Dance Moms

Abby Lee Miller's not letting her battle with cancer slow her down ... or keep her cooped up inside.

The "Dance Moms" star got some fresh air outside her rehabilitation center on a hot summer day in L.A. Tuesday. She recently completed her fifth round of chemotherapy to treat Burkitt lymphoma ... which she was diagnosed with in April.

Abby's not been shy about keeping fans posted on her progress, either ... including recovery updates and photos from her back surgeries.

She's also revealed she's due for 6 cycles of chemo to fight the rare form of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma ... so she's approaching the finish line.

Former "Dance Moms" star Nia Sioux's crossover into scripted TV on "The Bold and the Beautiful" is keeping her pockets deep now that she's no longer on the dance competition reality show.

We got ahold of her minor's contract for the soap opera and Nia, who's 16, is making $2,500 per episode. She's already appeared in 6 episodes this year.

Unclear how long her story arc will run but, if she does return next season, her rate goes up to $2,800.

Abby Lee Miller has a big fight ahead of her, because her recent health struggles are believed to be related to cancer ... TMZ has learned.

A rep for Miller's doctor, Dr. Hooman Melamed, tells us ... her emergency back surgery Tuesday was to alleviate what he thought was an infection in her spine, but after doing some tests -- he now believes she is suffering from Burkitt Lymphoma ... a form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma.

We're told further testing is needed to confirm the cancer, but she should know for sure in the next day or 2. Regardless, Miller's doc says she'll need another spinal surgery, but is resting comfortably after her first operation.

When we last saw Abby ... she was leaving the halfway house where she is serving the rest of her sentence for fraud to get medical treatment. She was visibly upset and appeared to be in pain.

She's scheduled to be released from the halfway house May 25.

Abby Lee Miller is halfway back to normal on the heels of her prison release -- 'cause she just got her nails done on the outside for the first time in almost a year.

Abby was spotted Thursday hitting up Pampered Hands -- a nail salon in WeHo -- just a couple days after being transferred to an L.A.-area halfway house to finish her sentence.

Abby Lee Miller has gone from the big house to a halfway house for her last couple of months of incarceration ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us Abby has been transferred from the Victorville, CA prison where she's been since last July. She's now at a facility called the Residential Reentry Center. You could say she's in the homestretch -- she's scheduled to be released May 25.

We're told the facility will provide the "Dance Moms" star with a safe, structured and supervised environment where she'll be given employment counseling, job placement and financial management assistance. Something tells us Abby will have no problem finding a TV gig when she gets out.

Abby was indicted on 20 counts of fraud after prosecutors say she hid $755,000 in income from the government. She was sentenced to a year in federal prison.

Prison's definitely changed Abby, at least physically. She's said to have dropped 100 pounds since entering the pen last July.

Ex-"Dance Moms" star Maddie Ziegler's been living a nightmare for 5 months ... and she's finally had enough, because she just got cops involved.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Maddie's family filed a police report with LAPD, telling cops someone hacked Maddie's phone back in September. The hacker's been hitting up 15-year-old Maddie, saying he or she's gotten a hold of pics and messages.

We're told LAPD's investigating, but here's what's a bit bizarre -- sources say the hacker hasn't demanded money and neither the pics nor messages have been released ... at least so far. It's unclear what the hacker wants.

Ex-"Dance Moms" star Mackenzie Ziegler is firing back at a music producer who sued her, saying the guy's a fraud who never paid her for her tunes ... and she's laying the blame on Abby Lee Miller.

Mackenzie and her mom, Melissa Gisoni, countersued Kismet Music and its head honcho, Andrew Logan, after Kismet sued the 13-year-old a couple months ago. Kismet claimed she allegedly broke her contract by working with another producer.

In new docs, obtained by TMZ, Mackenzie's attorneys say the only reason she signed with Kismet was 'cause Abby told her it was a bonafide hit maker. The docs also claim the now-jailed Abby strong-armed Ziegler and her fam into it.

Abby is not a defendant in Mackenzie's suit.

As for Kismet saying she owes them dough ... Maddie Ziegler's little sis calls BS on all fronts. She claims Kismet and Logan have none of the accolades Abby hyped, and claims they've grossly underpaid her for the music she's already recorded.

Mackenzie wants the rest of the money she says she's owed ... and her Kismet contract axed.

Abby Lee Miller's slipping into something comfortable, like a prison jumpsuit right about now ... as she begins her prison stretch.

Abby's attorneys tell us she checked in around noon at the federal facility in Victorville, CA. The former "Dance Moms" star is now on day 1 of her 366 day sentence. A Lifetime camera crew -- reportedly shooting a news special on her sentence -- followed her as she went behind bars.

We're told she was pretty nervous as she arrived for processing. She could be out within 10 months.

Unclear how long it will take her to get squared away in her cell ... but we know this: meal time is gonna be a culture shock for Abby.

Abby Lee Miller's putting a good spin on going to prison ... free rent!!!

The former "Dance Moms" star was yukking it up with the paps Monday night leaving Craig's ... and we gotta say, she looked pretty damn chill for someone who is 1 day away from reporting to prison for a year.

You'll recall she pled guilty to multiple fraud counts in connection with trying to hide $755,000 in earnings from the government. No word on what Abby's final meal was, but she's a fan of the bargain brands.

Abby Lee Miller's time as a free woman is winding down, but at least she knows exactly what she wants to do -- and eat -- before she's locked up.

We got the former "Dance Moms" star leaving Catch in Weho Thursday night in pretty good spirits considering she's weeks away from going to prison for a year and a day for fraud.

Although she's leaving one of L.A.'s trendiest restaurants, Abby says she has her sights set on another spot for her last meal before the big house -- particularly one delicious menu item.

Abby Lee Miller's not letting her upcoming prison stint stop her from doing what she does best -- cash TV paychecks.

A judge granted Abby permission to travel from L.A. to NYC this week for 3 paid TV appearances. According to docs, all 3 shows booked her after she was sentenced to a year and one day in prison for fraud.

A federal judge approved her travel, but she must be back on the West Coast by May 20. The shows are scheduled to tape Thursday and Friday. It's still unclear when Abby will begin doing her time.

As you'll recall ... Miller was ordered to pay $160,000 in fines along with the prison sentence.

Abby Lee Miller's got a way better attitude about prison life than she had toward many of her "Dance Moms" students.

Abby was pretty upbeat Tuesday after getting sentenced to one year and a day in a federal facility for fraud charges -- and, in fact, was already talking about creating a new reality show while she's in the pen.

Abby told ET she's going to pitch a new show ... "I have been so very successful -- maybe that'll be some time to work." She said the show will be about dance. Do what ya know.

She also talked about adjusting to life in prison, saying, "There's a few physical limitations, dietary limitations [in prison], of course, but it'll be OK."

Sounds like Abby's trying to pour some lemonade.

Former "Dance Moms" star Abby Lee Miller is going to prison for a year and a day after a federal judge handed down her sentence Tuesday morning in federal court.

Miller had been indicted on 20 counts of fraud connected to hiding $755,000 in earnings from the government. During the trial she took the stand and begged the judge for mercy, saying she had fallen victim to the sudden fame that came when "Dance Moms" took off.

Abby will reportedly serve her sentence in a federal facility near L.A. ... and after she gets out she'll be on supervised release for 2 more years. She will also have to pay about $160k in fines.

Doesn't sound like it, but she got off easy. She could have gotten 5 years in prison and $5 mil in fines.

Deadline first reported the sentence.

Ex-"Dance Moms" host Abby Lee Miller doesn't appreciate getting dissed by the moms on the show ... 'cause she's the one who helped 'em get $20k per episode just for being couch-sitting housewives.

We got Abby outside the Mondrian Hotel Wednesday in West Hollywood where she told us all she ever wanted, and still wants, from producers is a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

She announced her departure earlier this week, and almost immediately some of the moms threw shade Abby's way while praising her replacement, Cheryl Burke ... who they say "will show up and not complain."

The moms of "Dance Moms" are absolutely thrilled with their new host, Cheryl Burke, and equally excited to throw dirt on Abby Lee Miller's metaphorical grave.

The longtime "Dancing with the Stars" pro showed up at 8 Count Dance Academy in L.A. to start working with her new students. She played it coy when paps compared her to Abby.

The moms, on the other hand, couldn't wait to blab about ditching Abby and upgrading -- in their eyes -- to Cheryl.

Damn. Body's not even cold.

"Dance Moms" star Abby Lee Miller is quitting the show because she says she's tired of being manipulated by male producers who don't know jack about dance.

Abby's been schooling kids in dance -- in her own unique way -- for 7 seasons, but posted her resignation in the wee hours of Monday morning. She blasted producers over creative differences ... saying she's continuously asked for credit on "all the ideas, award winning routines and costumes" but to no avail.

She insists she has no problem teaching the kids, but rather with "being manipulated, disrespected and used, day in and day out by men who never took a dance lesson in their lives and treat women like dirt."

It's unclear if she's quitting teaching altogether or just the reality show. We're waiting to hear back from her camp, and Lifetime has "no comment."