Maddie Ziegler is breaking down her dance rivalry with Tate McRae and where they stand today.

Ziegler appeared on “Therapuss with Jake Shane†Wednesday and recalled competing against McRae in dance competitions when she was just 9 years old. The “Dance Moms†alum said the Canadian pop star beat her at the Dance Awards, which was “the biggest thing you could win.â€

Ziegler, now 23, admitted she was a “sore loser†as a child.

Maddie Ziegler explained her former dance rivalry with Tate McRae on “Therapuss with Jake Shane†Wednesday.
The “Dance Moms†alum competed with the pop star in dance competitions when they were both children, and Ziegler admitted she was “a sore loser†at the time.

“Like, if I didn't win, I was like really upset,†she said. “And that's what I was taught, you know?â€

They later crossed paths again in 2016 when McRae competed in “So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation†and Ziegler was a judge.

“It was so weird,†Ziegler commented.

The “Chandelier†music video star said they weren't allowed to be friends at the time since she was a judge and McRae was a competitor, but connected after the show wrapped.

McRae ended up finishing third in the competition.

Ziegler crossed paths with McRae again when the singer competed in “So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation†in 2016 and Ziegler was a judge. FOX Image Collection via Getty Images
Ziegler said she and McRae — pictured here at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party earlier this month — were not allowed to be friends at the time due to the show's rules. Getty Images
But McRae and Ziegler (seen here earlier this month at the “Pretty Lethal†premiere at SXSW earlier this month) reconnected and became friends after the show wrapped. WireImage

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“I feel like when I was around 16, 17, we got close again and started hanging out in LA,†Ziegler shared. “And I love her so much, and she's killing it.â€

McRae, 22, famously competed in the same circuits as the “Dance Moms†girls that dance instructor and choreographer Abby Lee Miller once trained.

The “Sports Car†singer beat out Ziegler to take the Junior Best Female Dancer title at the 2015 Dance Awards, and footage later resurfaced on TikTok and went viral.

Miller shared on Page Six's “Virtual Reali-Tea†podcast earlier this month that McRae snubbed her when they ran into each other at an LA hot spot.

Ziegler said the two started spending time together in LA when she was 16. She's seen here at the “Pretty Lethal†premiere at the Empire State Building on Monday. Nancy Rivera / SplashNews.com
Ziegler said she's a fan of McRae — seen here at Variety's Hitmakers Brunch in December 2025 — and that “she's killing it.†Getty Images

“I don't know her that well, I just know her [enough] to say ‘hello,'†the dance coach, 60, said. “I just saw her at Craig's having dinner a couple weeks ago.â€

“She didn't even look at me,†she added. “She had her nose in the air.â€

Still, Miller praised McRae for incorporating impressive dance moves during her performances.

“I think that it's great that she can whack her leg up there while she's [singing],†Miller said. “It shows that you have to do everything. You have to be a triple threat — she'll be acting next, probably.â€Â 

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