(L) Judy Kyees- Executive Director- Columbus Teen & Ohio Cinderella Pageants

(R) Jenny Telwar-CEO and Co owner of America's National Teenager Scholarship Organization (ANTSO)

(L) Co-founder of National American Miss (NAM), Steve Mayes

(R) Patty Hawkins, National Director of American Coed Pageants (COED)

The pageant director is the heart of a pageant. They set the tone, create the environment and determine the quality of the experience on pageant day. The pageant director is the first person to approach when you have general questions (not coaching questions) about the pageant.

The difference between the two types of questions, general and coaching is this.

A general question is information that pertains to everyone in the pageant and is factual. Coaching questions are opinion based and specific to the individual. Here is a list of general questions that you can ask the pageant director to help you with if it’s not covered in your paperwork.

Read all of your paperwork first.

• Am I allowed to take pictures and/or video during the pageant?
• Am I required to purchase an ad page for the program and how much is it?
• What are the mandatory expenses?
• Am I allowed to reformat my judge’s bio, or do I need to follow your template exactly?
• Am I (or stylists) allowed into the dressing room to help my daughter with clothing changes, hair, and makeup?
• What kind of drink and food is allowed in the dressing room? Do I need to bring my own clothing rack, long mirror, power strip, and extension cord?
• For interview, do you want the contestants to wear hose and closed toe taupe shoes or are bare legs and open toed shoes acceptable?
• For interview, do you want a classic suit (jacket with matching skirt), or is a fashion-forward dress okay?
• What length of hemline do you want to see on the interview attire?
• Do you want ball gowns, above the knee, or gowns with slits for formal wear?
• How glitzy do you want the clothing to be?
• Ask for clarification on what the pageants’ definition of fun fashion/ casual wear is : real clothing that people buy off the rack, high-low dress, red carpet, is denim allowed (in almost all cases NO ), are pants or capris allowed, are props allowed (hats, purses, masks, bags, etc).
• If your pageant has a timed personal introduction (NAM, COED, IJM, Teen America) make sure you ask if the time limit is a guideline or if points are deducted for introductions that go over the time limit.
• If your daughter wins, can she participate in other pageants while she holds this title?
• What expenses are covered by the pageant for your daughter to compete at the next level? For example, if you’re competing at a local preliminary, what’s covered for the state pageant? If you’re competing in the state pageant, what’s covered for the national?
• What are the appearance requirements of the titleholder?
• What is the modeling style like for this pageant? Traditional pageant walk, straight modeling with no hand gestures, high fashion runway? It may differ with each category so ask. It’s okay to ask about the walking pattern, too. Which side of the stage will you enter? How many stops? Where will you exit the stage?
• Will you receive scores and feedback after the pageant? What is that timeline and how should you be looking for it (mail, email, a phone call).FYI, most pageants do not give scores or feedback after the pageant so be appreciative for the ones that do.

Be respectful of the directors’ time. Think of all the questions you may have ahead of time and send them in one email, or ask them in one phone conversation. As the pageant time gets closer, directors do not have the time to answer individual questions because their focus shifts into production mode. It’s nothing personal. They have a show to produce and hundreds of details to manage.

Meet all their deadlines. Communication is critical. Directors are wonderful people who want you to participate in their pageant. If you are having challenges with the deadlines, talk with them. Don’t wait until the last minute. In order to plan the best experience for all contestants, they need to have the fees paid and know how many contestants are going to be in the pageant.

You are ultimately responsible for your pageant preparation. Once you understand the rules and expectations of the pageant, all the details are up to you and your team. I would love to help you customize your pageant plans. My upcoming AIM course would be a great place to start. Remember, the registration deadline is January 15th. Click here for all the details.

Request my free special report, 10 Insider Secrets to Winning, and receive  my free award winning newsletter weekly. Just click here or at the top of this page to GET YOUR FREE REPORT.Then fill out your name and email address in the boxes.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through  www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

Krista Yovanno, Mrs. Ohio America 2004 and co-director of Mrs. Ohio America; Kimberly Miller, Mrs. Ohio America 2010; Michelle Moore, Mrs. Ohio America 2002 and co-director of Mrs. Ohio America, and Rhonda Shappert, Mrs. Ohio America 2005 and owner of Winning Through Pageantry®.

So you‘ve decided to enter a pageant. What are pageant directors expecting from you?

 
Here is the short list of what directors expect from contestants:

• Behavior and appearance will be professional and respectful at all times.That includes rehearsals, parties, and down time when you are walking around the hotel or event area.

• All deadlines will be met without constant reminders from them. This includes financial payments, paperwork, ad pages, ticket orders and all other logistics they inform you of.

• Contestants will be on time for all activities. FYI, on time means arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled time.

• Take personal responsibility for your own pageant preparation. The director’s main focus is to create a wonderful pageant experience for ALL contestants and share the information equally among everyone. Your questions about the competition should be answered by the director either in the paperwork they’ve produced, through group orientations, or a quick email or phone call from you. They’re not your coach. Some directors will coach their state titleholders to get them ready for nationals; but that is an entirely different topic. Be respectful of their boundaries and time.

• Titleholders are expected to follow through on their obligations. If you’re unclear about what is expected of you as the queen (i.e.: rules, appearances, time commitment, further competitions and financial commitments) ask before you agree to compete in the pageant.

A pageant director is no different than the owner of a traditional business.They’re responsible for all the logistics of finding a facility for the pageant; securing judges for the event; putting together sponsors and prizes for the contestants and queens; advertising; creating all rules, paperwork, and judging criteria; hiring a staff to help run the event; arranging for entertainment and an emcee; and marketing the pageant to find contestants. WOW! That’s a lot.

The more you understand and appreciate all that directors do to create this opportunity for you, the more tolerant and patient you’ll be when things don’t logistically flow as smoothly as they could. Directors put out thousands of dollars in advance and countless hours into the pageant they’re producing. They need a certain number of contestants to financial break even, and to make a profit. Yes, making a profit is important for the pageant’s continuation.

The director is your primary source of information regarding their pageant system. It’s appropriate to ask general questions about the style of clothing worn for this pageant, the schedule, financial obligations and qualities that the pageant seeks in their titleholders. Specific questions like: is this the most flattering dress on me, what should I do with my hair, and is this a good answer if the judges ask me this question are all questions that a pageant coach, or similar professional can help you with. Not the director. I would enjoy working with you if you feel you’re ready to take your pageant preparation to the next level.

What directors are expecting and wanting are ladies that are professional, respectable, accountable and responsible to represent not only themselves with pride, but also the pageant system in which they are a titleholder.

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Being professional, respectable, accountable and responsible are qualities that carry over into all areas of your life. I’m a firm believer that how we handle the small things in our lives is how we handle all things. Be a person of your word and always remember, your actions speak so loud people can’t hear what you’re saying.

Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.

Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 21 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit  www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .

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Quick, which theme song from this 80’s movie had the following line:

“If there’s something strange

in your neighborhood…

Who you gonna call? ...Ghostbusters!”

Translation for the world of pageantry, “If there’s something  strange in your preparation…Who you gonna call? ... Your Director!”

Joking set aside, any clarification and questions you have around the rules, schedule, payments, and general details of the pageant need to go to the director first. The following list is to help you understand all the logistics a pageant director needs to handle and this list is not complete.

• Establish the date, location and schedule for the pageant.

• Develop all the paperwork, rules, areas of competition and scoring for the pageant.

• Select the judges.

• Market to find contestants.

• Handle the communication with all the contestants.

• Network to secure gifts and prizes from business sponsors.

• Arrange for entertainment, decorations and tech support for the staging of the pageant.

• Secure staff members to help run the logistics of the event.

Wow! That sounds like a real business. Guess what? It is. Directors are in the business of providing a quality, fair opportunity for ALL the contestants that participate. The director is a business owner and the pageant system is the business. Just like in business, the quality of the owner and their skills will make or break the system. As a contestant, here are two guidelines you can follow to help the directors do their job.

Respect The Deadlines

Remember, pageantry is like every other business. There are expenses that need to be paid upfront and all of the planned events are based upon a set number of participants. That’s why most fees are non-refundable. Likewise, it is very difficult for a director to produce a quality pageant if people do not pay their fees when they’re supposed to. Please notice that “bill collector” doesn’t appear on the above list :).

Respect Their Time

1.  Read through all the paperwork and materials the directors have put together.

2.  Make a list of questions you need clarification on.

3.  Arrange for a phone call so you can have them answered all at the same time.

4.  Don’t expect one-on-one coaching from a director.

Time is valuable. An important thing to remember is that you are not the only contestant in the pageant. If weeks before a pageant, every contestant made a call or sent an email to the director that required a response, it would take hours upon hours away from the director’s core responsibilities.

Also, there is a fine line between asking a general question (what style of gown does the pageant system prefer?) and a coaching question (does this dress look good on me?). Do yourself a favor, and don’t make it awkward by crossing the line. Great directors make it a point to share ALL information with ALL contestants so it is fair. They stay away from giving personal opinions because this action could be interpreted by other contestants and their family members as favoritism, selecting the winning, etc.

Your director is your greatest resource to understanding and fully experiencing the pageant system you have chosen to enter. They are providing the opportunity for you. Do your part and take responsibility for your preparation.

Remember this formula:

Preparation + Opportunity = Success

All parts are needed for the equation to work.

Visit my website and request my FREE STUFF to help with the preparation part of your formula.

When I was mayor, I learned very quickly there were two groups of people when it came to attitudes regarding rules, or law.

The first group equates rules with freedom. By knowing the parameters in which to operate, they turn their energies towards the endless possibilities within the respected area to make things happen effortlessly.

The second group views deadlines and boundaries as slavery. They are so focused on what they can’t do that enormous amounts of energy and time are used to either try to change the rules, figure out how to break the rules without getting caught, or bend the rules to fit their fancy. These choices are very draining and stressful for all involved.

Same set of rules, two different viewpoints. Will you choose freedom or slavery?

Rhonda Shappert is a pageant expert, personal development life coach, and owner of Winning Through Pageantry™, a business she created that not only helps her clients achieve winning results in pageants, but helps them Succeed From The Inside Out™ in their lives. In the pageant world she has held multiple local, state and national titles. Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three who has been married 20 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and is on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. Their music CD entitled Cana is available through www.cdbaby.com/cd/shappert or on her website. For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com.