Abby Lee Miller, famous dance instructor from the hit reality show “Dance Moms,” often told her students, “Everyone’s replaceable.” However, seniors Audrey Mesterharm, Colleen Schindler, and Asher Alcantara’s dance, “Get Your Finger Out of My Face,” is anything but replaceable or forgettable. 

Dance Moms is a show that premiered in 2011 featuring young girls (and also their mothers) who danced for Abby Lee Dance Company. Miller would rank her dancers after competitions based on outcome, often causing screaming fights amongst the mothers over who would be at the “top of the pyramid” each week. Throughout the many competitions and practices that ensued during the show’s various seasons, the seemingly infinite drama between the moms and Miller made the show popular and many of the show’s arguments—including the infamous “Get Your Finger Out of My Face” fight—went viral.

Although the moms did not often get along, the cohesion between Audrey, Colleen, and Asher was part of what made their dance come alive. As their first assignment for Dance Lab 2, the challenge was to “Steal like an Artist,” where the dancers had to find a popular piece of choreography that would ultimately inspire an original dance. The trio chose Crystal Pite’s “The Statement,” a performance based in dialogue rather than music. 

When brainstorming possibilities for their own piece, Schindler had a radical, brilliant idea.

“We were like, ‘It would be so funny to do this to a Dance Moms fight,’” Mesterharm says.

Although the idea was intended to be funny and light for their first project of the year, the talented creators received more than just laughs. They never thought that six months later they would perform their masterpiece for the entire New Trier High School community to witness.

“It definitely took a little convincing to get Ms. Wininsky on board,” Schindler admits.  

On March 20, a table was set on the stage for Dance Day. As the lights turned on and Miller’s recognizable voice filled the Gafney auditorium, it was clear that this dance would be singular among the lyrical, modern, and hip-hop numbers of the day. 

“We were nervous that people wouldn’t get it,” Alcantara says.

Despite their worries, the group finished both performances to  standing ovations, bright smiles, and a lot of exclamations that “OMG, that dance was so good.”

After Dance Day, the curtain did not close on this trio’s piece. There were between 100 to 150 submissions for the Illinois High School Choreography State Showcase , with each dance division in a school allowed to submit two dances. “Get Your Finger Out of My Face” became one of New Trier’s first to be submitted and selected in a decade. 

Hosted at Barrington High School, the trio was one of 14 larger groups competing on Friday, April 5. However, there was less of a competitive feeling than one would expect. Instead, the groups spent time warming up together before separating to show off their hard work and talent. Once again, “Get Your Finger Out of My Face” was unique compared to the other schools’ pieces, proving that their leap of faith could truly land them on multiple unprecedented stages.

“Unexpected” is the word that could describe the success Mesterharm, Alcantara, and Schindler have reached thanks to Miller’s heated, yet iconic, words. Despite being inspired by a fight, the trio worked seamlessly together to take a creative risk. They pushed the boundaries of audiences’ expectations and their own to result in an inventive piece that Miller would undoubtedly place at the top of the pyramid.

“It made me think, maybe it’s a good idea to take risks, because sometimes it pays off,” Schindler says.