The Dance Moms Detail That Makes JoJo Siwa Cringe

JoJo Siwa's most cringe-worthy memory from her time on Dance Moms is pretty tame, though it's a bad habit she seems happy to have grown out of. Hint: It involves hygiene.

"To think back to those days, I could go a week without showering," Siwa told Us Weekly in mid-May 2020. "Literally, what I would do is I would put my hair in a ponytail. I'd fall asleep with it in a ponytail. I would wake up and I would just re-slick it. Like I'd just spray down my wispies and I'd go on with my day. Like, I would leave it in for days at a time. So nasty."

The YouTube megastar (whose real name is Joelle Joanie Siwa) has become known for her slicked-back ponytail and signature bows. Her ponytail has been her go-to hairstyle since her days on Dance Moms and even earlier than that. She told Us Weekly that she always wore her hair tied back in a ponytail when she was little, and as she grew up, she never felt the need to change it. "And as I got older, it just kind of just stayed with me," Siwa said. 

And stay with her it has. Siwa's ponytail has been along for the ride as the teenager blew up on YouTube (where she has more than 11 million subscribers), landed brand deals including with Nickelodeon, became besties with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's daughter North, and toured the world.

JoJo Siwa — the always-smiling, neon-wearing teen performer — does have a reason for wearing her hair in a ponytail, though. She told J-14 in 2018 (via YourTango) that it boosts her confidence. "I feel more confident with my hair up," she said. "I wear my hair up all the time because I don't like it down. I just really hate having it on my neck, so that's why I always pull it into a ponytail. That's how I look at home too. I wear bows and my hair up, no matter if I'm performing or not."

As mentioned, Siwa's signature ponytail started before her days on Dance Moms, according to what she told Us Weekly. Her dance debut was when she was 9 years old on Abby Lee Miller's show Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition. She then moved on to Season 5 of Dance Moms with Miller. Siwa and her mom moved from their Nebraska home out to Los Angeles to film the show — ponytail, bow, and all.

Siwa checked out of the show after Season 6 to pursue her solo ventures, which have worked out well for her, considering she has a net worth that is likely north of $12 million. Very casual for a teenager.