Reality TV's 'Dance Moms' Visits Westford

Westford got a dose of Reality TV stardom on Friday and Saturday, as stars of the Lifetime series “Dance Moms” made an appearance at Academy on Groton Road.

The visit by Dance Mom Kelly Highland and her daughters Brooke and Paige were the second family from the show to visit Spotlight so far, following the appearance of Chloe and Kristi Lukasiak earlier this month.

Now in its third season on Lifetime, the show follows six mother/daughter teams as they pursue their dancing dreams in the elite Abby Lee Dance Company, renowned for producing numerous professional dancers since it opened in 1980.

While the series is well known for its tense behind-the-scenes drama in the competitive world of dance, Highland and her daughters came to Spotlight to have some fun and give fans a firsthand look at the personalities behind what’s seen on the show.

“We just wanted to get the girls out there and show the other dancers that they’re just normal kids,” said Highland in an interview with Westford CAT. “They go to dance; they go to school just like everybody else.”

Spotlight marks the first studio visit on a tour for the Highland family that includes dance classes with local dance students followed by meet and greet sessions between the show’s stars and area residents.

Highland family spokeperson Kimber Hamill organized the tour to begin in Massachusetts due to her connection with dance studios in the area, and now she’s getting requests from hundreds of dance studios, although she feels the tour is more low key than one might think.

“It’s a lot more laid back here, they can just be themselves,” said Hamill. “What’s great is that it’s just a small group. When the girls are out in public or out at competitions, they get swarmed. Here, they’re getting a chance to meet other girls one on one.”

More information on Spotlight and the show itself are available on their respective websites. In Westford, the show airs Tuesdays at 9 on Channel 36 (Comcast) and 140 (Verizon).