Meet Your New 'Dance Moms' Obsession, GiaNina Paolantonio
Dance Moms: Resurrection is off to an impressive start. The team won its first group dance of the season in the show's premiere episode, proving the high level of talent among the gang of brand-new dancers. One young member has the internet talking though, and that’s 14-year-old GiaNina Paolantonio. Out of the hundreds of hopefuls who submitted audition tapes to be part of Dance Moms season eight, she might have the most impressive resumé of all. Since she is already a well-rounded professional with movie and Broadway credits, it’s likely that GiaNina will be a force to be reckoned with this season.
Hailing from Oakhurst, New Jersey, GiaNina has been dancing from a very young age. With her mom Joanne as her dance teacher, GiaNina grew up in the studio, mastering the craft to become a gifted performer and dancer. At just 9 years old, she made her Broadway debut as Amanda Thripp in Matilda the Musical, and starred in the show for an impressive 18-month run. She was also on the New York Knick City Kids dance team for two years.
In addition to her stage experience, GiaNina has screen work on her resume. The young dancer appeared alongside Grammy-award winner Mariah Carey in 2014 at the NBC Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting and then again in 2017 at her All I Want for Christmas Is You concert residency in New York and Las Vegas. Later, she worked with the Oscar-winning Hugh Jackman as a principal ballerina in The Greatest Showman.
She's also no stranger to the small screen. Recently, she made appearances on Nickelodeon's Lip Sync Battle Shorties, a show that's co-hosted by Dance Moms alum Jojo Siwa.
Her website reads, “GiaNina may be tiny, but there is nothing small about her personality or dreams.” Rocking her signature mini-bun hairstyle and cat ear headbands, she’s already set herself apart from the team. Even during the auditions, she boasted excellent musicality, with choreographer Gianna Martello noticing and telling the other dancers to follow her. In the first episode of the season, GiaNina wass cast as the lead in a trio, with Abby denoting the other two dancers as “backup dancers,” causing a stir among the moms.
But that won’t be first or the only stir caused by GiaNina this season. In a preview for this week’s episode titled “Broadway Brat”, one of the moms confesses that she “heard rumors that Gia is hard to work with.” The clip shows footage of Abby giving remarks to GiaNina to make a move “ours” instead of “hers.” We'll be eagerly watching the drama unfold this week.
View the preview for Dance Moms episode 3:
Watch the all new episodes of Dance Moms season 8 on Tuesday nights on Lifetime and catch up on all the old seasons on Hulu.
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