Preliminary Participant Information
 

What happens at check-in?
When you arrive the day of the pageant, you will check in at the check in table.  This is when you also turn in your photogenic photo (if you have not written the participants name on the back, we will ask you if we can do so).  We will give you your participant number and your complimentary chaperone bracelet (this is for the chaperone, not the participant).  You will also receive an emcee card to fill out and you can fill this out at the table or take it with you and turn it in before the pageant begins.  Finally, you will be asked if you want to sign up for the side awards and fun fashion and can pay for them at that point.  At some point before the pageant, you’ll want to put your souvenirs you have brought into the gift bags that will be set up somewhere near the check in table.
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What can I expect to happen at a preliminary pageant?PPreliminary pageants run approximately from 9am-2pm.  More exact times will be given approximately a week before the pageant.  After check-in, the participant and a chaperone are invited to participate in the modeling workshop.  This is a time for us to review the modeling pattern and allow all participants to practice.  Participants should be fully ready in their Casualwear outfits.  The modeling workshop is followed immediately by playtime and then interviews.  Participants will wear their casualwear outfit for Playtime and Interview.  These are both private events and no spectators will be allowed in the ballroom during this time.  We then open the doors for any other guest (guest passes are $5 each) and begin the pageant with Casualwear modeling, followed by Fun Fashion modeling and then Partywear/Formalwear modeling.  Immediately following Partywear/Formalwear modeling, the Older Prince Charming and Tots participants will begin Onstage Personality.  Older Prince Charming and Tots should remain in their Partywear outfits for this event.  While the Prince Charming and Tot participants are doing Onstage Personality, the Miniature Miss, Miss, Teen, and women participants should prepare for talent as talent will immediately follow Personality.  Your music for talent can be emailed to the preliminary director ahead of time or you can just hook up to our Bluetooth at the pageant.  After talent, those participants should change back into their partywear/formalwear clothing for awards.  Everyone who competes receives a title and a trophy.  Most participants will also receive a crown and a sash.

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What are souvenirs? 
A memorable part of Cinderella ls is the exchanging of souvenir gifts with other participants. You will need to bring approximately 20 gifts (your preliminary director will give you an exact number about a week before the pageant) for the participants, judges, and royaly.  These souvenir gifts are tokens of friendship from you and your area and may be donated to you by your city, state, Chamber of Commerce or the merchants of your area. They SHOULD NOT be expensive; however, they may not be brochures or literature of any kind.  Simple, small, and thoughtful items are desired and will be treasured. Each gift should be personalized with your name, title, hometown, and best wishes (NO ADDRESSES, PLEASE).  Upon arrival, the gifts should be distributed in the designated bags. We have found that the ideas are limitless. Some of the best gifts in the past have actually been made by the participants and their families. Remember, it is not the expense of the gift that is important, but rather the thought behind the gift that really makes it meaningful.  Your souvenir gift is NOT a scored part of the competition. A cute one that won best souvenir at one of the pageants was a little container of sand that had crowns stars and little shells in it.  Another winner was a pack of pop rocks that had a phrase like “blow it away today”.
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What are side awards?
Side awards are an optional event that has no effect on the overall pageant.  The cost is $20 and you can win Best Smile, Best Personality, Best Photo, and/or Best Souvenir.  The winner will win an award and will be recognized on stage. 
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What is fun fashion?
Fun Fashion is an optional event that has no effect on the overall pageant.  The cost is $10 and the winner receives ½ of the pot.  Fun Fashion will have a different theme for each pageant depending on the season and it is a freeform runway style of modeling.  Your director will let you know what the theme is for the Fun Fashion for your pageant.  Not all pageants do fun fashion.
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How is Cinderella judged?
Cinderella is not a score-based system, instead, participants are ranked in different areas of competition and winners for beauty, personally/talent, and photogenic are determined by their ranking.  The overall winner for a division is based on who would make the best Cinderella Girl.  Cinderella is not a facial beauty system.  We are based on poise, personality, and talent (for girls that participate in talent).  While clothing is not judged in an all-natural pageant, like Cinderella, the clothing can affect the outcome by how it enhances or detracts from the participant. 
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What happens after the pageant?
Your director will send you an email with everything you need to know as well, but this is what you can expect.  Once you participate in a PA Cinderella preliminary pageant, you have the option to participate in more preliminary pageants.  If you win an overall title, you have the option to Honor Roll at additional preliminary pageants throughout the year.  The Honor Roll costs less, and you will get judges notes, but you will not receive a new title.  You must submit your letter of intent and $100 deposit for the State Pageant in order to Honor Roll.  If you did not win an overall title, you can also honor roll, or you can compete again to try to earn a higher title.  If you decide to compete again, you will pay the full amount and you will receive a new title and judges notes.  Everyone who participates in preliminary pageant qualifies to attend the state pageant and no longer have to pay the $100 At-Large fee.  If you win a preliminary pageant, we would like to encourage you to attend our state pageant, but there is no requirement to do so.  All preliminary participants will receive a letter of intent and instructions on how to reserve your spot.  If you win your division at our state pageant as a Tot through Teen, you are required to attend the national pageant, or you must forfeit your title and will no longer be able to participate in Cinderella.  Our State Pageant is at the Seven Springs Resort over Memorial Day weekend and our International Pageant is held in Dallas Texas the last week of July. 
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