"It's definitely just a different way to grow up, right?" Kalani Hiliker said of her childhood, part of which was spent not only in the competitive dance world, but also being filmed for reality TV.
Hiliker, now 23, first appeared on "Dance Moms" almost 10 years ago. The hugely popular Lifetime reality TV series was based around the lives of young dancers at the Abby Lee Miller Dance Studio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and their often quarreling moms.
"Having cameras on you and lights on you and a lot of people having an opinion on you is definitely really difficult at that age, because you already are dealing with so much just with yourself with being a teenager and growing up," she said.
Hilliker was 13 when her debut appearance on the show aired, and viewers watched her dancing on the reality series over the following years as she lived through adolescence.
While it hasn't always been an easy ride, Hilliker isn't shying away from the spotlight. She still broadcasts parts of her life to millions of viewers, except now it's on social media instead of TV — and, crucially, on her own terms.