Television series
Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition
A competition series where twelve young dancers aged 6-13 battle for a $100,000 prize and Joffrey Ballet School scholarship. Abby Lee Miller presides over challenges and live performances at LA's historic theatre, joined by choreographer Robin Antin and dancer Richy Jackson. It's high-stakes and earnest: young talent, genuine stakes, the particular intensity of children determined to prove themselves.
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Dance Moms2011
The spiritual predecessor: Abby Lee Miller's original talent factory, where she builds young dancers into competitors while managing their ambitious parents. Same intensity, exponentially more drama.
But Becomes increasingly soap-operatic as it runs; the parent dynamics can overshadow the actual dancing, and some storylines feel manufactured for ratings.
So You Think You Can Dance2005
The gold standard of dance competition. Broader range of styles, genuinely excellent judges who mentor rather than berate, and performances that remind you why people dedicate their lives to this.
But Much longer seasons; some cycles are stronger than others, and the sheer number of episodes can feel padded if you're not fully invested.
Star Trek: The Next Generation1987
Rosie Perez judges a competition for young performers aged 7-16 across multiple disciplines. Warmer tone than Abby's show, real investment in the kids' growth, and genuinely moving moments.
But Smaller production values and less polish overall; it didn't run long enough to build a real following or momentum.
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The Turning Point1977
Both follow young dancers at a crucial moment in their development, but where Abby's is spectacle and competition, this is pure documentation of what it actually costs to reach that level.
Documentary following American Ballet Theatre dancers, including a 15-year-old Mikhail Baryshnikov. Rare access to the real work, the obsession, the physical toll of training at the highest level. Completely unvarnished.
But Black and white, slow-paced, and genuinely unglamorous. No narrative arc, no drama beyond what the training itself contains. Demands patience.
More like this (8)
World of Dance2017
Ellen-backed spectacle with massive production, global competitors, and judges (including Derek Hough) who actually dance. The performances are genuinely thrilling and the stakes feel real.
But Tries to be everything at once—competition, showcase, feelgood story—and sometimes loses focus. Some judging decisions seem predetermined.
America's Got Talent2006
When dance acts make it through, they're often extraordinary; the variety-show format means you get everything from classical to circus. Howie Mandel and the judges are fun, and there's real unpredictability.
But Most of the show isn't dance, and the judging criteria feel arbitrary. If you want pure dance, you'll spend a lot of time watching other acts.
Glee2009
Young performers competing and collaborating in a high-school musical setting. Early seasons have genuine charm, talented cast, and the joy of watching young people perform at high level.
But Quality drops significantly after season two; becomes melodramatic and loses sight of what made it work. The later seasons are genuinely difficult to watch.
The Voice Kids2014
Same format as The Voice but with children; coaches actually invest in their young performers' development, and you see real mentorship and growth across the season.
But Heavily formatted and manipulative with its emotional beats. The outcome often feels predetermined, and the songs chosen for kids can be painfully overwrought.
Making It2018
Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman host a genuinely joyful making competition where adult competitors build impressive things. It's the anti-Abby's—encouraging, warm, and focused on craft.
But Not dance-focused and only ran two seasons; if you want the competitive pressure-cooker aspect, this is too gentle and supportive.
Britain's Got Talent2007
Simon Cowell's brutality tempered by genuine discovery of young talent; when a young dancer blows the judges away, it's genuinely earned. The Palladium performances are spectacular.
But Deeply uneven—for every incredible act there are twenty forgettable ones. The format wastes a lot of time, and Cowell's cruelty can feel cheap.
Fame1980
Both show young performers at an age where talent and drive are everything, but Fame acknowledges the adult world they're entering—sex, drugs, failure, the cost of ambition—where Abby's keeps the focus narrow and competitive.
Young performers at a performing arts high school in New York—singing, dancing, acting, competing for attention and opportunity. Alan Parker's film captures the real hunger, the talent, the casual cruelty of peer competition.
But Deeply of its moment (1980); some of it plays as dated, and the sexual content and drug use might feel jarring if you're used to sanitized competition TV.
Alive1993
Both feature young people pushed to their absolute limit by circumstances beyond their control, discovering what they're capable of under pressure—but Alive makes clear that survival sometimes requires destroying the things that make us human, where competition allows for growth without that moral cost.
Frank Marshall's film about the 1972 Andes plane crash, where survivors endured impossible conditions. The young cast (including Ethan Hawke) portrays real people facing genuine stakes and the will to survive.
But Gruesome, bleak, and emotionally exhausting. It's about starvation and death, not inspiration. Completely different register from any competition show.
People
Cast
Kevin MannoHost
Abby Lee MillerJudge
Richy JacksonJudge
Rachelle RakJudge
Robin AntinJudge