Things took a troubling turn on the dance floor recently. In an episode of Dance Moms: A New Era, a dancer made the controversial decision to perform a routine inspired by the tragic story of JonBenét Ramsey.
As Studio Bleu aims for nationals, 11-year-old Ashlan and her mother Lisa are determined to secure her place in the season-ending competition.
New Dance Moms instructor Miss Glo suggested that Ashlan perform a dance based on JonBenét Ramsey’s story.
However, Glo omitted the horrific details of Ramsey’s murder and instructed Ashlan and her mother to conduct their own research, even providing them with timestamps related to the murder investigation.
“You’re going to be a glitz pageant girl. That’s who JonBenét was, but then she was kidnapped and murdered,” Ashlan’s mother was seen telling her.
For those who might not be familiar, JonBenét Ramsey was a child beauty queen who was tragically murdered at the age of 6. The case remains largely unsolved and continues to intrigue and baffle the public.
“This is really not for me, but I’ll do anything for the win,” Ashlan said before preparing to embody the child pageant star.
Glo emphasized the gravity of the role before Ashlan took the stage, advising her, “Remember, it’s a really sad, tragic story. You’re portraying a young child put on display at pageants, and your parents want fame and stardom for you. But is that really what they want?”
Dance Moms – A New Era Show (Photo: Hulu)
Despite Ashlan’s effort to convey the disturbing performance, which included a dramatic gesture of grasping at her throat, viewers were left confused and upset.
“How was the audience supposed to deduce that this was about JonBenét Ramsey? It was weird,” one Reddit user commented.
“It was extremely disturbing,” wrote another. “They could’ve easily done a beauty pageant routine without exploiting JonBenét’s murder.”
“The dance didn’t even remotely tell the story of JBR either. Not even in the slightest!” added another commenter.
“My 9-year-old discovered the new Dance Moms series, and I didn’t think I could be shocked by any of this, but they are doing a routine based on THE JONBENÉT RAMSEY CASE,” exclaimed one mom.
“They filmed in real time as the excited lead read the story on the internet, and you could see her soul die.”
“This has to be the most disgusting example of child exploitation on prime time TV: a little girl re-enacting JonBenét Ramsey’s murder,” wrote another. “We have become a disgusting society using the actual murder of a child for entertainment.”
Ultimately, Ashlan received fourth place, making her chances for nationals seem slim. After receiving criticism from Glo about her performance, she told her mother, “I kinda know how JonBenét felt. I’m never good enough.”
Dance Moms: A New Era is currently streaming on Hulu.
