Abby Lee Miller is an American dance instructor, choreographer, and reality TV personality best recognized for her appearance on multiple seasons of the dance reality show, “Dance Moms.”

At 14, Miller decided to open her own dance studio, “Abby Lee Dance Company,” which she sold for $300,000 in December 2022. Following her success on Dance Moms, Abby got roles in major productions, including several spin-off series.

At the peak of her career, Miller found herself in several controversies. Some significant issues led her to jail. Miller was sentenced to 1 year in federal prison after pleading guilty to felony bankruptcy fraud.

Abby Lee Miller Biography

Early Life

Abby Lee Miller was (born on September 21, 1965), into an English and Irish-descent family. She grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Abby Lee is the only daughter of George L. Miller and Maryen Lorrain.

Her mother, Mary, was the dance teacher and owner of the dance studio, who passed away due to cancer in 2014. She began taking dance classes at her mother’s dance studio as a kid.

Along with dance, Miller also spent her childhood in other activities such as learning clarinet, ski club, and Girl Scouts. At the age of 13, she started her career as a choreographer. The following year, Miller opened her dance studio, “Abby Lee Dance Company,” and started coaching some competition teams.

In terms of education, Miller attended Penn Hills High School and then went to Charm School. While growing up in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, dance was a big part of her life.

Career

In July 2011, Abby Lee Miller made her TV debut as a regular cast member in the reality television show, “Dance Moms.” The show began airing on Lifetime, where Abby guided dancing for several years.

This reality TV show ran for a total of eight seasons, and Miller made her appearance in every season. Around that time, she also had the “Abby Lee Dance Company,” and with this, she coached numerous students.

Upon her success, she continued appearing in several other spin-off series like “Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition.” This show was aired for two seasons.

Miller followed this up with her appearances in other shows, including “Dance Moms: Miami,” and “Dance Moms: Abby’s Studio Rescue.” She also appeared as a guest judge on the popular show, “Dancing with the Stars.”

Outside the “Dance Moms” franchise, Miller tried her hand at other ventures like publishing her book, “Everything I Learned about Life, I Learned in Dance Class,” in 2014. Next year, Miller came up with the launch of her new dance studio, “ALDC LA,” in LA.

Controversy

In 1986, Abby Lee became a certified associate of Dance Masters of America and the Dance Masters of Pennsylvania Chapter #10. Unfortunately, her membership was terminated in early 2012.

It was due to her appearances on “Dance Moms,” as the institution supposed she was smearing them in the wrong light. According to the Dancer Masters of America’s Representatives, Miller’s reality show was “detrimental to the dance profession.”

In June 2020, Miller uploaded a Black Square to Instagram on Blackout Tuesday in reaction to the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Ahmaud Arbery.

She was reached out by Adriana Smith, the mother of Dance Moms season eight member Kamryn, who blamed Abby Lee of racism, recalling that, “A message from her that sticks in my mind to this day during my period on DMS8 is (I know you raised in the HOOD with only a box of eight crayons, but I rose in the Country Club with a box of 64—don’t be ridiculous.)”

Financial Problems

In December 2021, Miller was pushed to file for bankruptcy after it was disclosed that she had to pay more than $400,000 in Texas. She quickly filed for bankruptcy, but luckily, it didn’t last long because she began appearing in “Dance Moms,” which fixed all of her financial problems.

In 2014, one of the members of the Dance Moms, Paige Hyland, filed a $5 million lawsuit against Abby Lee alleging assault. Additionally, Paig filed a lawsuit alleging emotional distress, but the judge ultimately dismissed this issue.

In October 2015, federal authorities indicted Miller for fraud when they discovered she had made a secret bank account to hide her earnings from numerous sources. After filing for bankruptcy, Miller was ordered to file monthly earnings reports.

As a result, the authorities indicted her for several charges, including concealment of bankruptcy assets, false declarations, and bankruptcy fraud. According to some reports, Miller had hidden more than $755,000.

To get rid of these serious charges, Miller was sentenced to up to 5 years in prison. Moreover, she was ordered to pay a $255,000 fine for each of the 20 counts she was indicted on. In 2015, her case was postponed 5 times when she pleaded not guilty. That year, Abby didn’t declare the cash payment from Australia’s Dance Moms tour, for which she received charges of customs fraud.

In May 2017, Abby Lee Miller was found guilty of fraud and was imprisoned for one year and one day. That would be followed by a supervised release of two years. She was also ordered to pay a fine of $40,000 as well as a $120,000 judgment. Miller was sent to a halfway house to complete her sentence after spending nine months in prison.

Personal Life

After her release from prison in 2018, Abby Lee Miller was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma. This disease is a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer. It was when she had spinal surgery. As a result of her health problems, she has not been able to walk. However, she is now cancer-free. 

Real Estate

Abby Lee Miller has a net worth of $2 Million, and she has been able to spend millions on her luxury lifestyle. She used to live in a luxurious mansion in Florida. She put the house for sale with an asking price of about $$399,000.

Miller purchased this property in an off-market deal of $300,000. The house features 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a clubhouse, a full-size tennis court, and much more. Before this, Miller reportedly sold her dance studio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Career Highlights

Here are some of the best highlights of Abby Lee Miller’s career:

• Dance Moms (Appearance on 8 seasons)
• Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition (Launching her dance show in 2012)
• Entertainment Tonight, (Appearance)

Abby Lee Miller Net Worth

Abby Lee Miller is a renowned American dance instructor, choreographer, and reality TV personality. She is best known for her appearance on the popular dance reality show “Dance Moms.” With a net worth of $2 million, Abby Lee has earned her wealth from various sources, including TV deals, appearances on shows, and merchandising sales. Her talent and hard work have earned her fame and fortune throughout her successful career.

FAQs