Note:  these will be the exact instructions given to our judges - they are reading what you are reading.  This page subject to alteration as we continue to clarify.  The judges will receive these instructions via email 2 weeks prior to the event to have time to study the rules and ask questions.  Prior to the event, the judges will be briefed in person and shown how to use the computerized scoring.

Beauty Events 

The beauty competition is judged 50% on facial beauty, 25% on overall appearance, 25% on modeling, personality and stage presence.

When judging facial beauty, please try very hard to concentrate ONLY on the facial beauty of the contestant.  I know it is hard to look past a great personality, fantastic modeling, or that gorgeous dress - but try your hardest to see ONLY the face when considering the facial beauty score.  Imagine a frame around just the facial area and try to ignore the beautifully styled hair, makeup, dress, and certainly ignore the personality and modeling.  A child could come out in a walmart beauty dress and never smile and just go to stand at each X and receive a perfect score in facial beauty if warranted from a gorgeous face.  Please pay special attention to this as facial beauty weighs heavily in this event's scoring.

Overall Appearance takes in the entire contestant.  Is the style and color of the dress flattering to the contestant?  Does it fit?  Is the contestant's hair style beautiful, elegant, and does it flatter the contestant's face?  Is the contestant's makeup beautiful and enhancing the contestant's face, or is it poorly done and distracting?  Is the contestant a beautiful picture from head to toe?  The contestant should give an immediate overall impression of glamorous elegant beauty.

A spray tan is a normal part of glitz pageantry.  It can be a light tan to a dark tan.  You do not want to see a splotchy or streaky tan, or a tan that is a bizarre color like green or oompah loompah orange.  The makeup on the face should match the tan (most tanners do not tan the child's face, but the makeup artist matches the face to the body). 

A dress may be clean and elegant, or heavily stoned & elaborate.  Either is fine.  Look at the fit and how the dress compliments the child. 

Fake hair, flippers (fake teeth), and stage makeup are all part of glitz pageantry.  Even if you yourself prefer a more natural look, do not count off in any way for a child being full glitz - our contestants are instructed that this is a glitz pageant and to bring on the bling!  These items should compliment the child - not detract from the child.  Yes, you may know that there is a hairpiece - but does that hairpiece look beautiful on the child?  Stage makeup is heavier than makeup you would see at the mall, but is that makeup well done & enhancing the child's beauty?  There are good flippers and there are bad flippers - is it helping or hurting?  It should not draw undue attention to itself.

Modeling should NOT count in any way in this overall appearance score.  A dazzling child could walk out and stand on the x's and get perfect scores in facial beauty and overall appearance.  Please try to look past flashy modeling on this score, just as you did on the facial beauty.  This score should ONLY be the child's overall appearance.

Modeling, Personality and Stage Presence - does the contestant light up the stage?  Can you not take your eyes off her?  Is she confident and full of life?  Is she charismatic?  Is her personality just radiating from her?  Is her modeling smooth and beautiful?  Eye contact with judges is very important. 

Judges will take into consideration the age of the contestant.  Judges will not deduct for missing teeth, braces, eyeglasses, blemishes, or bruises.  Our judges are familiar with normal childhood and teenage occurrences and will not hold them against you.  Race, nationality and handicaps shall NEVER be discriminated against.  Be careful you give equal weight to all skin colors – no certain skin color preferred.  Judges will NOT count off for a child's weight; children go through weight fluctuations as a normal part of childhood and we do not support the idea of children dieting and obsessing over weight.

Glitz beauty contestants will be expected to be in pageant dresses.  Bring on the bling!  Think glamorous and elegant.  Makeup & enhancements allowed - contestants may have fake hair, fake eyelashes, flippers, fake tan, artificial nails, etc.  Note:  we are looking for full glitz!  Over the top?  Bring it on.

In some age categories, a long OR short dress is commonly acceptable.  Please do not count off for the length of a dress whether long or short - some children mature earlier than others and move up into a long dress more quickly than others in their age category.

Facial beauty will be judged DURING Interview. Please wear your pageant t-shirt and skirt, shorts or pants of your choice.  No makeup and hair pulled back from  your face.  Tan and artificial nails are ok as we know everyone will be preparing on Friday for the weekend.

100% facial beauty.

Modeling Events

Crown Jewels Wear - use your imagination & show us your interpretation of crown jewels wear!  This is the category where you can have a LOT of fun - unique ideas encouraged!  Props ok.  The judges will be focusing on how the contestant's routine entertains them, the personality of the contestant as expressed in the character chosen, and the creativity and originality of the presentation.  This is not a talent event and at least some portion of the time you are on stage must include modeling.  You will be judged 25% on choice of theme/originality, 25% on modeling, personality and stage presence, 25% on facial beauty and 25% on overall impression.

Swimwear:  Model your choice of age appropriate swimwear.  25% facial beauty, 25% modeling, personality and stage presence, 50% overall stage presentation.

Outfit of Choice:  Model your choice of outfit, casual wear, sportswear, themed wear, western wear, etc.  You will be judged 25% on facial beauty, 25% on modeling, personality and stage presence, and 50% on overall impression. 

Notes:  Big girls wear high heels with their swimwear - little girls traditionally go barefoot.    Ideas for OOC and Crown Jewels wear should be age appropriate - we do not want to see Toddlers & Tiaras style shock value – outfits should be in good taste.

Judges need to be aware that there should be no prejudice towards the cuteness of a 3 year old's routine vs. the elegant style of an older girl's routine.  Both are equally preferred.  Try to look at the individual child and always keep in mind the elements you are judging.  Any age child may do a sportswear or western wear routine, which includes a very flashy glitzy outfit and pro am type modeling.  Do not penalize any age for this type of outfit or routine, as it is typical of all ages in glitz pageants.  In ooc, it is sometimes difficult to compare a casual wear to a themed ooc to a sportswear or western wear routine - but again, just focus on the elements you are judging about each performance and try not to get sidetracked on other factors.

Note:  there are no rules against gymnastics in our events. However, please keep in mind that this is not a gymnastics meet, and while it is wonderful that a child could do six backflips across the stage, that does not necessarily make him or her the top winner in the event.  Please keep in mind the judging criteria at all times.  There is no score for ‘gymnastic ability”.

Photo Events

Glitz Color:  This must be a color close up head shot.  You will be judged 50% on facial beauty, 50% on total photo appeal.

Glitz B & W:  This must be a black & white close up head shot.  You will be judged 50% on facial beauty, 50% on total photo appeal.

Natural Color:  This must be a color close up head shot.  Judges will be looking for a natural (not enhanced) photo.  Light retouching allowed for removing stray hairs or blemishes.  You will be judged 50% facial beauty, 50% total photo appeal.

Print Model:  This is a photo that could be used in a magazine, 3/4 body or full body shot.  50% facial beauty, 50% total photo appeal.

Portfolio:  This is a collection of your favorite photos - head shots, full length, inside/outside, color/b& w, your choice.  The judges will be judging 25% facial beauty, 25% on collective photo appeal, 50% on variety.

Comp Card:  This will feature a variety of your photos to include head shots and full body or three quarter shots.  Judges will be judging 50% facial beauty, 25% on originality/creativity, 25% on variety.

Series:  a 10 x 20 series board that shows creativity and originality.  Judges will be judging 50% on originality/creativity, 25% facial beauty, 25% overall appeal.

Other Events

Interview:  Judges will casually chat with the contestant - no pressure or tough questions.  See instructions on what to wear under "Facial Beauty" above.  100% personality.  Please do not consider beauty in the scoring of interview.  Please only judge on personality.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO JUDGES:

1.  Please make this as positive an experience for each contestant as you can.  Smile at the contestants and put them at ease!  Smile and wave at babies & young children.  Your positive response to each contestant will help them to perform better on stage and to leave feeling that they did a great job.

2.  Please score each child individually.  Do not hold back on your scores.  If the first contestant on stage deserves perfect scores, give them - please do not hold back thinking that there might be another contestant who is 'better.'  More than one contestant in each group could receive perfect scores, if deserved. 

3.  Please do not talk to any of the contestants or their families until competition is over.  A 'hi' is fine if you run into someone in the hall, but any discussion of the child or the competition should not occur until the completion of judging.  If anyone other than pageant staff approaches you wanting to discuss their child or the competition before judging is over, please contact the director immediately.  If after crowning you would like to talk to the parent, please discuss only their child and not the other contestants.

4.  For photo competition, you will choose your favorite photo submitted by the contestant in each category and you will judge that photo.  Each judge may choose a different photo, or they may judge the same photo as another judge.

5.  Please do not judge any contestant on any other basis other than what is explained above for each event or photo.  Please do not judge any contestant on their performance on any other day – I do not care if you know that the child is normally phenomenal on stage – judge what you see that DAY.  Please do not judge on improvement.

6.  Think before you write - after you write it, the score will not be changed.  Please do not score overall impression until entire performance is over.

7.  We encourage judges' comments on the score sheets but please state comments in a POSITIVE way.  Examples:  "beautiful girl", "great smile", "lovely eyes" etc but you can also state constructive criticism in a positive way "I would love to see her in blue, would really compliment her eyes," "needs eye contact - I want to see those beautiful eyes!" "neckline of dress distracting from her beautiful face" "routine seemed robotic - this child has a great personality, focus less on routine & more on showing that beautiful smile".  Judges will not make any comments about something that can't be changed - not constructive - at one pageant we were told by a judge that Chelsea's chest was too big, and obviously we weren't having a breast reduction at 17 - to me this is not constructive criticism.  A judge should never write anything harmful to a child such as "eyes too close together" or - as I heard was once written on a scoresheet about a beautiful child - "should not be in pageants."  Think of the child's feelings, the parent's feelings, and most of all the fact that this child has the guts to get up there on stage in front of you and that in itself says a wonderful, positive thing about this child.  Something positive can be said about EVERY child and we would love to see feedback for the parents.  Don't hold back constructive criticism; just please, keep it constructive.  Remember, you will be discussing your scoring with parents after the pageant - be prepared to explain your score and to give helpful comments.  When a parent stays and stands in line to talk to you, they have a genuine desire to help their child improve; be respectful and always remember the courage that child had in getting up on that stage in front of you.  Be careful how you phrase things - this is that mom's BABY - every baby out there is beautiful.  Don't tear any child down - have only constructive, helpful things to say.  Use your notes when talking to parents and refer to the poster if needed.

8.  This is a GLITZ pageant.  As a judge, you will be seeing fake hair (should match and compliment the child), spray tans (tans may be light to dark but should never be splotchy, streaky, or weird color like green or oompah loompah orange), flippers (these are the fake teeth), fake eyelashes, and makeup.  All of these are normal for glitz pageants and should not be counted off for in any way.  Dresses may be clean and elegant to elaborate and heavily stoned, and should fit and compliment the child - do not count off for more stones or less stones but look at the overall appearance of the child and does the dress enhance or take away from that?  We tell our contestants we want full glitz and to go ALL OUT.  Don't penalize them for following our directions, even if you personally might prefer a more natural look.

9.  Scoring:  we are using a 1/10 point scoring system. 

I NEVER want a parent or contestant to walk out of Crown Jewels traumatized because of an extremely low score.  That is not what this is about.  Making a parent or child feel horrible actually goes against everything I think pageantry is about.

Obviously, there have to be higher scores and lower scores.  If we did not have higher scores and lower scores, there would be no way to determine the winners.  However, we'd like for lower scores to simply be a guide for improvement and not in any way say any child is UGLY or undeserving.  With any lower score, I'd like to see a comment to help.

10.  A boy or a baby may score just as high as an 8 year old, 12 year old, or 18 year old girl.  Please do not hold back on scores on boys or babies due to their gender or age.  A young child will obviously not have the modeling technique of an older girl.  Keep in mind at all times the 5 most important things you are looking for in each contestant, outlined below.  If a boy or a baby meets all this criteria, they should receive the scores to reflect that.

Ties broken at Crown Jewels by facial beauty scores.  If that is also equal, it will go back to the judges to decide.

What do we want to see in the top winners at Crown Jewels?

Beautiful - facial beauty is 50% of your beauty score and 25% of crown jewels wear and ooc wear.  Facial beauty is also 50% or 25% of ALL photo scores and 100% of facial beauty score.

Confident - you should radiate confidence.   We want to see personality and sass!

Stage Presence - you should light up the stage.  You should SHINE and pull us in.  We need to say WOW!

Overall Appearance - Every detail beautiful!  Clothing should fit well and compliment the child's coloring and appearance.

Clever & original ideas on themes - An original cute idea, presented well - plus the above criteria!! - is what is going to win Crown Jewels wear.