It’s no secret that Kalani Hilliker is a beautiful dancer. The Dance Moms alum was only 2 years old when she started taking dance classes. For years, the Arizona native would undergo intense training to improve on her craft. And the training certainly paid off. Hilliker has been praised for her incredible technique, impressive flexibility, and performances of beautiful contemporary dances. Now, at age 21, the former reality TV star is still dancing and even choreographing in her home state.
Kalani Hilliker got candid about being body shamed by her dance teachers
But being a dancer hasn’t always been easy for Hilliker. Especially considering that she grew up in the public eye. Recently, in a TikTok video, the lifestyle influencer got candid about some of the inappropriate comments she received from her dance teachers growing up. The Dance Moms cast member was encouraged to eat less so she could “look better” in her leotard. Some teachers even went so far as to slap her stomach.
The ‘Dance Moms’ alum claps back to trolls on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok
Unfortunately, Hilliker’s dance teachers weren’t the only ones spewing hateful commentary. Recently, Hilliker has been subject to some nasty body shaming via the Internet. People have even gone as far as to leave nasty comments on Hilliker’s social media profiles. However, the Dance Moms alum isn’t afraid of putting people with negative opinions in their place. In a recent TikTok video, Hilliker called out body shamers and promoted body positivity in one fell swoop.
“My rant of the night,” Hilliker began. “Going on someone’s social media page and commenting on their weight/appearance/build is unacceptable. This is how people get depression, anxiety, body dysmorphia, [and] eating disorders. Shall I go on? No, I do not look the same as I was when I was not eating, dancing 8 hours a day, under an insane amount of stress, and 13. You will be blocked.”
Hilliker encourages her fans to love themselves
Continuing on, Hilliker offered words of positivity to others. “And for everyone, you are beautiful just the way you are,” the Dance Moms star shared. “Don’t let trolls behind their screens tell you otherwise. Be confident in yourself and stay healthy for you and however that looks for you!!! Xoxo.”
‘Dance Moms’ alum Maddie Ziegler also experienced body shaming
Unfortunately, Hilliker isn’t the only member of the Dance Moms cast who has been subjected to online bullying and body shaming. Hilliker’s former castmate and frequent duet partner, Maddie Ziegler, also received her fair body shaming as well. While speaking to Cosmopolitan, The Fallout star shared that people expect that she’ll always look the same way she did when she was a child.
“I literally hit puberty in front of everyone on TV, and that’s a super-weird thing,” Ziegler shared. “I started developing boobs and I got my period and my body started changing, and people were like, ‘Oh, she’s gaining weight. She’s getting fat.’ And I’m like, Whoa! I’m literally becoming more of a woman! People have said that I am pregnant before. And it’s like, You guys. I’m maturing, and you are all probably doing the same thing. They hold you to this version, this idea that they’ve built up in their head of who they think I am. And then anything outside of that idea is really hard for them to comprehend. Sometimes I’ll have moms come up to me and they’re like, ‘We still think you’re 8 years old.'”
It’s unfortunate that both Ziegler and Hilliker have experienced body shaming. However, the Dance Moms alums seem to have found a way to block out the nonsense and set boundaries that work for them. Hopefully, by speaking out, some critics will rethink the nasty comments that they leave.
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