The Real Reason The Hyland Sisters Quit Dance Moms
Sisters Brooke and Paige Hyland were always well-behaved on Dance Moms, but their departure from the series was very dramatic. During a Season 4 episode, which aired in February 2014, their mother Kelly Hyland got into a heated argument with Abby Lee Miller.
In the scene, Kelly pulled on Abby's hair and tapped her on the face. Then, Kelly, Brooke, and Paige walked out right before a dance competition, never returning to the show. Abby changed the blocking on the group number and the team still got first place, but the relationship between Abby and the Hylands did not end on amicable terms.
In a January 2015 London Live interview, Kelly spoke about the difficulties of being a part of Dance Moms, explaining, "I see how hard the girls work and they work, they do their best, and they never get any praise for it. You know, I think that knocks you down, so you get to a place [where] 'no matter how hard I try, it's not gonna be enough.' I don't think that's good for a kid that young of age."
Paige said, "It was hard definitely. My mom always said whatever [Abby] said [that was] like mean, to 'let it in one ear and out the other.' Like whenever she said mean stuff, we just didn't take it personally." Brooke added, "She got worse as the show went on," to which Paige agreed. But the drama didn't end when the Hylands left the show.
Kelly Hyland was arrested for her fight with Abby Lee Miller
In a 2015 London Live interview, Kelly Hyland said she was "glad" her daughters Paige and Brooke Hyland were on Dance Moms. However, she admitted, "It just got to a point where it was an unhealthy situation for my family. So, it was time for us to go." And that was a pretty nice way of putting it, considering she had legal drama with Abby Lee Miller post-show.
TMZ reported Kelly was arrested for assault and harassment stemming from the fight with Abby in November 2013. In January 2014, International Business Times covered Abby's appearance on The View, where she confirmed that Brooke and Paige would not be returning to the show. Abby said, "There [are] actually three children [that aren't in the company]. [Kelly's] two and another one that have not signed... They are not members of the Abby Lee Dance company." She explained, "They walk into my studio to shoot the show. That's it."
Interestingly enough, Paige said Abby had been teaching her since she was 2 years old during her London Live interview. At a January 2014 meet-and-greet, Brooke shared, "I used to be like the Maddie [Ziegler] of the group whenever I was younger, until I was like 12, right before Dance Moms started. That's when she started hating me for no reason." Brooke recalled, "But, we used to have a really close relationship. It was like Maddie. So, everything she did was nice."
Abby Lee Miller and Kelly Hyland had a legal battle
During that January 2014 The View interview, Abby Lee Miller said (via International Business Times), "It's not up to me," when she was asked if Kelly Hyland and her daughters Brooke and Paige Hyland would return to Dance Moms, seemingly alluding to her legal issues with Kelly.
In November 2014, The Hollywood Reporter shared that Kelly and her daughters filed a lawsuit against Abby and the show's production company, claiming that they suffered from "defamation" and "emotional distress" because of the show. They asked for $5 million in damages, alleging Abby had a "domineering and often bullying and insulting leadership style." However, the judge said there was not enough evidence to tie the girls' anxiety to Dance Moms, explaining, "That's assuming nothing else goes on in the life of a young child."
In July 2015, the suit was struck by the judge, who ruled there just wasn't enough evidence to sue Abby, according to another The Hollywood Reporter report.
Paige and Brooke Hyland seem to be thriving post-'Dance Moms'
Although Paige and Brooke Hyland left Dance Moms behind, they still have a pretty solid fan base. Both Brooke and Paige have over 3 million Instagram followers, allowing them to get those perks that come with being Instagram influencers, in addition to living "regular" lives. In other words, they seem to have the best of both worlds right now.
In May 2019, Brooke shared a photo wearing a graduation cap and gown at the University of Ohio with the caption, "3 years, 2 degrees, & INFINITE memories." According to her LinkedIn page, Brooke has degrees in Marketing and Management Information Systems. According to her Instagram bio, she's currently living in Los Angeles. According to Paige's Instagram, she graduated high school in June 2019. Paige started her freshman year at West Virginia University that year.
While Paige and Brooke seemingly endured a lot of drama thanks to Dance Moms, it looks like they are thriving in their post-reality TV lives.