Paving a new path in American reality TV, Dance Moms is a nostalgic show for many teens nationwide. First airing in 2011, the show was the first of its kind to create a reality show where not only adults were involved, but so were their kids. The series followed the Abby Lee Dance Company and its students as they traveled across the country competing in performances and learning new material back at their home studio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Rather than following Hollywood celebrities or inordinately wealthy housewives, Dance Moms focused on the real lives of these moms as they navigate the many challenges of raising a child in the entertainment world.

Image Credit: @christilukasiak on Instagram

Shining star of the series and original cast member, Christi Lukasiak, explained this idea as she told The Teen Magazine, “This wasn’t a show for us, this was real life."

The Teen Magazine had the chance to interview Christi on Tuesday, April 22nd, and discuss everything related to what’s next for her.

Image Credit: Heather Florance Photography via @christilukasiak on Instagram

Lessons Learned Along The Way

While Christi attributes most of her economic opportunities to her time on the series, she can also attribute much of her personal growth to being thrown into the mix.

“Grow or die on the vine”, as the mother explained. With the constant drama and instinctual maternal protectiveness that comes out when your child is being attacked on national television, the show challenged her to think about her actions on a deeper level, and has led her to reflect on her televised self since leaving the show.

In this reflection, Christi said she would advise her younger self to “buckle up, you have no idea what's coming your way.”

Image Credit: Lauren Renee via @christilukasiak on Instagram

Take the Quiz: Which Female Character Trope Do You Belong To?

Whether it's in film, TV, or literature, you've likely come across these female character tropes. Take this quiz to discover which one best matches...

Christi’s Career

As mentioned previously, Christi has taken her opportunities from Dance Moms and transformed them into a lifelong career. While only participating in the show for four seasons, Christi has continued on the path of entertainment as a media personality.

She hosts two podcasts, her main being “Christi’s Couch”, where once a week she drops an episode, usually featuring a special guest. The podcast covers a vast array of topics, ranging from lessons learned as a mother, true crime stories, and mental health support.

Her second podcast is one co-hosted with a familiar face, former Dance Mom, Kelly Hyland. “Back to the Barre” was a 2022 series where the pair would laugh and recap their time on TV. As best friends on the show and in real life, Christi and Kelly are an iconic duo, described by Christi as “those crazy aunts you see at Thanksgiving.” In “Back to the Barre”, the two teamed up to share all the behind-the-scenes details with their podcast audience.

Another task Chrisi has taken on since she retired from Dance Moms in 2014 is her youth program, “Adulting 101”, where she aims to support young women as they transition into adulthood. The program provides resources on financial literacy, career development, and personal growth.

“The biggest thing, I think, is that you don’t have to know everything… Your right as a person is to continue to learn and grow.”

-Christi Lukasiak

Image Credit: @christilukasiak on Instagram

With a heavy focus on sharing her learnings and heeding advice to the younger generations, Christi has established herself in the media community and continues to grow her platform. Although her fame originated from the show, Christi’s hard work and determination have resulted in her success and the spread of her meaningful message to the world.

Thank you so much to Christi Lukasiak for giving us this inside look at her life outside of the TV screen!

Image Credit: Lauren Renee via @christilukasiak on Instagram

Keep Up With Christi

If you are looking to connect with Christi on social media, you can click here for her Instagram and TikTok, or find it all, along with her podcasts, on her website.