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Dance Moms Season 5 Episode 1 kicked off the new season of the Lifetime hit, Hollywood style, as Abby Lee Miller returned with a tan and a plan.

Or at least a plan, to increase ratings and her own profile. She doesn’t look that much tanner, in actuality. We were just working in the L.A. angle.

Dance Moms Season 5 Episode 1 was a premiere that saw the Abby Lee Dance Company’s latest competition get off to a rough start. How? Let’s recap …

If you watch Dance Moms online, you know well that Abby Lee and her charges, and their moms, clash frequently, resulting in major inner turmoil.

On that note, the premiere addressed Chloe Lukasiak’s leave from the ALDC and what her decision to exit the show would mean for the elite team.

Maddie Ziegler, 12, asked, “Does anybody know where Chloe is?”

“The last time I talked to Chloe was before the nationals blowout. I just want to say that I miss her so much but I guess she hasn’t thought to text back.”

“I feel like I’ve definitely lost a friend because, I mean, I’ve been dancing with her since I was 4 years old and it just doesn’t feel right without her.”

Chloe’s mom Christi addressed this on Twitter during the episode:

"The reason Chloe was not on the show has NOTHING to do with our events. Lies. And funny, I think she got one phone call. And she responded."

Maddie’s mother, Melissa Gisoni, wasn’t broken up about Christi.

“I’m going to miss Chloe, but I’m not going to miss Christi,” she said last night. “She’s mean to me. She’s mean to my kids and we’ve had enough.”

Abby’s take? “Chloe didn’t show up. Maybe she’s stuck in traffic. Maybe she’s not coming. All I know is this is show business and the show must go on.”

She wasn’t even done dealing with personnel problems, though.

Paige Hyland, 14, and her mother, Kelly Hyland (above, right) filed a lawsuit against Abby, alleging that she "abused" and insulted her "on an almost daily basis."

As a result, the teenager claims she has anxiety and panic attacks.

Abby is still battling Paige Hyland and Kelly Hyland in court, but as she says, the show must go on, and Abby was ready to retool and move forward.

Former Dance Moms star Kalani Hilliker, 14, replaced Chloe and earned her own solo, as did team members Nia Frazier, 13, and Kendall Vertes, 12.

Despite her self-imposed “media circus,” she and the girls then continued on to Niagara Falls, New York, to attend the Sheer Talent dance competition.

The behind-the-scenes controversies would not slow them down.

Their pre-teen musical theater group dance placed first, and Kendall captured first place in the pre-teen division for her contemporary solo “Victorious.”

Meanwhile, Nia came in second for her routine “Streetstar,” and in the teen division, Kalani took home second place for her solo number “Dance Til I Die.”

That should be the motto for the Lifetime hit right there.

Team members come and go, haters are gonna hate, and there will be plenty of defections and lawsuits, but Abby keeps her eyes on the prize.

Dance til’ we die and just win, baby.

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