Nia Sioux accuses Abby Lee Miller of racist remarks in new memoir

Former Dance Moms star Nia Sioux has opened up about her painful experiences on the hit Lifetime show, claiming that her former dance teacher Abby Lee Miller made multiple racist remarks toward her.

Sioux details the alleged incidents in her new memoir, Bottom of the Pyramid: A Memoir of Persevering, Dancing for Myself, and Starring in My Own Life, which is now available for purchase.

Sioux, who appeared on Dance Moms for seven seasons from 2011 to 2017, recounts several moments where she says Miller’s comments crossed the line. In one instance, she claims Miller told her to “fix” her braids because they “looked awful” and compared them to “a log coming out of her head.” Sioux also alleges that Miller once asked her, “Don’t you just wish you had white-girl hair?” — a remark that never aired on the show.

The 24-year-old dancer writes that Miller’s comments extended to body shaming as well. She claims the teacher criticized her legs and thighs, implying she was “fat” or “lazy,” and even made racially charged comments about Black people being “predisposed to having flat feet.”

Sioux also recalls how some of her dance routines had racial undertones, including one titled Nattie of the Jungle. Despite her mother’s objections, Sioux says she was too young at the time to understand the implications.

Speaking to PEOPLE earlier this year, Sioux said she wrote the book to reclaim her story and shed light on being the “token Black girl” in a predominantly white environment. Her memoir highlights the lasting emotional toll of those experiences and the importance of sharing diverse perspectives in the entertainment industry.