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Ziegler, Maddie. a memoir. Maddie Ziegler. Autobiography.

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Maddie from a young age was obsessed with High School Musical. Especially Zac Efron. She still uses a High School Musical towel she got when she was four. On page 7 Maddie stated "I had all the soundtracks and DVD's, and when my friend would come over for play-dates, we'd act out the scenes or get out my High School Musical dolls."

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Maddie and her sister Mackenzie are less than two years apart.  Maddie was obsessed with her from the start and treated her like a little doll. Mackenzie is known as the fun one and tends to be spontaneous and silly.  Maddie is more serious and thinks before she acts.  Even though they fight, they are extremely close and have a lot of admiration for each other.  https://assets.aucklandlive.co.nz/assets/media/maddie-mackenzie-auckland-live-1133x628.jpg

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Maddie began dancing at the age of two. At age four, she started dancing at the Abby Lee Dance Company, which would later make her famous. She was ambitious and determined and truly found her passion. She recalls crying after her first performance because she didn't want to leave the stage, On page 44 she explains, "I guess that's when I realized that performing was my thing and what truly makes me happy. I can't explain how or why, but I do know this: When I'm up there, looking out at the audience, it makes me feel alive."

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Maddie began competing at the age of five. She didn't win at first but that just made her work harder. By six she was traveling to competitions and conventions and she started winning. She had her first lyrical solo at the age of eight and a last minute song change taught her a lot about performances. On page 48, Maddie said, "I've learned that great dancers exhibit grace under pressure. When your headpiece flies off, when the music stops playing, that's when you really prove what you're made of."

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The iconic Dance Moms reality show began filming when Maddie was 8. She wasn't that interested in the production and just really wanted to dance. She eventually just tried to get used to the cameras. On page 52, she sums up the experience this way, "Your life is what the show is about, but you're also trying to live it. I just wanted to dance; I didn't want all the drama." Maddie also remembers going to the mall to make an appearance. She expected a few dozen fans to show up but a thousand came. Fame was just beginning.

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"Cry" is the first lyrical solo Maddie ever performed in a competition. She has a great memory and recalls her most memorable dances which include, "Vertigo", "Timeless", "Birthday," and "The Waiting Room."  Not only does she remember the song, but she also  talks about what she wore, who she danced with and the feeling it brought up.  It is clear that she is emotionally connected to all her dances.  Her favorite group dance ever is "The Waiting Room."  It is about hearing the devastating news that one of your loved ones is gone.  https://youtu.be/H9rgIKiyypQ

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Maddie is very close to her teammates. She specifically calls out Nia, Kendall, Kalani and Jojo. Nia is the sassy one that can sing. They met at ALDC when Maddie was 4 and Nia was 5. Kendall is the friend that loves creating mashups and choreographed dances. Kalani is the friend she turns to when she needs an honest opinion. On page 70, she brings up a conversation, "I can ask her, Is this outfit cute? and she'll say, Um, not your best look, and we'll crack up." Jojo is her crazy friend. They bond over a shared love of Grey's Anatomy. She has friends that keep her grounded and make her laugh.

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Maddie strives to live a normal life and she doesn't want anyone to treat her different. She spends her days off chilling out, sleeping late and binge watching Grey's Anatomy. She is not a morning person and would love to eat cereal and ice cream all day. Overall she is a typical teenager that likes going to the mall or hanging out by the pool with friends.

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There are many big moments but these are the most noteworthy. The Chandelier video with Sia exploded on the scene and really changed the course of her life. "I remember I decided to check the number of views on YouTube and it said more than six million people had warched it-this was in the first few days!", page 93. Maddie also won a Kids' Choice Award in 2012 and Time magazine's "The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2015." One of her favorite pinch me moments was when toy company Jazwares created a fashion doll of her and her sister.

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At age 11, Maddie got a tweet from the huge pop star Sia. She had seen her on Dance Moms and wanted her to come to LA to be in her video for Chandelier. This was out of Maddie's comfort zone so she had to dig deep and trust in the vision of Sia and Ryan, the choreographer. On page 109, she talks about it, "At first, I worried I'd look weird and people would laugh. But Ryan encouraged me to let go and get out of my head. I wasn't Maddie; I was playing a character, and this character kicked her feet and pulled her hair and beat her fists and made crazy eyes."

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The Sia video definitely changed Maddie's life. More than a billion people saw the video and Rolling Stone named it video of the year in 2014. She began doing interviews and performed on a 26 city tour with Sia. She performed on Ellen, Jimmy Kimmel, Saturday Night Live and even the Grammys. People began seeing her as something other than just a Dance Moms girl.

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Maddie takes an opportunity to be a judge with So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation.  The other judges are Paula Abdul, Nigel Lythgoe and Jason Derulo.  She is really nervous but soon realizes that she can be a big help to the contestants due to the fact that she is close to their age and has been in their shoes.  She also gets the chance to perform on the show for the 250th episode.  https://youtu.be/ohfMpW6JjEo

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Maddie's friendship with Sia was unexpected. What started out as a request for a video turned into a 26 city tour and a once in a lifetime experience. Maddie gushes over all the things she loves about Sia. Her crazy laugh tops the list as well as a shared love for movies and sushi. She mainly talks about liking the same thin in Sia that she hopes for herself. She sums it up nicely on page 116 by saying, "She's so normal. Even thoug she's this humungous super-star, she's the most regular person you'll ever meet. She's the opposite of a diva." Sia becomes a great friend and mentor for Maddie.

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More doors begin to open for Maddie.  She starts getting offers to do some acting.  She has always been known for being very expressive and drawing the audience in while she dances.  Acting seemed like a natural next step.  The first role was on a Lifetime series called Drop Dead Diva.  Some guest roles followed on Austin and Ally and Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn.  Her most exciting role was an acting job on Pretty Little Liars. https://youtu.be/GveShj1VlPY

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One of the downfalls of all of her new experiences was that Maddie was often on her own. Her mom was in LA filming Dance Moms so she was living in her own apartment. It made her realize how important her mom is to her. On page 144 she explains, "I think most teens feel like I do: There's this tug-of-war that happens in your heart. You want to be on your own, to break free and become your own person, but your mother knows you better than anyone else(mine can read my mind).This is a lot for a 14 year old to manage.

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Maddie describes her style on p.156 as, "part girly girl, part tomboy, and all about feeling comfy." She tends to stick to a gray/black/white palette and will only add a pop of color when going to a party She attended her first New York fashion week and went to the Elle and Teen Vogue runway shows. She has even walked in a few runway shows of her own including Ralph Lauren.

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Maddie talks a lot about having basics in your closet that will help you to build a wardrobe. The items include a denim jacket, skinny jeans, boyfriend jeans, a basic black and a basic white tee, ballerina flats, a mini backpack, sneakers, a cute clutch, a plaid flannel shirt and a bomber jacket. Instead of blowing your budget on trendy clothes, buy quality basics that you will wear for years to come. When detailing a jean jacket on page 162, Maddie says, "Basically you can't go wrong with a jean jacket-you can wear it over anything, from a tee or a tank to a cute sundress, and it's a great layering piece."

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In 2017, Maddie was honored to be able to design her own fashion line. It is geared toward tweens since she felt this was missing in fashion. She is looking for a chill, comfy, cute vibe. She is very involved in the day to day process. She has done three different seasons now and her clothes can be found at Nordstrom and MaddieStyle.com.

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If Maddie wasn't a dancer, she would be a makeup artist. She began doing her own makeup for dance recitals at age 5. She practices all the time by watching You Tube tutorials. She does a lot of crazy makeup for fun but her everyday look is much more subdued. Maddie gives her favorite makeup tricks which include everything from a red lip to a spotlight smoky eye.

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Maddie is a planner and would like to know what her future holds. She is humble and grateful for all that has been able to experience. When asked to give a glimpse into her future Maddie expresses her hopes on page 213, "Five years from now, I know I will be living in L.A. full time. I see myself in a big apartment, with an extra bedroom in case Kenzie or some friends want to visit, a fabulous kitchen (not that I cook, but it's a nice idea!) and lots and lots of closets." Maddie has huge dreams and with her work ethic and determination, there is little doubt that they will come true