‘Dance Moms’ star to teach class in Albuquerque

Aspiring Albuquerque dancer Isabel Garnand, 11, is a huge fan of “Dance Moms,” the Lifetime reality show about passionate and ultra-strict dance instructor Abby Lee Miller and her interaction with her young students and their moms.

“Isabel practices and stretches at home while watching ‘Dance Moms,’ ” said Samantha Garnand, Isabel’s mother. “The show is really motivating for her. She is not scared off by Abby’s yelling and everything. She loves it.”

When Isabel and her mother found out Miller was doing a master class in El Paso recently,

they signed up for it pronto. They were super excited. And they were equally disappointed when they got an email from

Miller’s assistants notifying them that the El Paso class had been canceled.

“I sent an email back saying we were big fans and hoped that someday Isabel could dance for Abby,” Samantha said. Much to their astonishment, they got an email response inquiring if Albuquerque would be interested in hosting a Miller dance class.

“I am pretty new to the dance world,” Samantha said. “I don’t have that many connections. But I have been working so hard to make this happen.”

And it is. Miller will teach a dance class Sunday, Dec. 8, at Albuquerque’s Embassy Suites, 1000 Woodward NE.

Aspiring dancers, suggested ages 8 to 18, are invited to enroll in the class instructed by Miller and “Dance Moms” co-stars Brady Farrar and Lilliana Ketchman.

Tickets are $79 for class participants and $29 for spectators. Go to showclix.com/ event/nm12noon to enroll.

“Dance Moms” debuted on Lifetime in July 2011. It returned for its eighth season this past June.

Farrar, 14, is a ballet and contemporary dancer from Miami. Ketchman, 11, is an acro and ballet dancer from Fayetteville, N.C.

Ticket holders should arrive at the Embassy Suites between noon and 1 p.m. Dec. 8 to get their pictures taken with Miller and her co-stars.

The dance class begins with warm-ups and suggestions to improve dance techniques, followed by a dance routine from the TV series.

Miller will then put participants through the paces of a mock audition, so they can get the feel of what it might be like to really try out for a role on a TV show.

The event is expected to conclude by 3:15 p.m.

“Isabel has only been dancing for three years,” Samantha said. “Her favorite (style) is lyrical, but she does jazz, ballet, acro, all of it. “We are so excited to soak in anything Abby can teach us.”