The Real Reason Nia Sioux Frazier Quit Dance Moms

Nia Sioux Frazier lasted the longest out of the original cast members on Dance Moms. She left following the show's seventh season, which finished airing in October 2017. During that season, Nia left the Abby Lee Dance Company to dance for The Irreplaceables — a dance team comprised of other Dance Moms stars.

Season eight didn't film until after Abby Lee Miller completed her prison stint for bankruptcy fraud and after she was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma. However, Nia and most of the long-time cast members didn't return. Instead, Abby started season eight casting for a new team of younger girls. Unlike some of the other OG cast members who left because of drama with Abby (like Chloe Lukasiak), or dancers who left to pursue other opportunities (like Mackenzie and Maddie Ziegler), Nia's departure was far less dramatic since the entire older team just didn't come back.

In September 2017, Teen Vogue reported that Nia was "the only remaining original cast member who didn't break her contract early." Nia told the magazine, "I was just like, I'm 16 now, I'm growing up, the show has been a great platform, but it's time to move on. During the show, I couldn't take all the opportunities that I wanted to, and now since I'm off the show I'm getting to do what I want to do." 

Despite, the problematic aspects of the show — including some controversial routines and Abby's "tough love" — it seems like Dance Moms helped Nia get other opportunities.

In October 2017, Nia Sioux Frazier reflected on her Dance Moms departure in a video that she posted to YouTube. The reality TV alum admitted, "I've been just really sad for the past few days" in response to the end of her time on the show. She made an effort to keep it positive though, saying, "I'm just, like, really grateful I was a part of it ... even though I know, like, I wasn't the one who always, like, won. I was kind of like the underdog." 

She called the show the "experience of, like, a lifetime," emphasizing, "I just couldn't even be more grateful for this experience." Without saying any names, she said, "I just want to say, like, thank you to my dance teachers." Even after her time as a member of the Abby Lee Dance Company came to an end, Nia continued to be a supportive team player, saying, "I can't wait to see what happens next for all the girls and moms." She added, "I know everyone's gonna do great things. I just know it."

Nia said, "And believe me, the show was very stressful most of the time, and I was always kind of, like, on edge, but I made friendships that will last forever from the show." She also mentioned that she learned a lot from being on the series. Ultimately, she said, "It was a good show, but it's definitely time to move on." Dance Moms gave Nia a loyal fanbase, which she has leveraged to pursue some great opportunities.

In September 2017, Nia Sioux Frazier told Teen Vogue, "I will always be attached to dance. Dancing has been a part of my life forever, so no matter what I'm doing dance is still going to be there." She continued,"But I definitely want to go into other things. I have acting going on, music ... my new music video, in 24 hours it went to No. 1 on iTunes." In addition to making moves in the music industry, Nia has also set her sights on theater and scripted television. In 2018, she landed a recurring role on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.

Nia explained to Teen Vogue how Dance Moms helped her prepare for the next phase of life, remarking, "While I learned so many things from the show, one of the biggest ones is probably how to deal with so many different kinds of people [and situations] ... Whether it's a costume breaking a minute before you go on stage, or [handling] an argument with someone ... and I think I can take that with me wherever I go."

Aside from her success in the entertainment industry, Nia is taking on a brand-new role — college student. On May 1, 2020, she posted, "So excited to share that I will be attending UCLA! Can't wait for the next four years!" And her fans surely can't wait to follow along via social media.