In a recent episode of Dance Moms: A New Era A dancer made the ill-considered decision to perform a dance inspired by the tragic story of JonBenét Ramsey.

As Studio Bleu continues its journey to national competitions, 11-year-old Ashlan and her mother Lisa want to make sure she gets a spot on the end-of-season show. And the path to getting there is new Dancing mothers What does instructor Miss Glo suspect? Assign Ashlan a dance to JonBenét Ramsey.

But Glo carefully left out all the details of the gruesome murder and asked the girl and her mother to investigate. The two did the same, even giving Ashlan the timestamps of the investigation into Ramsey’s murder.

“You’re going to be a glamorous beauty pageant girl. That’s what JonBenet was, but then she was kidnapped and murdered,” Ashlan’s mother told her.

For those unfamiliar with Ramsey’s story, she was a child beauty queen who was murdered at just 6 years old. The case continues to fascinate and baffle the public as it remains largely unsolved.

“Oh my God, this is really not for me, but I would do anything to win,” Ashlyn said before she was seen getting ready to impersonate the star of the child beauty pageant.

Glo was keen for Ashlan to step into her role, so before she hit the dance floor, she gave the 11-year-old some disturbing but empowering advice: “Remember, it’s a really sad, tragic story. So you’re playing this little kid who’s been put on display in all these beauty pageants, and your parents want that fame and celebrity for you. But is that what they really want?”

While Ashlan did her best to convey the disturbing image of the girl grabbing her own throat, viewers were left confused and angry.

“How was the audience supposed to know this was about JonBenet Ramsey? That was weird,” commented one Reddit user. “That was extremely disturbing,” wrote another. “They easily could have done a beauty pageant routine without using JonBenet’s murder.”

“The dance did not remotely tell JBR’s story. Not in the slightest!!!” added another.

“My 9-year-old discovered the new Dance Moms show and I didn’t think I would be shocked by all this crap, but they’re doing a number based on the Jeanbenet Ramsey case,” one mother exclaimed. “They filmed in real time as the excited lead actress read the story on the internet and you could see her soul die.”

“This has to be the most disgusting example of child abuse on prime time television: a little girl on an episode of Dance Moms is asked to reenact the murder of Jonbenet Ramsey,” wrote another. “We have become a disgusting society that uses the actual murder of a child for entertainment.”

Ashlan ended up finishing in fourth place, making a shot at the national championship seem almost out of reach. After Glo scolded her for her performance, she told her mother, “I kind of know how JonBenét felt. I’m never good enough.”

“Dance Moms: A New Era” is now streaming on Hulu.