dance moms new cast
“Dance Moms” cast members (from left) Kalani Hilliker, Kendall Vertes and Nia Frazier (right) have competed at two competitions without former teammate Maddie Ziegler (center right). Pictured: The reality stars attend Miss Me and Cosmopolitan's Spring Campaign launch in Los Angeles on Feb. 3, 2016. Getty Images

“Dance Moms” viewers have yet to watch Maddie and Mackenzie Ziegler’s exit from the Lifetime series but their teammates are already competing without them.

The cast of the reality program began filming new episodes for Season 6 this month. One “Dance Moms” spoiler site reports that Abby Lee Miller’s elite junior team filmed their first competition back after taking a midseason break at Dream NDC in San Jose, California, on April 16. And despite not having Maddie, 13, and Mackenzie, 11, alongside them, they fared well.

[Spoiler Alert!]

Attendees of the West Coast event report that the elite junior team, which consisted of Brynn Rumfallo, Kendall Vertes, Nia Frazier, JoJo Siwa, Kalani Hilliker and two male dancers, placed first overall in the teen division. Check out a clip of their New Orleans-inspired number “The Saints” below.

The ALDC (Abby Lee Dance Company) continued their competition season on Sunday with an appearance at Fierce Dance Competition in Fresno, California. There, the girls also reportedly took home a first-place prize for an untitled group routine. Nia’s trio “Love Anyone You Want To” with dancers Jalen Parker and Simeon Johnson also won big, placing first-place in the teen duet/trio division. It’s unknown how JoJo, Kendall and Kalani’s trio “Abby’s Angels,” a play on “Charlie’s Angels,” placed.

Maddie and Mackenzie filmed their last competition for “Dance Moms” at New York Dance Experience in Riverside, California, on Feb. 27. A clip of their onstage, tearful goodbye in “One Last Dance” previously leaked online. “I just want to thank Abby, Gia [Martello] and all of my other dance moms and all the girls,” Maddie says in the clip. “It’s just really hard to leave,” Mackenzie tearfully adds.

For now, Lifetime viewers can watch “Dance Moms” with the Zieglers on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EDT. This week's installment, episode 17, “Mini Madness,” will show Abby telling Maddie she needs to “pass this torch” to newcomer Brynn Rumfallo.

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