Rules and                     Regulations

OVERVIEW

•Each delegate must be a naturally born, genetic female.

•English is the official language of the Miss Essence/ Mrs. Essence Pageant.

•Each delegate must be of good moral character having never committed a public act that is not consistent with the highest standards of moral integrity. She must not have appeared nude in print, film or live, or participated in any lewd or provocative public acts or behaviors.

ENTRY FEE/ PAYMENTS

Each national at-large delegate is required to pay an entry fee to enter national pageant. The fee for the 2009 national pageant is $695 . Delegates may pay the entire fee themselves, or may seek sponsors to help defray the cost of competing. Delegates will have the opportunity to provide a list of sponsors to the national office. Sponsors will be recognized in the Pageant official program book and on stage at no additional charge.

Payment may be made by certified check, money order, personal check or Pay Pal.

Upon acceptance of a delegate's application, delegate must make an initial deposit payment of $250 within 90 business days of acceptance. After that, each delegate is required to pay the balance of the entry fee no later than August 1, 2010.

A delegate’s at-large state title will be confirmed, and her state crown ordered after payment of $300.00 is made (application fee of $50.00 and $250 deposit) to  Drakeford Productions, LLC.

Entry Fee Includes:

•Entry into the national pageant

•Official Miss TEEN Essence, Miss Essence or Mrs.  Essence state crown

•Official Miss TEEN Essence, Miss Essence or Mrs. Essence embroidered state sash

•Professional Dance Training by Kim Jones-Metropolitan Dance

•Entrance to DP Alumni Party

•Sponsor gift: AVON

•Contestant Breakfast August 28, 2009 Sponsored by Mrs. Essence, Tivika Taswell-Richardson

 

Entry Fee Does Not Include:

•Hotel Accommodations

•Travel Expenses or Meals

•Opening Number and Competition Wardrobe

•Program Book Advertisements (optional)

•Personal Expenses

•Business Cards/ Autograph Cards

DEADLINES

The fee deadline for the pageant is August 1, 2010. Any and all fees must be paid by this deadline. Fees include, but are not limited to, entry fees, advertisement fees, pre-ordered tickets and/ or program books and any other fees not mentioned here.

All required paperwork; program book photo and ad copy must be received by the national office by August 1, 2010.

All deadlines will be strictly adhered to. There will be no exceptions to deadlines under any circumstances. Delegate understands that failure to meet deadlines will result in judge’s panel being made aware of delinquency. Penalty to delegate’s score due to tardiness will be at the sole discretion of judges panel.

REFUND POLICY

Any and all fees paid to Drakeford Productions, LLC are non-refundable and non-transferable under any circumstances. This includes any and all fees paid by the delegate or by anyone on behalf of the delegate.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an at-large state title, a delegate must meet at least one of the following criteria:

•Born in the state

•Residency in the state (current or previous)

•Property owned in the state (current or previous)

•Employment in the state (current or previous)

•Attend school in the state (current or previous)

Upon receipt of the initial deposit, the at-large delegate’s title is considered pending with a reserved title. Once the national office receives $300 ($50 app fee and $250 deposit) the at-large delegate’s title will be confirmed. The at-large delegate’s state crown and sash will be ordered and national paperwork mailed once the at-large delegate has been moved to confirmed status.

At-large delegates will receive written notice from the national office of their title status as it moves from pending to confirm.

STATE PAGEANTS

If there is a state pageant in the state in which a delegate resides, delegate may choose to compete in said state pageant or apply directly to the national pageant at-large.

State pageant delegates agree to look solely to the state pageant director for any and all matters relating to the state pageant.  Drakeford Productions, LLC is not liable to any state pageant delegate for any and all matters whatsoever in connection with the state pageant.

If selected as a state queen of a state pageant, delegate agrees to attend the Miss TEEN Essence, Miss Essence or Mrs. Essence national pageant, and to look to the national office for all matters regarding the national pageant.

State pageant winners may not recompete in the same division in the same state pageant. They may reenter the state pageant once they are eligible to move into another division to compete for that division’s state title.

State pageant winners may reenter the Miss TEEN Essece, Miss Essence or Mrs. Essence national pageant as an at-large delegate in years following their reign as a state pageant titleholder.

AT-LARGE DELEGATES

All delegates at the Essence national pageants compete on equal terms, regardless of whether a state pageant winner or at-large delegate.

RETURNING DELEGATES

At-large delegates may reenter the pageant from year to year.

Returning at-large delegates from the previous year will have priority selection to represent their same state title, if they chose to re compete at the national pageant that subsequent year, subject to qualifying criteria.

COMMERCIAL TIE-UPS

Delegates may have a commercial tie-up, modeling contract, agency agreement or other similar contract. However, such contract may not permit or authorize the use of the Miss Essence/ Mrs. Essence Pageant name.

JUDGES AND SCORING PROCEDURES

•National judges' panel will be comprised of at least seven qualified judges. This judge’s panel will evaluate all delegates in all divisions in all competitive areas.

•Drakeford Productions, LLC has the sole authority and discretion to select the judges' panel.

•Drakeford Productions, LLC will strive to select a judges' panel that is well qualified and professionally and culturally diverse.

•Judges’ names will not be released to delegates prior to the start of the 2009 pageant.

•Judges are educated and informed of the Pageant judging procedures, expectations and processes prior to and upon arrival at the 2009 pageant.

•Delegates are not permitted to converse with, approach or otherwise interact with any judges during the entire course of the 2009 pageant. Delegates violating this will risk disqualification. Judges are also instructed not to converse with, approach or otherwise interact with delegates during the entire course of the 2009 pageant, other than during scheduled competitive events.

•All decisions of the judges are final.

Scoring Procedures:

•All tabulating at the 2009 pageant will be conducted by a state licensed, Certified Public Accountant selected by Drakeford Productions, LLC.

•Scoring point values vary based on the total weight of each competitive area.

•Scoring point values for each competitive area are as follows:

•All scoring point values are per competitive area, with a maximum potential total score for any delegate being 10 points total per judge.

•The delegate in each division with the highest combined score will be named the national queen in that division.

•Judges will be asked to rank the top five delegates in the division. The ranking and score will be; 1st place = 5 points, 2nd place = 3 points, 3rd place = 1 point.

Hotel

Delegates are required to stay at the host hotel, and are responsible for their own hotel expenses. An exception to this requirement will be made for delegates who live within a radius to the host hotel that it is reasonable to drive to and from the host hotel and venue.

Travel

Delegates are responsible for their own travel arrangements. Assume responsibility for minors before, during or after the national pageant.

Photographs

All delegates must provide a photo for the official national program book to the national office. We will need a 300 DPI head shot and a full body shot. It must be emailed to: essencepageant@hotmail.com

Attire

Delegates are responsible for their own competition and rehearsal/ special event attire before, during and after the pageant. Specific information on wardrobe requirements will be communicated through email.

Conflict of Interest

Relatives of Miss Essence/ Mrs. Essence Directors, staff members or others affiliated with Drakeford Productions, LLC in an official capacity are not permitted to compete in any Miss Essence/ Mrs. Essence pageant while such a relationship exists.

© Drakeford Productions, L.L.C. 2010 All Rights Reserved