teaching her right from wrong… that there would come a time when she would get married and I wouldn’t be there,” Miller lamented.

Throughout her podcast, Miller speculated on the reasons behind her exclusion from the wedding. She mentioned her past disagreements with Brooke’s mother, Kelly Hyland, suggesting that these tensions may have influenced Brooke’s decision regarding her guest list. “Maybe [me] saying, ‘Brooke, why does your mother speak for you?’ hit a lightbulb, and maybe Brooke realised, ‘You know what? I’m gonna stand up for myself,’” Miller explained.

The wedding celebration included several notable “Dance Moms” alumni, such as Mackenzie Ziegler, Nia Sioux, Christi Lukasiak, and Kalani Hilliker, while Maddie Ziegler was unable to attend due to filming commitments. JoJo Siwa, another prominent former dancer from the show, mentioned that she was not invited but didn’t want to stir up controversy since her relationship with Hyland had not been particularly close during their time on the programme.

Miller’s absence from key events related to the “Dance Moms” franchise has garnered attention over the years. She has openly discussed her feelings about not being included in reunions and other celebrations involving the cast. Speaking on Bethenny Frankel’s podcast, Miller remarked, “the kids can’t face me because they know they would never be where they are today if it wasn’t for the show.”

Sources close to the show indicated that some cast members had requested Miller’s absence from the 2024 reunion special. The decision was influenced by the emotional experiences they had gone through during their time on the show. “At this point, everyone has gone through different eras and had time to reflect… and they just didn’t want to relive that,” the source revealed.

As the “Dance Moms” legacy continues to impact the lives of its cast members, Miller’s stark feelings of exclusion from significant moments in their lives highlight the complexities of relationships formed within the competitive world of dance. For the time being, she remains hopeful about reconnecting with her former students, even as the distance between them appears to grow.