EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: “Dance Moms” Star Kalani Hilliker Shares Her Journey

“It doesn’t matter if you’re having a bad hair day – you’re still beautiful”

At just two years old, Kalani Hilliker started taking dance classes at a local studio in Scottsdale, Arizona. As she got older, Kalani began to realize that dancing was her biggest passion and focused on becoming the best performer she could be. Kalani’s hard work paid off in 2011, when her dance troupe, AK Squared, beat out over 30,000 contestans to win Disney Channel’s Make Your Mark competition.

Kids at school started recognizing Kalani from her appearances on Disney Channel and her guest starring role on Shake It Up. But the attention was nothing compared to what came next. In 2013, Kalani took part in Season 2 of Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition, where she made it to the final four. She may not have won the show, but Kalani won a coveted slot on the elite team featured in Dance Moms, and quickly became an international TV star.

In this exclusive interview, Kalani talks about discovering your passion, social media pressures, and the importance of loving who you are and surrounding yourself with good people. Watch below!