Editing Ava Cota

{{Infobox dancer
|name = Ava Michelle Cota
|image = File:Ava Michelle 2.jpg
|gender = Female
|age = {{age|2002|04|10}}
|birthdate = April 10, 2002
|nationality = American
|hometown = Fenton, Michigan
|height = 6'2"
|eye color = Blue
|hair color = Brown
|school grade = Class of 2020
|profession = Dancer <br> Model <br> Actress <br> Singer
|affiliations = Wilhelmina Models <br> Identified Clothing
|dance studios = Abby Lee Dance Company (formerly) <br> Candy Apples Dance Center (formerly) <br> JC's Broadway Dance Academy
|titles = ''see below''
|parents = Jeanette Cota (mother) <br> Rick Cota (father)
|siblings = Devon Cota (brother) †
|friends = [[Tea Adamson]] <br> [[Kamryn Beck]] <br> Chloe Berbas <br> Nina Candela <br> [[Jade Cloud]] <br> [[Mari Dudash]] <br> [[Nia Frazier]] <br> [[Haley Huelsman]] <br> [[Kerrynton Jones]] <br> [[Chloe Lukasiak]] <br> [[Sarah Reasons]] <br> [[Ashtin Roth]] <br> [[Brynn Rumfallo]] <br> [[Chloe Smith]] <br> [[Kendall Vertes]] <br> [[Elliana Walmsley]] <br> [[Tessa Wilkinson]] <br> [[Mackenzie Ziegler]] <br> [[Maddie Ziegler]]
|nicknames = Ava Michelle
}}'''Ava Michelle Cota''' (born on April 10, 2002) is a model/actress/singer/dancer who starred in Lifetime's hit reality show ''Dance Moms'' as part of Abby Lee Dance Company's Junior Select Ensemble Team, however she was expelled from the team at the end of season 4 and joined the Candy Apples. Outside of ''Dance Moms'' she attends JC's Broadway Dance Academy, owned by her mother Jeanette in Fenton, Michigan. Ava made further appearances on during season 5 of the show as a member of the competition team at this studio. The BDA studio has since been closed in 2017 when the family moved to California.

In January 2016, Ava auditioned for ''So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation''. Her appearance was televised on the show's season premiere. She did not make it past the Academy round.

Ava was cast in the title role of ''Tall Girl'', a new comedy film for Netflix, and later its sequel ''Tall Girl 2''.

Ava and her Mom started a new clothing company called Identified Clothing on behalf of her late brother, Devon who passed away due to fentanyl. They even started a foundation in his honor and to raise awareness on fentanyl usage.

==Dances==
===Solos===
{| class="mw-collapsible mw-uncollapsed wikitable sortable" data-expandtext="Show" data-collapsetext="Hide" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width:70%; text-align: center; font-size:90%;"
|-
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Year
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Dance Name
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Dance Style
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Competition
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Place Awards
|-
|2010
|Papa
|Lyrical
|Nexstar (Detroit)
|1<sup>st</sup> in 8 & Under Solos
|-
|2011
|Rory's Song
|Lyrical
|StarQuest (Detroit)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Petite Solos
|-
| rowspan="2" colspan="1"|2011-2
| rowspan="2" colspan="1"|Amazing Grace
| rowspan="2" colspan="1"|Lyrical
|National American<br />Miss Pageant 2011
|2011 Title winner 
|-
|VIP (Lake Orion)
|1<sup>st</sup> Place
|-
| rowspan="3" colspan="1"|2012
|My Story
|unknown
|In10sity (Detroit)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Elite Junior Solos
|-
| rowspan="2" colspan="1"|Papa
| rowspan="2" colspan="1"|Lyrical
|On Point
|unknown scoring
|-
|Nexstar (Detroit)
|1<sup>st</sup> in 9-11 Solos
|-
| rowspan="8" colspan="1"|2013
| rowspan="3" colspan="1"|Dedication to Sandy Hook
| rowspan="3" colspan="1"|Lyrical
|NextLevel (Lansing)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Junior Solos
|-
|KAR (Detroit)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Secondary 9-11 Solos
|-
|In10sity (Detroit)
|4<sup>th</sup> in Elite Junior Solos
|-
| rowspan="3" colspan="1"|The Prayer
| rowspan="3" colspan="1"|Lyrical
|WILD (Detroit)
|unknown scoring
|-
|Energy (Highland)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Junior Solos
|-
|NUVO (Dearborn)
|2<sup>nd</sup> in Mini Solos
|-
|This is the Life
|Jazz
|WILD (Detroit)
|unknown scoring
|-
|Yesterday
|Lyrical
|Believe (Sandusky)
|4<sup>th</sup> in 9-11 Solos
|-
| rowspan="6" |2014
|Drizzle
|Contemporary
|Believe (Woodbridge)
|3<sup>rd</sup> in Power 9-11 Solos
|-
|Eden
|Lyrical
|Energy (Waterford)
|2<sup>nd</sup> in Junior Solos
|-
| rowspan="2" |Halo
| rowspan="2" |Lyrical
|Starpower (Detroit)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Power 9-11 Solos
|-
|JUMP (Dearborn)
|3<sup>rd</sup> in Junior Solos
|-
|I Won't Give Up
|Lyrical
|Nexstar (Detroit)
|1<sup>st</sup> in 12 & Under Solos
|-
|Sweet Revenge
|Lyrical
|In10sity Invitational<br />Nationals (Calabasas)
|3<sup>rd</sup> in Junior Solos<br />10<sup>th</sup> in Overall Solos
|-
| rowspan="8" |2015
|Hurtful Words
|Lyrical
|Starbound (Butler)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Teen Solos
|-
|Not About Angels
|Lyrical
|NYCDA (Lansing)
|4<sup>th</sup> in Junior Solos
|-
|On My Way
|Lyrical
|Energy (Detroit)
|2<sup>nd</sup> in Junior Solos<br />3<sup>rd</sup> in Solos<br />Platinum Award
|-
|Shine on Me
|Lyrical
|NYDE (Philadelphia)
|1<sup>st</sup> in 11-12 Solos
|-
|Praying Mantis
|Contemporary
|Xpression (Phoenix)
|4<sup>th</sup> in Teen Solos<br />5<sup>th</sup> in Solos
|-
| rowspan="2" |The Myth of a Mermaid
| rowspan="2" |Contemporary
|Centerstage Nationals<br />(Lancaster)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Junior Solos
|-
|Energy Nationals
|1<sup>st</sup> in Power Teen Solos
|-
|Unsolved Mystery
|Contemporary
|Energy Nationals
|1<sup>st</sup> in Power Teen Solos
|-
| rowspan="3" |2016
|Cynthia
|Contemporary
|N/A
|N/A
|-
|Strange Fruit
|unknown genre
|KAR (Detroit)
|2<sup>nd</sup> in Intermediate 9-11 Solos
|-
|With You
|unknown genre
|KAR (Detroit)
|1<sup>st</sup> Runner-Up for Miss Junior Dance
|}

===Duets===
{| class="mw-collapsible mw-uncollapsed wikitable sortable" data-expandtext="Show" data-collapsetext="Hide" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width:99%; text-align: center; font-size:90%;"
|-
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Year
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Dance Name
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Dance Style
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Other Dancer
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Competition
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Place Awards
|-
|2014
|Birds of a Feather
|Acrobatic
|[[Sarah Reasons]]
|Energy (Youngstown)
|unknown scoring
|-
|2017
|Under Your Skin
|Open
|[[Haley Huelsman]]
|Fierce (San Diego)
|3<sup>rd</sup> in Teen Duet/Trios
|}

===Groups===
====with Abby Lee Dance Company====
{| class="mw-collapsible mw-uncollapsed wikitable sortable" data-expandtext="Show" data-collapsetext="Hide" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width:99%; text-align: center; font-size:90%;"
|-
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Year
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Dance Name
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Dance Style
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Other Dancers
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Competition
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Place Awards
|-
| rowspan="3" colspan="1"|2014
|The Good Life
|Contemporary
|[[Tea Adamson]]<br />[[Kamryn Beck]]<br />[[Jade Cloud]]<br />[[Sarah Reasons]]<br />[[Maddie Ziegler]]
|Energy (Youngstown)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Junior Small Groups
|-
|The Rapture
|Contemporary
|[[Tea Adamson]]<br />[[Kamryn Beck]]<br />[[Jade Cloud]]<br />[[Sarah Hunt]]<br />[[Sarah Reasons]]
|Sheer Talent (Wheeling)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Preteen Groups
|-
|First Ladies
|Contemporary
|[[Tea Adamson]]<br />[[Kamryn Beck]]<br />[[Jade Cloud]]<br />[[Chloe Lukasiak]]<br />[[Sarah Reasons]]
|Believe (Woodbridge)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Power 9-11 Small Groups
|}

====with Candy Apples Dance Center====
{| class="mw-collapsible mw-uncollapsed wikitable sortable" data-expandtext="Show" data-collapsetext="Hide" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width:99%; text-align: center; font-size:90%;"
|-
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Year
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Dance Name
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Dance Style
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Other Dancers
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Competition
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Place Awards
|-
| rowspan="4" |2017
|Abduction
|Contemporary
|[[Haley Huelsman]]<br />[[Tara Johnson]]<br />[[Chloe Smith]]<br />[[Vivi-Anne Stein]]<br />[[Lennon Torres]]
|Starbound Nationals (Asbury Park)
|4<sup>th</sup> in Teen Groups
|-
|Build a Wall
|Contemporary
|[[Haley Huelsman]]<br />[[Tara Johnson]]<br />[[Chloe Smith]]<br />Nicaya Wiley
|Sheer Talent (Wheeling)
|2<sup>nd</sup> in Teen Groups
|-
|I'm Back... I'm Your Worst Nightmare
|Contemporary
|[[Haley Huelsman]]<br />[[Tara Johnson]]<br />Nicaya Wiley
|Fierce (San Diego)
|3<sup>rd</sup> in Groups
|-
|My One
|Lyrical
|[[Haley Huelsman]]<br />[[Tara Johnson]]<br />[[Vivi-Anne Stein]]<br />Madeline Underwood<br />Nicaya Wiley
|NYDE (Dublin)
|did not place
|}

====with JC's Broadway Dance Academy====
{| class="mw-collapsible mw-uncollapsed wikitable sortable" data-expandtext="Show" data-collapsetext="Hide" border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width:99%; text-align: center; font-size:90%;"
|-
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Year
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Dance Name
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Dance Style
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Other Dancers
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Competition
! style="background:#f2c8e0;" |Place Awards
|-
| rowspan="4" colspan="1"|2015
|D-Town
|Hip Hop
|Chloe Berbas<br />Nina Canbela<br />[[Mari Dudash]]<br />[[Kerrynton Jones]]
|Starbound (Butler)
|did not place
|-
|Famous Infamous
|Contemporary
|[[Haley Huelsman]]<br />[[Ashtin Roth]]<br />[[Chloe Smith]]<br />[[Tessa Wilkinson]]
|Xpression (Phoenix)
|3<sup>rd</sup> in Teen Groups
|-
|Moving Target
|Open
|[[Haley Huelsman]]<br />[[Ashtin Roth]]<br />[[Chloe Smith]]<br />[[Tessa Wilkinson]]
|Centerstage Nationals (Lancaster)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Teen Groups<br />1<sup>st</sup> in Groups
|-
|The Challenge
|Lyrical
|Chloe Berbas<br />Nina Canbela<br />and other dancers
|Energy (Detroit)
|2<sup>nd</sup> in Junior Groups
|-
| rowspan="2" colspan="1"|2016
|Run, Run, Run
|Lyrical
|[[Haley Huelsman]]<br />[[Ashtin Roth]]<br />[[Chloe Smith]]<br />[[Tessa Wilkinson]]
|NYDE (Escondido)
|1<sup>st</sup> in Senior Groups
|-
|The Waiting Room
|Contemporary
|[[Haley Huelsman]]<br />[[Gavin Morales]]<br />[[McKenzie Morales]]<br />[[Ashtin Roth]]<br />[[Chloe Smith]]<br />[[Tessa Wilkinson]]
|Sheer Talent (Los Angeles)
|2<sup>nd</sup> in Teen Groups
|}

==Dance Titles==
* Regional Petite Miss Dance KAR 2011
* Regional JUMP Mini Female VIP 2013
* Regional NUVO Mini Female Breakout Artist 2013
* Regional Junior Miss Energy 2013
* Regional Junior Miss Dance KAR 2013
* Regional Junior Miss NextLevel 2013
* Regional 24/SEVEN Junior Female Nonstop Dancer 2014
* Regional NYCDA Junior Female Outstanding Dancer 2015

==Runner Up Titles==
* 6th Runner-up for Regional Junior Miss Believe 2013
* 1st Runner-Up for Regional Junior Miss Energy 2014
* 1st Runner-Up for Regional Miss Junior Dance KAR 2016

==Pageant Titles==
* National American Miss Talent 2011

==Personal Life==
Ava is currently dating Bryan Pearn.

==Fun Facts==
*Ava competed at 3 different competitions as a member of the Abby Lee Dance Company's junior select ensemble competition team.
*Ava competed one solo under the Abby Lee Dance Company name and competed three against the ALDC on the show.
*Ava and her mother have been stalking the ALDC at most of their competitions for years, according to the original team's moms.
*In reference to the last bullet point, Jeanette recently admitted that she has shown up at a lot of ALDC events and competitions in the past, but only because Abby invited her there.
*Ava's solos "Hurtful Words" and "Praying Mantis" are aimed towards Abby. During Ava's time at the ALDC, she was deeply hurt by the things Abby said to her. Abby once called her too tall and said her long arms made her look like a praying mantis (which inspired the name of the second solo).
*Ava's favorite dance styles are hip hop and contemporary (as of June 2015).
*Ava is a straight-A student.
*Ava started dancing at another studio when she was 2 years old and moved to her mother's dance studio when she was 3 years old after it opened.
*In 2015, it was reported that Ava was training about 30 hours per week (with some of the training occurring at BDA and some with a separate ballet teacher).

==Additional Pages==
[[Ava Cota/Gallery]]<br />
[[Ava Cota/Filmography]]<br />

==External Links==
*[http://facebook.com/AvaMichelleofficial Facebook (1)]
*[http://facebook.com/ava.cota.50 Facebook (2)]
*[http://twitter.com/avamichelle2002 Twitter]
*[http://instagram.com/ava.michelle/ Instagram (1)]
*[http://instagram.com/avacota5678/ Instagram (2)]
*[http://tiktok.com/@avamichelle02 TikTok]
*[http://youtube.com/user/broadwaydance1/ YouTube]
[[Category:Dancers]]
[[Category:Girl Dancers]]
[[Category:Female Grown-Ups]]
[[Category:Dance Moms Dancers]]
[[Category:Former ALDC dancers]]
[[Category:Candy Apples Dancers]]
[[Category:BDA Dancers]]
[[Category:SYTYCD dancers]]
[[Category:TV Dance Competition Contestants]]
[[Category:Multi-Talented]]
[[Category:April Births]]
[[Category:2002 births]]