Bottom of the Pyramid by Nia Sioux | Memoir Reflection

Genres: Memoir
Pages: 256
Format: Physical

Why I Did Not Rate This Memoir

I once saw someone say they do not give ratings to memoirs because that feels like judging a person’s life story, and it is not their place to do so. That sentiment stuck with me. I think it is fair to objectively criticize things like grammatical errors or editing, but when it comes to someone’s lived experience, I agree that it is not my place to judge.

So instead, I am going to talk about my experience reading Bottom of the Pyramid.

The Title and Cover

I love, love, love the title of this book. Nia took something that was used against her and spoken about in a negative way and transformed it into something positive. She reclaimed it and turned it into a source of strength instead of letting it bring her down. That choice perfectly reflects what this entire book is about. Nia’s resilience and her ability to turn negative experiences into something empowering.

And the cover? Absolutely stunning. I love that she is sitting on top of her old dance costumes. It immediately solidifies her place as an original Dance Moms cast member and serves as a visual reminder of just how long she was on the show. She filmed more than 200 episodes, and the cover captures that legacy beautifully.

My Connection to Dance Moms

First, you have to know that I used to be a huge Dance Moms fan.

I am talking about rewatching seasons 1 through 7 multiple times. I can quote entire episodes. Just based on an episode title, I know exactly what happened. I keep up with all the girls and moms on social media, and I have watched countless YouTube deep dives where creators uncover never-before-seen footage, files, and behind-the-scenes information.

So yes, I am a huge fan.

On top of that, I used to be a dancer too. It was one of my majors in college. With my dance background, my love for reality TV, and the compelling cast of girls and moms, this show was the perfect storm for me.

Reading Nia’s Story in Her Own Words

I followed Nia’s journey on Dance Moms closely. While she is younger than me, I related to her experience of often being the only Black dancer in the room. I am also extremely close with my mom, which made reading about another unstoppable mother-daughter duo especially meaningful.

That said, that is where my empathy with her ends.

The racism and discrimination Nia experienced at such a young age was heartbreaking. It is one thing to hear about it or see parts of it on television. It is another thing entirely to read Nia’s own words and learn about situations we only partially witnessed on the show.

That perspective changed everything for me.

Holly’s Role as a Mother and Advocate

Nia’s mom, Holly, as well as the other dancers’ moms, has always faced criticism for keeping their children in such a toxic environment for so long. Online, people often say things like, “If it was so bad, why did you stay?” or “Without the show, your kids would not be as popular or well-known as they are now.”

Both arguments require more context, especially when it comes to Nia and Holly.

There were contracts involved that were extremely difficult to get out of. Beyond that, resilience and perseverance were ingrained in Nia from the very beginning. Holly noticed red flags even before the show started, but Nia just wanted to dance.

People often argue that there were other studios Nia could have gone to. While that may be true, before joining the ALDC, she was already attending a studio that was over an hour away. Not only that, Nia wanted to stay at the ALDC. She had a deep desire to prove people wrong.

Should Holly have stepped in and said, “No, you are not doing this”? Maybe that is what some parents would have done. But Nia was begging and pleading, and Holly knew that no matter what, she would support her daughter.

Abby’s Behavior and Lifetime’s Complicity

One of the most disappointing parts of this book for me was Abby’s behavior, which is not surprising. I knew Abby was terrible, but reading about it from Nia’s perspective was a completely different experience.

As Holly once said, Abby was a monstrosity of evil.

One thing I appreciated was how Nia highlighted her mom’s way with words. As the only Black mom on the show for the majority of seasons 1 through 7, Holly knew that how she was portrayed on television mattered. She handled every situation with grace and maturity.

While other moms cursed, screamed, and physically fought, Holly consistently held her own. She used her intelligence and vocabulary to express her frustrations with Abby.

The things Abby said about Nia, an innocent young girl, were absolutely awful. Without spoiling the entire book, some moments that stuck with me included Abby repeatedly asking Nia if she wished she had white girl hair, referring to her as a “Tootie,” offering Aubrey O’Day $10,000 not to work with Nia, and denying Nia’s request to visit Abby in the hospital.

All of it was terrible.

It was also disturbing to realize how much Lifetime either hid or was complacent in allowing Abby’s behavior to continue.

Isolation and Its Impact

The moms who stood by Abby and were complicit in her behavior were also disappointing. Nia experienced a great deal of isolation. She was often not invited to activities or truly included as part of the group.

While the girls were young, and I cannot fully fault them, it was still heartbreaking to read about. Abby’s constant comments about Nia and her dancing clearly influenced how the other girls viewed and treated her.

And that matters.

Final Reflections

Nia has been through so much in her life, and she is only 24. Even when her light was dimmed, it never fully went out. She has such a bubbly, bright, and positive personality, and people outside of the ALDC recognized that and lifted her up.

I am especially glad she always had her mom by her side.

I am also glad that after Dance Moms, Nia was able to rekindle relationships with some of the original girls, especially Chloe Lukasiak, who even wrote the foreword for this book.

I am happy that Nia is at peace with everything she has been through and proud of all that she has accomplished. A dancer, singer, actress, content creator, college graduate, and activist in the making, she is truly amazing.

I loved reading her story and wish her nothing but the best moving forward.