Chloe Lukasiak Confirms ‘Dance Moms’ Is Changing

Big changes are coming to Lifetime’s “Dance Moms.” Season 7 returnee Chloe Lukasiak has confirmed the reality series will be different following her comeback in episodes 17 and 18.

Last viewers saw, Abby Lee Miller left her studio in favor of one last vacation before her prison sentencing and was promptly replaced by choreographer Laurieann Gibson. While the ALDC coach will briefly return to the show before officially quitting later this season, Chloe and her mom Christi Lukasiak recently dished the series will quickly take on a new tone following her absence.

“It’s so different. I think it’s very different from what fans are expecting,” Chloe told ET Online.

“The tone and vibe of the show are very... I think it’s much more lighthearted and driven towards dance, which is what the show’s about and should have always been driven towards but there were speed bumps along the way,” she added.

“I personally think it’s the best season yet. I really do,” Chloe’s mother Christi Lukasiak said, giving praise to her daughter’s newest coach to come in Season 7, “Dancing With the Stars” pro Cheryl Burke.

“I think people are really going to get behind it. Cheryl Burke’s amazing. She’s fabulous. The girls all kind of grow up,” Christi said.

Everything won’t be rosy, though. Chloe admitted that returning to the series was strange after a two-year absence because she and her teammates didn’t stay in touch much after she left.

“It was pretty awkward, to be honest. I left the show very abruptly. We didn’t really have a proper goodbye. We left it very weird. So anytime I would see them we would say hi but it wasn’t how it used to be,” Chloe said.

Fortunately for the teen, things returned to normal soon after she made her comeback. “We’ve kind of rekindled that friendship,” she dished.

While “Dance Moms” may be changing, Chloe said she’s “grateful” for her past experiences on the show, no matter how damaging they may have been. “I’m a huge believer that everything happens or a reason so I think I was meant to have that good and bad experience and kind of learn and grow from it. It definitely gave me thick skin which is crucial for this industry.”

Chloe wasn’t the only one praising the upcoming season. Her co-star, Kendall Vertes, also expressed her love for the installments. “It’s going to be a good season,” Kendall told ET, calling it one of the “best” yet. Still, she promised the premise of the show won’t be completely altered. “People love to see the dancing, but the drama will always still be there between, not just the kids, but the moms, too. And of course, the dance teacher and the moms,” she said.

Chloe’s “Dance Moms” comeback episode airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. EDT on Lifetime. The episode will see Chloe join the ALDC’s rival studio, The Murrieta Dance Project, for the weekly competition. Part two of the installment, “Out With Abby, In With Chloe,” airs Aug. 22.