âJust Trishâ Podcast: Nia Sioux Exposes âDance Momsâ Secrets & Her Journey â November 13, 2025
Episode Overview
In this intense and moving episode of âJust Trish,â Trisha Paytas and co-host Oscar Gracey welcome former âDance Momsâ star Nia Sioux. Nia, now a 24-year-old author, performer, and advocate, opens up about her formative years under the harsh spotlight of reality TV, the alleged racism and abuse she experienced from Abby Lee Miller and how her life and identity were shaped by those challenges. The conversation covers Niaâs new memoir âBottom of the Pyramid,â healing, resilience, and her vibrant life after reality TV.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The Weight of Reality TV on a Child Star
- Entering Fame Young: Nia started performing at age 2 and joined âDance Momsâ at 9, staying through all original seasons. Trish highlights how Nia has "basically lived two decades as a performer" at just 24. (03:07)
- Writing the Memoir: Nia waited years post-show to write her book, explaining:
âIf Iâd written it right after, I would have said things I wouldâve regretted. I was just really upset about the whole thing.â (04:28)
- Post-Show Adjustment: She struggled at 16 to âfigure out how to be a normal kidâ and make friendsâespecially as her formative years played out on TV. (05:10â05:23)
- Emotional Maturity: Nia remarks on how her unusual upbringing forced her to grow up quickly, experiencing many adult situations before her brain was âfully developed.â (05:41)
Abby Lee Miller: Racism, Abuse & Sabotage
- Normalization of Mistreatment: For years, Nia chalked Abbyâs behavior up to âtough loveâ but realized,
âOnce it got really bad, I realized⊠this actually isnât tough love. This is hatred. This is hatred, racism.â (07:17)
- Things the Show Didnât Air: Nia reveals physical incidents and racist comments were deliberately omitted by producers to âprotectâ Abbyâs TV persona:
âThey protected her. They made her likable for TV. If they really showed everything that she did⊠people wouldnât like her.â (10:48)
- Microaggressions and Isolation: Nia details ignored requests for basic accommodationsâlike knowing the weekâs hairstyleâmet with dismissiveness, and being the only Black girl both on screen and backstage, leading to deep loneliness and âbrushing stuff under the rug.â (09:10â10:03)
- Sabotage and Exclusion:
- Abby allegedly offered pop star Aubrey OâDay $10,000 not to work with Nia, trying to block her career off-camera and on. (14:36)
- Producers edited out Niaâs emotional breakdowns, further erasing her experience. âYou saw the call, but not the reality⊠I was bawling my eyes out. They didnât show that.â (16:49â17:32)
- Body Shaming: Abbyâs insults about Niaâs body and thighs, even at age 10, left lasting scars:
âHer calling you fat, right? Her talking about your thighs, like, I wasâI donât know. How do you treat children like that?â â Trish (12:00)
Surviving and Thriving: Niaâs Response to Trauma
- No Apology From Abby:
âI donât think Iâm ever going to get an apology and thatâs okay. Honestly, it wouldnât mean anything now anyway.â (12:33)
- Narrative Control: Niaâs main motivation for telling her story:
âI just want to give baby Nia her flowers, you know, because she went through so much.â (25:08)
- Redefining Success:
âYou are the only person that gets to define success for yourself. Just because you donât think thatâs not your idea of success⊠but itâs mine.â (23:35)
- Not a Victim, but a Survivor: Nia sees her journey as one of âresilience and overcoming any obstacle,â refusing to be defined by victimhood despite the trauma. (76:41)
Healing, Friendship, and Family
- Motherâs Support: Nia credits her mother with guiding her through isolation and pain:
âShe instilled in me how to be my own best friend⊠your friendship is a gift.â (28:21)
- Friendship After Trauma: Despite rough experiences with peers on the show, sorority life at UCLA and new friendships in LA restored her faith in female friendship. (67:09)
- Creative and Academic Balance: Nia graduated from UCLA with a degree in American Literature because âI love writing. I wanted to broaden my horizons.â (64:10)
- Siblings and Family Values: Her entire family, including ambitious siblings and supportive parents, remain close and central to her wellbeing. (75:08â75:49)
Life, Career, and Activism After "Dance Moms"
- Continued Success Despite Sabotage: Nia describes working with the White House, major producers, and on TV, film, and Broadwayâaccomplishments often ignored by âDance Momsâ narrative. (13:58â14:07, 24:04)
- Mental Health and Advocacy: Writes, directs, and produces content highlighting marginalized voices, including dancers with disabilities. (58:11)
- Broadway & Other Dreams: Nia talks about roles sheâd love ("The Wiz," "Chicago") and her stint on "Bold and the Beautiful" (47:03), outlining a goal-driven ethos: âI like checking them off.â
- On Being a Role Model:
âYou saved my life⊠You inspired me to dance. I got into dance because of you.â â Nia on fan encounters during her book tour (56:48)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Realizing It Was Abuse:
âOnce it got really bad, I realized I was like, oh, no, this actually isnât tough loveâŠ.this is hatred, racism.â â Nia (07:17)
- On Sabotage and Racism:
âShe wanted to make sure that her narrative, [that] me, the Black girl⊠couldnât keep up⊠she really wanted that story to shine through.â â Nia (13:07)
- On Not Getting an Apology:
âI donât think Iâm ever going to get [an] apology and that's okay. It wouldnât mean anything now anyway.â â Nia (12:33)
- On Triumph Over Adversity:
âYou are the only person that gets to define success for yourself.â â Nia (23:35) âNo matter what happens, you can always overcome it, and things always get better.â â Nia (76:41)
- On Parental Support:
âShe instilled in me, like, how to be my own best friendâŠyour friendship is a gift.â â Nia (29:20)
- On Representation & Art:
âA dancer is so many things⊠dancers come in every shape, size, color. It was beautiful to do that and share it with the world.â â Nia (58:11)
Important Segments and Timestamps
- Main Discussion Begins/Background & Book Inspiration: 02:58â06:05
- On Abbyâs Racism, Abuse, and Producer Complicity: 06:25â11:28
- Sabotage by Abby (Aubrey OâDay Incident): 14:35â17:20
- Cry Editing and Hiding Niaâs Pain: 16:49â18:57
- Making Peace With It & Family Support: 18:57â21:18, 28:21â29:20
- Body Image, Racism, and Never Making the âTop of the Pyramidâ: 21:46â22:20
- Redefining Success and Confidence: 22:20â24:05
- Life and Advocacy After TV: 51:32â59:11
- Friendship, Sorority Experience, & Family Ties: 64:06â68:33
- Lasting Takeaways & Closing Thoughts: 76:41â77:50
Final Takeaways
The episode is a powerful story of perseverance in the face of systemic abuse, racism, and emotional manipulation. Nia Sioux shares firsthand the cost of child stardom, the necessity of controlling your own story, and the healing possible through family, friendship, and self-validation. Her message to listeners is universal:
Know your worth. Donât let anyone dim your light. You alone define your success.
Endorsements & Impact
Niaâs book, Bottom of the Pyramid, is praised by major figures (Misty Copeland, Sherri Shepherd, etc.), and she continues to inspire countless young people and adults alikeâincluding mothers and fellow former child starsâby her example and advocacy.
For more, get Niaâs book and follow her book tour. Trishâs closing reminder:
âYou are a true star. You are really a star. And I canât wait to see all the other stuff youâre doing.â (78:06)
