‘Dance Moms: A New Era’s Min Opens Up About Tragic Loss Of Her 13-Year-Old Son: “My Parents Don’t Know”

Dance Moms: A New Era brought more than just drama in its second episode.

At the start of the episode, viewers are met with the following disclaimer: “The following episode contains serious themes including death and the supernatural. Viewer discretion is advised.”

It all starts when dance coach Glo Hampton introduces the team’s group number, “Medium,” assigning Mina — the youngest member of her junior elite team who’s fresh off of a first place solo win — to portray the “angel spirit who wants to speak,” while Audrey will take on the role of the “medium who is trying to help her tell us what she wants to say.”

Hampton describes the routine as “a personal, personal story” to her.

“I’m taking this very, very seriously, and I need you all to do the same,” she adds.

As for Hampton’s inspiration for the routine, she eventually reveals that she had a son about a year and a half before her daughter Kaeli was born, but she experienced a stillbirth. With the intention of honoring her son, who would have been turning 25, Hampton instills further motivation in her dancers, and also brings in a medium named Ms. Teri, who ultimately uncovers some of one mother-daughter duo’s past trauma.

“So I’m getting someone here who had maybe a car accident, and they had, like, a head injury,” Teri claims.

After no one responds, Teri moves on to speak with Hampton. However, one of the dancers later discloses that this vision hit close to home, after Hampton asks if they have ever lost a loved one.

“My brother died in a car crash,” Mina shares, shocking Hampton, the dancers, and their moms.

Mina’s mother, Min, who is often hard on her daughter, has never opened up about her son’s passing, which took place on Jan. 17, 2021 when he was only 13 years old. After Hampton and the dancers comfort Mina with hugs, shedding tears alongside her, Min begins tearing up, initially refusing to speak about it with the other moms and only doing so in a heartbreaking confessional.

“My parents don’t know my son passed away,” she reveals. “They’re in China. They always, when I call them, they always ask, how is my son. I said, ‘Okay. He’s okay.’ I don’t want them… to know that.”

Hampton highlights that “learning about Min’s son makes this dance so much more important,” and ahead of their performance, Hampton, the dancers, and their mothers assemble in a circle in the dressing room. Min takes the opportunity to address her trauma head on.

“Mina, I appreciate you can dance this group dance to help Mommy to say how much we love Siyan,” she says. “Siyan died two years ago. This time is your time to dance for him. Thank you.”

In a separate confessional, Min admits that she’s “tried not to think” about her late son, noting that she cries and “cannot control” herself when she does, specifically that her “eyes feel pain.”

“A good dancer can put emotion in any dance that needs to be,” she adds. “If Mina can express in the dance, maybe my son can see how much we love him. He won’t feel lonely.”

In a touching turn, “Medium” garnered the team a first place victory, prompting Min to express pride in her daughter.

Dance Moms: A New Era is streaming on Hulu.