A source told PEOPLE that some of the girls in the group made this decision because they had mixed feelings about Miller’s involvement and did not want to “relive” their past traumas.

Some Dancing mothers There were conditions attached to the alumni’s participation in the highly anticipated reunion of the Lifetime series.

A source told PEOPLE exclusively that some of the cast members have requested that their former dance teacher and coach Abby Lee Miller not be part of the upcoming special because the series is about “the girls and their experiences.”

“At this point, everyone had gone through different eras, had time to reflect, and Abby had taken a lot out of them emotionally and physically and they just didn’t want to go through that again,” the source says.

Related: Maddie Ziegler calls ‘Dance Moms’ ‘toxic’ and feels ‘at peace’ with Abby Lee Miller no longer in her life

However, the insider notes that “there are people who say they know they wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Dancing mothersOthers have stated that they want “nothing to do with any of this, like Maddie (Ziegler).”

“But some of those involved decided they would only attend the meeting if Abby wasn’t there,” the source continues. “The girls were able to speak their minds more openly when she wasn’t there.”

The source also points out that Miller, 58, was never asked if she wanted to attend the meeting because the girls were approached first and many of them said they did not want Miller there and would not attend if she was there.

A representative for Lifetime had no comment when contacted by PEOPLE.

Earlier this month, Lifetime released a trailer for Dance Moms: The Reuniona two-hour special event in which many of the original cast members – including mothers – reunited to reflect on the cult series.

JoJo Siwa, Chloé Lukasiak, Brooke Hyland, Paige Hyland, Kendall Vertes and Kalani Hilliker will be at the reunion and look back on their time on the show. Other OG cast members like Nia Sioux, Maddie and her sister Mackenzie “Kenzie” Ziegler were noticeably absent.

Between touching clips of the girls on the show a decade ago and reflections on what it feels like to look back, Siwa, 20, and Vertes, 21, appeared in the trailer to criticize the Zieglers for not attending the reunion events.

“We wouldn’t be here without Dancing mothers“…it was literally the springboard for what we are today,” Vertes told the group.

Related: ‘Dance Moms’ Star Kalani Hilliker Says Her Anxiety Started After the Show: ‘I Suppressed My Emotions’ (Exclusive)

In the clip below, Siwa seemed to take a more direct swipe at the sisters, saying, “Them not being here is like saying, ‘Let me erase my past, pretend it never happened and shove it down the drain.’ If that’s the case – that’s why you are who you are.”

Representatives for the Ziegler sisters and Sioux did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment at the time of publication.

However, the Lifetime reunion special is not all that fans get from the former reality stars. Starting March 18, there will be more than nine hours of new Dancing mothers Content will be streamed until May 1, including “in-depth conversations with the Dancing mothers The cast on the set of the reunion, where they answer pressing questions from fans and look back at some of the series’ most controversial moments,” a press release to PEOPLE read.

Related: Abby Lee Miller talks about the possibility of a reconciliation with Maddie Ziegler: “There’s a lot of ugly darkness”

Another new 10-episode show will premiere after the reunion. Dance Moms: Epic Showdownsin which Christi Lukasiak, Chloé’s mother, looks back on “the series’ most explosive dance battles and jaw-dropping breakdowns.”

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Dance Moms: The Reunion Premieres Wednesday, May 1 at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime.

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