<P> Dance Moms is an American reality television series that debuted on Lifetime on July 13, 2011 and ended on October 24, 2017 . Created by Collins Avenue Productions, the show originally followed the early training and careers of children in dance and show business under the tutelage of Abby Lee Miller, as well as the interactions of the instructor and the dancers with their sometimes bickering mothers . Cheryl Burke replaced Laurieann Gibson during the second half of Season 7 . Miller will return to the upcoming eighth season of the show and is leading casting development . </P> <P> Set originally in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, and later in Los Angeles, California, the show is primarily filmed at the Abby Lee Dance Company (ALDC) studios . </P> <P> Primarily set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and later in Los Angeles, California, the show originally followed the Abby Lee Dance Company's Junior Elite Competition Team of mostly preteen girls as they traveled week - to - week to various dance competitions, winning awards and preparing for Nationals, while at the same time being prepared by Abby Lee Miller to be "professional, employable working dancers ." The series depicted the doting mothers as rivals of each other on behalf of their own daughters, often arguing with Miller and each other, and sometimes closing ranks against rival teams . Dance performances were creatively conceptualized by Miller and her dance instructors, with input from the show's producers, while choreography was done by Miller, her staff, and occasionally a guest choreographer . Various rival dance teams spurred the team's competitiveness . The show's success was often credited to the drama and conflict among Miller and the moms, along with the weekly dances and the close relationships among the girls as viewers watched them grow up and improve their skills . </P> <P> The show featured Miller as a strict dance team coach who, over the series, relied more and more on criticism, sometimes personal, to motivate the girls, with an emphasis on hard work and competition against teammates . Every week on the show, Miller used a pyramid of individual headshots and gives feedback to each girl about her ranking, previous week's performance, attitude, effort, and the behavior of the girl herself and her mother . Miller had never used a pyramid in her studio prior to Dance Moms, and when once asked about it, Miller stated, "I've never done that in my life . That has nothing to do with me . That's the show; they came up with that whole process ." </P>

Where was the original abby lee dance company located