Bottom of the Pyramid
A Memoir of Persevering, Dancing for Myself, and Starring in My Own Life
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4.6 • 127 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
"Sioux’s harrowing reality TV ordeal cuts deep, and her subsequent self-assurance is endearing and infectious. It adds up to an inspiring account of reclaiming artistic agency.” - Publisher’s Weekly
When you’ve been told over and over that you belong at the bottom, how do you come out on top? Dance Moms star and triple threat Nia Sioux shows the way via her story of resilience, triumph, and defining success for herself.
Young dancer Nia Sioux was only nine years old when she stepped into stardom as one of the original cast members of Lifetime’s reality TV show Dance Moms. Nia learned new choreography week after week and competed against dancers from across the country as well as at her own studio. Perhaps her greatest obstacle was suffering through her dance teacher’s ranking of the girls against each other in her infamous pyramid, where Nia spent the majority of her time on the bottom—all in front of an audience of millions.
But there was much that viewers didn’t see. How her experiences in the studio went far beyond what made it into the show. How she was ostracized for not fitting into an aesthetic that wasn’t designed for girls like her. How her friendships and her mental health crumbled under the strain of the show. How she lost control of her story and her voice.
But don’t be fooled—this is a story about resilience. Nia is not looking for pity, sympathy, or validation as she reflects on her experiences. Instead, she is choosing to use her story as a celebration of triumph. Nia finally gets to tell her story in her own way and in her own words. In this captivating memoir, Nia reclaims both the spotlight and her narrative.
In addition to going behind the scenes of the seven seasons of Dance Moms, she shows how she fought against the negative perceptions that dominated her tween and teen years and emerged as a confident young woman secure in her talents and her direction. Anyone who has ever felt misunderstood, overlooked, or stuck at the bottom of the pyramid will be inspired by Nia’s story of overcoming. “Despite barriers and constant naysayers, assumptions and criticisms, only you know who you are inside and out,” Nia says. “And you have the power to create your own narrative, your own level of success.”
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Growing up on reality television made Nia Sioux a household name, but it didn’t show the whole story. In this inspiring memoir, the Dance Moms star reveals the toll that constant scrutiny and adults who demanded perfection had on her confidence and her sense of self. What the cameras framed as tough-love coaching, Nia experienced as something far harsher, especially as the show’s only Black dancer. With hard-won wisdom and not a trace of self-pity, Nia shares the values that drive her today, the joy of finally defining success on her own terms, and the friendships that saved her. (Her co-star-turned-BFF Chloé Lukasiak provides the foreword.) There’s also plenty of behind-the-scenes truth telling (and not just about the infamous Abby Lee Miller). Bottom of the Pyramid packs a strong message that resilience means knowing your worth—even when others don’t.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this solid autobiography, Dance Moms cast member Sioux (Today I Dance, a picture book) opens up about her experience as the reality show's only Black dancer. She first joined the Abby Lee Dance Company at age three, six years before the show—which followed the company—premiered. By the time Dance Moms was in full swing, Sioux was regularly singled out as the company's weak link, frequently coming last in coach Abby Lee Miller's weekly rankings. Sioux, who spent seven seasons on the show, recalls her desperate attempts to stay in Miller's good graces, despite constant dismissal and racist microaggressions ("Don't you just wish you had white-girl hair," Miller asked her at one point). To cope, she drew strength from her tight-knit family and the therapeutic power of writing down her experiences. After leaving the show before its final season, Sioux pivoted to acting, starring in The Bold and the Beautiful and 2024's Mean Girls remake. Sioux's harrowing reality TV ordeal cuts deep, and her subsequent self-assurance is endearing and infectious. It adds up to an inspiring account of reclaiming artistic agency.
Customer Reviews
Great story
Nia’s story is interesting and inspiring! She is an impressive young lady.
Amazing story!!!
Finished in 2 days because I couldn’t put the book down.
Great Read
I truly enjoyed reading and finally getting Nia’s story. As a long time viewer of Dance Moms since the beginning a lot of her experience brought back what I remembered watching and how I felt so crushed at how they treated her. I honestly only really continued to watch was because of Nia. Great to hear her true thoughts and feelings.