Kira Girard is an American reality TV personality, dance studio owner, and model best known for her role on the Lifetime series Dance Moms, where she appeared alongside her daughter Kalani Hilliker.
She first came to national attention through Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition in 2013 and later became a recurring cast member on Dance Moms from Seasons 4 through 7.
Who is Kira Girard?
Kira Girard, born Kira Salazar, is a reality television personality and dance studio owner from Scottsdale, Arizona.
She is the mother of dancer and social media star Kalani Hilliker, and it is through Kalani’s competitive dance career that Kira became a recognizable face on television.
Beyond her TV appearances, Kira owns and operates Adage Dance Studios in Scottsdale.
Her son Jax Girard, from her second marriage, has also built a small social media following of his own and is occasionally seen on family content posted online.
In March 2026, Kira appeared as a guest on the podcast Leave It On The Dance Floor hosted by Abby Lee Miller, where she discussed how she and Kalani first landed on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition and the behind-the-scenes stories from their Dance Moms years.
Jax Girard: Kira’s Son
Jax Girard is the son of Kira Girard and her second husband, Jason Girard. He was born on October 11, 2007, in Arizona.
Kira and Jason married in 2006 and separated in 2012. Jax grew up primarily in Arizona and carries his father Jason’s surname.
He is the half-brother of Kalani Hilliker, who shares the same mother, and of Jett Newman, born to Kira and her current partner David Newman.
Jax has built a modest social media following, accumulating around 100,000 followers on Instagram.
He is not publicly reported to hold a professional career or acting role of his own at this stage.
Early Life of Kira Girard
Kira was born on August 4, 1981, in Gilbert, Arizona. Her birth name is Kira Salazar.
She grew up in the Scottsdale area and developed a love for dance and performance from an early age.
Kira became a mother at 19 when Kalani was born in 2000, and she channelled much of her energy into supporting Kalani’s dance development.
Her family background is of Spanish and Basque heritage. That background is reflected in her maiden name, Salazar.
Kira Girard Age / Birthday
Kira Girard is 45 years old as of 2026, born on August 4, 1981. Her zodiac sign is Leo, a sign often associated with a bold personality and a love of the spotlight.
Both traits have served her well across years of reality television.
Kira Girard Ethnicity and Nationality
Kira Girard is American by nationality. She is of Spanish descent with Basque ancestry, as reflected in her birth surname, Salazar.
That heritage connects her to a long family line from the Basque region of Spain.
Kira Girard Height and Weight
Kira Girard stands 5 feet 6 inches tall, which is approximately 1.68 meters.Her weight is not officially disclosed. She has brown hair and hazel eyes.
Her physical presence has always translated well on television, contributing to her recognizable screen persona across multiple seasons of Dance Moms.
Kira Girard Career
Kira Girard’s career in television began in 2013 and spanned several years of reality programming on Lifetime.
Before her TV work, she already ran a dance studio, and that background in competitive dance positioned her perfectly for the world of Dance Moms.
She has appeared in multiple Lifetime specials and continues to stay connected to the dance community through her studio and podcast appearances.
Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition (2013)
Kira first appeared on national television through Season 2 of Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition in 2013.
She competed alongside daughter Kalani, who finished as a top contender in the show.
That appearance introduced both Kira and Kalani to a wide audience and caught the attention of Dance Moms producers.
The competition format pitted young dancers against each other for a $100,000 prize and a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet Academy.
Kalani’s talent stood out among the twelve competitors, and Kira’s dynamic personality made her a standout presence in the parent group.
Dance Moms Seasons 4 Through 7 (2014–2017)
After Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition, Kira and Kalani joined the Abby Lee Dance Company (ALDC) as guest members during Dance Moms Season 4 in 2014.
Kira and Kalani had a complicated initial run that season, with Kira leaving the show midway through.
Both returned as full cast members for Season 5 in 2015, based at the ALDC’s Los Angeles location.
Season 5 saw Kira become one of the most prominent mothers on the show, often involved in the central conflicts between the dance moms and Abby Lee Miller. She stayed with the show through Season 7, which aired in 2017.
During Season 5, one of the show’s memorable moments involved Kalani receiving a car on camera.
Kira was also present for the opening of the ALDC-LA studio in May 2015 alongside co-stars Holly Hatcher-Frazier, Melissa Gisoni, Jill Vertes, and Jessalynn Siwa.
Later Appearances and Current Work
After Dance Moms, Kira continued appearing in Lifetime specials. She appeared in Dance Moms: Funniest Fights and Dance Moms: Greatest Fights (2020). She also appeared in the YouTube series JoJo’s Juice.
She appeared in a 2016 music video, Todrick Hall Feat. Abby Lee Dance Company: Dance, alongside other dance community figures.
Throughout her post-show career, she has remained connected to dance through Adage Dance Studios, the Scottsdale dance school she owns and operates.
In March 2026, she joined the Leave It On The Dance Floor podcast hosted by Abby Lee Miller.
During the episode, she shared behind-the-scenes stories from both AUDC and Dance Moms, including memories of Kalani’s wedding and the journey from being an Arizona dance mom to a recognized TV personality.
Kira Girard Husband
Kira Girard has been married three times. Her first marriage was to Matthew Hilliker, in 2001. They had a daughter, Kalani Hilliker, and divorced in 2004.
Her second marriage was to Jason Girard in 2006. Their son Jax Girard was born on October 11, 2007. That marriage ended in divorce in 2012.
Kira got engaged to David Newman in August 2015, during the filming of Dance Moms, after the two met at the wedding of mutual friends.
David Newman works as a real estate agent. They married and have two children together: son Jett Newman, born October 20, 2015, and daughter Kaliah Dior Newman.
Kira Girard Children
Kira Girard has four children across her three relationships. Her eldest is Kalani Hilliker, born September 23, 2000, from her first marriage to Matthew Hilliker.
Kalani went on to become a dancer, actress, and social media influencer in her own right, and she married Nathan Goldman in September 2025.
Her second child is Jax Girard, born October 11, 2007, from her marriage to Jason Girard. Jax is based in Arizona and has built a social media following on Instagram.
Her third child is Jett Newman, born October 20, 2015, the son of Kira and David Newman. Her fourth child is a daughter, Kaliah Dior Newman, also with David Newman.
Kira has spoken publicly about the importance of family and her role as a mother across all of her television appearances.
Kira Girard Net Worth
Kira Girard’s estimated net worth is $1 million as of 2026. Her income comes from her reality television career on Lifetime, her work as the owner of Adage Dance Studios in Scottsdale, and modeling work.
Her ballet instructor salary from running her studio has been publicly reported to range from roughly $26,000 to $81,000 annually.
Beyond that, her television appearances across multiple Lifetime seasons and specials added to her earnings throughout the 2014-to-2020 period.
She has also generated income through social media-connected brand work and her visibility within the competitive dance community.
Kira Girard Social Media
Kira Girard maintains a presence on Instagram where she shares family content and updates from her dance studio work.
Her son Jax also has an Instagram account where he posts photos with family and friends, and the two frequently appear on each other’s content.
Conclusion
Kira Girard moved from supporting her daughter’s competitive dance career to becoming a recognized television personality in her own right, with multiple Lifetime seasons and a lasting connection to the dance community through her Scottsdale studio.
Her family life, including son Jax from her second marriage, has remained central to her public persona across her years on television and social media.