Disclaimer: brutal honesty below.
While watching an episode of Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition, it dawned upon me that the dance world is much like the pageant world. There are people your age that you are competing with, who want the same things, who are spending just as much (if not more) money on things to make them shine etc. But something really stood out were the parents...
While we all love our parents to pieces, I think we need to consider if they are hurting us. More specifically, is mom or dad always looking panicked? Starting drama? Talking behind people's backs? You certainly do not need that drama during pageant week or weekend, so why should you be surrounded by it? Not to mention, is your friend or boyfriend tagging along? Does that friend have green (or whatever unnatural color) hair? Ripped jeans and a tee shirt, escorting you to rehearsal? What image does that present of you?
Let's remember ladies, even if the pageant director does not want to admit it, an image or an idea is being cast of you by how you dress, how you present yourself etc and if you're presenting yourself with a mom who hasn't cared to get dressed for the morning or a friend who is still in their PJs, how does that make you look?
It's all about image - your personal brand. What brand or image are you telling the world? Will this brand or image develop much while being the titleholder? Will it develop for the positive? Pageants want representatives. They want girls who look, act, behave etc in a certain way. That's a fact. You have to fit an image - whether that's the "all-american girl" or the "glam girl", that's just the truth. Consider what image the people around you are giving off.
Advice: show that you are independent and strong. You don't need mom breathing down your neck or brushing your hair in the dressing room. Be a big girl and do it yourself. Leave the boyfriend or best friend at home or in the room. Stop the tag-alongs! Never fail to look and be the titleholder!
Yes, the judges do not see the crazy mom or friends in PJs but everyone else does. The pageant system is not just crowning you - they crown your family for a year too! They have to spend the year with you ALL - I don't know about you, but I rather them like my family and make my year fun rather than them talk about me to other directors in other systems or spread the word that I'm a baby or can't handle myself.
You read the disclaimer...and if you are here, you read the blog above. Don't freak out - I'm not speaking directly at your situation, but I am telling you - people will not want to work with you, even if life, if you give off the wrong image or idea. It is a reality, now how can you fix your reality?
Don't let that single person be the reason why you have difficulties winning! Don't be the girl who says, "they tarnished my image and I didn't even know it"!
My story: long story short, you all know I love and live pageants. While at a recent event on-site, one person bothered me so much and caused so much drama that I honestly wanted to quit my work. I wanted to pack up and leave. Heaven forbid if that person causes that drama outside of the BV room and in the ballrooms because her child will never win - her image/brand will be one of chaos and chaos will not win. Don't let someone tarnish your image!
