If you spent any time watching Dance Moms during the Lifetime era, you definitely have an opinion on Payton Ackerman. Maybe you remember her as the "too tall" girl who supposedly had an attitude. Or perhaps you recall her mom, Leslie, getting into those legendary, sidewalk-clearing screaming matches with Abby Lee Miller.
For years, the internet labeled Payton as the show's "villain" among the dancers. It’s a heavy tag to carry when you’re just a teenager trying to land a spot on a competitive team. But fast forward to 2026, and the reality of Payton from Dance Moms now looks nothing like the edited drama we saw on our TV screens.
Honestly, she’s doing better than ever.
The Reality Check on the Villain Edit
The show really did her dirty. While the "Select Team" drama made it look like Payton was constantly at odds with the younger girls, the truth behind the scenes was way more chill. Payton has since opened up about how the production team would chop up her words to make her sound arrogant. In reality, she was a dedicated ALDC student who had been training with Abby long before the cameras even showed up.
She wasn't some interloper. She was a Pittsburgh local who lived the ALDC life for years.
After graduating from high school and the ALDC in 2015, Payton didn't just fade into the background. She did what every ambitious dancer does: she packed her bags for Los Angeles. It wasn't easy. She’s been candid about the "Dance Moms" stigma. Casting directors sometimes saw her as "that bratty girl from TV" instead of a professional athlete.
Life in LA and Professional Success
Despite the baggage of reality TV, Payton's resume actually grew quite a bit. She didn't just sit around. She joined Playground LA, working under Robin Antin (the mastermind behind the Pussycat Dolls). You might have spotted her in:
- Todrick Hall’s "Freaks Like Me" music video.
- The VH1 series Hit the Floor.
- Commercials for major brands like Crocs (alongside Drew Barrymore).
- Live performances for The Greatest Showman.
She proved that her technique was never the problem—it was the height-obsessed narrative the show pushed. She’s a powerhouse hip-hop dancer, which was always her "forte" according to Abby herself, even when Abby was being... well, Abby.
Getting Personal: The Move Back Home and a New Chapter
The biggest shift for Payton from Dance Moms now happened in the last couple of years. While many of her former castmates stayed in the Hollywood bubble, Payton chose a different path.
She’s now Payton Ackerman-Stork.
In 2023, she married her high school sweetheart, Logan Stork. Their story is actually kind of adorable. They met during their freshman year of high school in Upper St. Clair. They survived three and a half years of long-distance—over 2,400 miles—while she was in LA and he was back East.
Logan proposed after a helicopter tour of downtown Pittsburgh, which is about as "main character" as it gets. They officially tied the knot in a gorgeous ceremony that felt like a full-circle moment.
Becoming a Mom
If you follow her on social media today, you’ll see a lot less "rehearsal room" and a lot more "nursery." In 2024, Payton and Logan welcomed their first child, a daughter.
She’s fully embraced the "dance mom" life herself, though hopefully with a lot less screaming than her own mother had to deal with. Living back in Pennsylvania, she’s closer to family and seems to have found a balance that many child stars struggle to achieve. She isn't chasing the fleeting TikTok fame of the younger Dance Moms generation; she's building a real, quiet life.
Where Does She Stand with Abby Lee Miller?
This is the question everyone asks. Is there still bad blood?
It's complicated. Payton has spoken out about some of the more toxic comments Abby made—specifically about her weight and her body type being "too big" for certain styles. It’s the kind of commentary that stays with a person.
However, unlike some cast members who have gone completely "no contact," Payton has maintained a more nuanced relationship with her ALDC roots. She’s an alumna. She’s shared posts thanking Gianna Martello for the training. She’s done interviews where she acknowledges the platform the show gave her while firmly correcting the lies they told about her character.
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Basically, she’s grown up. She doesn't seem to hold onto the bitterness, but she isn't exactly inviting Abby over for Sunday dinner either.
What Most People Get Wrong About Her Career
People think if you aren't Maddie Ziegler, you "failed" after Dance Moms. That’s just not true.
Payton became one of the first girls from the show to successfully transition into actual teaching. We aren't talking about "guest masterclasses" for five minutes of fame. She actually put in the hours as a regular instructor. She leveraged her YouTube channel and her 45k+ subscribers to show the "real" side of the industry—the side where you have to wait tables or hustle for commercial gigs between the big wins.
Actionable Insights: Lessons from Payton’s Journey
Looking at Payton's trajectory, there are a few things we can actually learn about surviving public scrutiny and a "villain" edit:
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- Redefine Your Own Narrative: Payton didn't let the 2012 version of herself define the 2026 version. If people call you a "brat," show them you're a professional.
- Value Longevity Over Fame: Moving back to Pittsburgh might seem like a "step back" to some, but it provided the stability she needed to start a family and find genuine happiness.
- The Hustle is Real: Even with "fame," she had to work. She took classes at Playground LA, went to auditions, and treated dance like a job, not a hobby.
- Relationships Matter: Staying with her high school sweetheart through the chaos of LA shows a level of groundedness that is rare in the reality TV world.
If you want to keep up with her latest updates, the best place is her Instagram or her YouTube channel. She’s been doing more "life update" content lately, which gives a much clearer picture of who she is than 42 minutes of edited reality TV ever could.
Payton Ackerman-Stork is no longer the girl crying in the hallway because she got cut from a group dance. She's a professional, a wife, and a mother who survived the most chaotic show on television and came out the other side remarkably normal.
To follow Payton's current journey, check out her official social media pages for updates on her life in Pittsburgh and her occasional return to the dance studio. You can also watch her older "vlog" style videos on her YouTube channel to see the transition from her LA dance days to her current life as a mom.