Madison Nicole Ziegler (; born September 30, 2002Smith, Erika W. "32 celebs who’ll make you wish you were a Libra" , Cosmopolitan, November 16, 2021; and Elizabeth, De. "Maddie Ziegler’s 10 Best Performances on Dance Moms Ever" ,Teen Vogue, September 30, 2016) is an American actress and dancer. She appeared in Lifetime's reality show Dance Moms from 2011 at age 8 until 2016, and starred in a series of music videos by Sia, beginning with "Chandelier" and "Elastic Heart", which have in total attracted more than 6 billion views on YouTube. Ziegler has also appeared in films, television shows, concerts, advertisements and on magazine covers.
Ziegler was a judge on the 2016 season of So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation, toured with Sia in North America and Australia in 2016 and 2017 and has given dance tours with her sister, Mackenzie. Her 2017 memoir, The Maddie Diaries, was a New York Times Best Seller."NYT Bestsellers Young Adult Hardcover" , The New York Times Best Seller list, March 26, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2017 Her film roles include Camille Le Haut in the animated film Ballerina (2016), Christina Sickleman in The Book of Henry (2017), the title role in Music (2021), Mia in The Fallout (2021), Velma in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story (2021), Lindy in Fitting In (2023) and Ruthie in My Old Ass (2024).
Ziegler was included by Time magazine on its list of the "30 most influential teens" in each year from 2015 to 2017. She was included in the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Hollywood & Entertainment category. Her social media presence includes an Instagram account with more than 13 million followers.
Early life and education Ziegler was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Melissa Ziegler-Gisoni and Kurt Ziegler, who owned a mortgage company.Ziegler, Maddie. "Fun Facts" , MaddieZiegler.com. Retrieved May 4, 2015 She is of Polish, German and Italian descent.Ziegler, Maddie. "Bio: Maddie Ziegler – Dance Moms Dancer", maddieziegler.com. Retrieved January 15, 2018 Her parents divorced in 2011, and her mother married Greg Gisoni in 2013.Franklin, McKinley. "All About Maddie and Mackenzie Ziegler's 4 Siblings", People, March 16, 2024LaCroix, Emy. "Yes, Jill From Dance Moms Has Two Other Daughters, and They're Just as Gorgeous as Kendall" , Life & Style, September 26, 2017 Ziegler began taking ballet lessons at the age of twoWalsh, Erin. "Maddie: Express Yourself" , SBJCTJournal.com, May 3, 2021 and joined the Abby Lee Dance Company at age four, where she trained in tap, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, acro and jazz.Sorren, Martha. "Melissa Ziegler Happily Left Fame Behind After Dance Moms" , Woman's Day, July 1, 2019 Ziegler has a younger sister, Mackenzie, a singer and dancer who appeared with her on Dance Moms,"Mackenzie – About" . Retrieved February 6, 2015; Davis, Emma. "Maddie and Mackenzie Ziegler on life after Dance Moms" , Today.com, July 22, 2016; and "Twist Chats with Maddie & Mackenzie Ziegler!", Twist magazine, February 26, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2016 two older half-brothers from her father's previous marriage, and two older step-siblings from the previous marriage of her stepfather, Greg Gisoni, a vice president at Westinghouse Electric Company.
Ziegler attended Sloan Elementary School in Murrysville, near Pittsburgh, until 2013, when she left to be homeschooled.Daly, Sean. "Dance Moms: Is Someone Getting Kicked Out In Season 4?" , TheTVPage.com, November 15, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2018 Ziegler was raised in Murrysville,Rouvalis, Cristina. "Inside the Dance Moms Empire" , Pittsburgh Magazine, October 21, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2018 but as a teenager she began to work and spend most of her time in Los Angeles.Harrop, JoAnne Klimovich. "Maddie Ziegler returns to Pittsburgh with a stop at Dancer's Closet in Murrysville" , Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, December 25, 2015McKay, Rhys. "29 Things You Didn't Know About Maddie Ziegler: From Dance Moms to dancing with SIA!" , Who.com.au, May 30, 2019; and Briscuso, Lex. "Dance Moms Alum Maddie Ziegler's Boyfriend Eddie Benjamin Wishes Her Happy 18th Birthday" , Life & Style, October 1, 2020
Career
Dance Moms and music videos With Abby Lee Dance Company, Ziegler won numerous titles at regional, state and national dance competitions,"Competition results" (12 pages) , Abby Lee Dance Company. Retrieved January 15, 2018 including the 2014 Dancers Choice Award for Favorite Dancer 17 & Under."Industry Dance Awards Dancers Choice Awards 2014: Nominees" , Industrydanceawards.com. Retrieved January 15, 2018 In 2010, she performed for Paula Abdul's reality television program Live to Dance.Chestang, Raphael. "Maddie Ziegler Is a Multi-Millionaire and the Youngest Judge in So You Think You Can Dance History" , ETOnline.com, April 20, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2018 In 2011, eight-year-old Ziegler and her mother appeared on the first season of Lifetime's Dance Moms,Gallagher, Caitlin. "Will Maddie Ziegler Return to Dance Moms In Season 7? Don't Count on a Cameo, Folks" , Bustle.com, May 3, 2016 a reality show about the young dancers on Abby Lee Miller's Abby Lee Dance Company Elite Competition Team and their often quarrelsome mothers.Weinstock, Tish. "There's something about Maddie Ziegler", i-D, August 14, 2015Fraser, Holly. "Maddie Ziegler tells us why she's leaving reality TV behind" , Hunger magazine, March 21, 2016 Ziegler "emerged as the preternaturally polished standout on six seasons" on the show,Milzoff, Rebecca. "How Maddie Ziegler Became Our 'First Digital Dance Star'" , New York magazine, July 11, 2016 where she continued to appear alongside her mother and younger sister, Mackenzie, until 2016, their last season on the show.Alexander, Reagan and Aurelie Corinthios. "Maddie Ziegler Is Leaving Dance Moms to Judge So You Think You Can Dance" , People magazine, March 14, 2016Thompson, Avery. "Maddie Ziegler Confirms She's Leaving Dance Moms – I'm 'Moving On'" , Hollywood Life, March 14, 2016 In 2013, she made guest appearances on a spin-off program, Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition."'Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition' S2 E3 Recap: Gods and Mortals" , Glamorosi Magazine, September 18, 2013 Dance Moms helped to make Ziegler "one of the most famous dancers in the entertainment world currently. ... [She inspires] other dancers to pursue their dreams with originality and grace."
Ziegler has appeared in music videos for such artists as Alexx Calise, Sia and Todrick Hall.Palmer, Bill. "Dance Moms' Maddie stars in Alexx Calise music video for "Cry"" , Collins Avenue, February 14, 2014Lipshutz, Jason. "Sia Taps Dance Moms Star For 'Chandelier' Video: Watch", Billboard, May 6, 2014. Retrieved May 5, 2015 She gained wide notice, at the age of 11, by starring in the 2014 video for "Chandelier" by Sia, which won the ARIA Music Award for Best Video.Brandle, Lars. "Sia, Chet Faker Win Big at ARIA Awards", Billboard, November 26, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2017 Sia discovered Ziegler on Dance Moms. The video also received nominations at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards for Video of the Year and Best Choreography, winning the latter.Kreps, Daniel. "VMAs 2014 Winners: Beyonce Dominates MTV's Big Night" , Rolling Stone, August 25, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2017 It was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Music Video in 2015."Grammys 2015: See the Full List of Nominees" , Billboard, December 5, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2018 It has received more than 2.5 billion views on YouTube, and at one point it was the 13th most viewed YouTube video of all time."20 Most Viewed Videos on YouTube of All Time (2016)" , Top Trends YouTube channel, June 23, 2016. Billboard listed it at 12th, but they included only music videos, excluding Wheels on the Bus: Schneider, Marc. "A Billion Views on YouTube? Once Exclusive Club Is Getting Crowded" , Billboard, January 12, 2016. "Chandelier" has since moved lower on the list of YouTube's Most Viewed Videos of All Time . Ziegler said of the choreography: "It ... was really out of the box and it expanded me a lot, because I'm used to competition dances where you're like, Point your legs! But this time it was like, you just need to let go and feel it."Jung, E. Alex. "Maddie Ziegler on Sia's 'Chandelier' Video, Dance Moms and Drew Barrymore" , New York magazine, May 21, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2016