Holly Hatcher-Frazier revisits 'stereotypical' dance routine on 'Dance Moms'

After two decades of contributions to the genre and the culture — and an ongoing reckoning around racism in entertainment — it’s time to ask: What does reality TV owe Black women?

Black women have appeared as some of the genre’s most iconic stars and are the subject of quotes and memes that fuel Internet culture and social media discourse. But Black women are also often stereotyped as angry or too sensitive or ill-informed. Then, they’re sidelined and villainized.

Holly Hatcher-Frazier and her daughter Nia appeared on the inaugural season of Lifetime’s “Dance Moms” in 2011. When Nia was given her first solo performance to the drag queen song “Call Me Laquifa,” her mother objected to the White instructor insisting on an Afro and cheetah print outfit.

“No, it’s not a lifeordeath issue, but it still has a profound effect on a child’s development,” HatcherFrazier said. “It was the idea that someone else had the power and audacity to tell me this is what Black women what Black girls look like.” Read moreSubscribe to The Washington Post on YouTube