Rules

The rule book for this year's contest has been expanded, but you can find the rules for last year below. They will give you a good idea of what to expect!

Contestants are expected to show respect for their fellow contestants and the pageant itself by following the rules. Failure to follow the rules may result in disqualification or being stripped of a title or both.

• No heels higher than two inches.
• No tiaras or crowns may be worn on the head.
• Appearance and actions should be kept to a PG 13 level.
• All contestant must identify as an age player under the age of 13.
• Five points will be detracted from the overall score should a contestant be late for his or her name call at Dress, Talent or Question.
• Contestants may have a single onstage assistant for the Talent Competition only.
• No exposed nipples or genitalia.
• All contestants must be biologically at least 18 years old.

Scoring

The specific points that the judges will be considering as they determine scores are listed under each pageant segment. Contestants will not be judged against each other, but each on individual merits, against the best version of themselves. This is an interview process to see who is best-suited to represent the age play community and the contestants should take it seriously.

The judges expect 9s, but are stingy with 10s. Contestants are expected to bring their A game and make a tremendous effort, but perfection--a score of 10--is difficult to achieve because the judges have high standards for the community. A 10 reflects superhuman perfection. A 5 represents the care expected from the average age player attending a casual age play party. A 7 or 8 is fixed up, but lacks polish. A maximum of 10 points are possible in each section, from each judge, with each section counting for 33% of the overall score.

Sections

Dress

The Dress Competition will allow contestants to show off their personal sense of style with both outfit and movement. Contestants should arrive ready to walk onstage for this part of the competition. Contestants must make a full tour of the stage, according to the diagram below.

The contestant will wait backstage until his or her name is called. Then, the contestant will walk to X 1, then X 2, then X 3, then X 4, stopping at each X. At Xes 1, 2, and 4, the contestant should spend three to five seconds on poses, facials, flirts, etc. On X 3, the contestant will stop and make a full circle turn, showing his or her outfit in its entirety to the judges. Finally, the contestant will exit the stage by walking from X 4 to the split in the curtain, without passing over X 1.

The judges will be asking themselves the following questions during the Dress Competition:

• Has the contestant made an effort to look presentable? (No scuffed shoes, showing petticoats or bra straps, missing buttons, etc.)
• Does the contestant's outfit compliment him or her? (Color, cut, fit, theme, etc.)
• If the contestant is wearing makeup, does it look neat and professional? If not, does the contestant look clean and neat? Would makeup improve the look?
• Do we get a strong sense of the contestant's personality just from the way that he or she walks?
• Does the contestant's walk compliment and enhance his or her outfit?
• Is the outfit memorable?
• Does the contestant show poise?
• Does the contestant appear confident?
• Is it clear that the contestant has practiced?
• If the contestant makes a mistake, does he or she recover well?
• Is the contestant charismatic?
• Does the contestant's smile make the judges want to smile?
• Does the contestant make eye contact with every judge? (Three to ten seconds at a time is a good length for eye contact with a single judge. More eye contact than that may make a person uncomfortable. The contestant should have an innate understanding of this.)
• Do the judges and audience get a strong sense for the age range that the contestant is portraying?
• Does the contestant seem eager to represent the age play community?
• Does the contestant hit all the marks (Xes) on the stage?

Talent

The Talent Competition allows the contestants to show off not only their specific talents or accomplishments, but that they can produce a simple stage act. Each performance or exhibition should last between two and five minutes.

Contestants should check in with the host, Siouxsie, to make sure that she knows how they would like their Talent to be announced. For example, if a contestant is reciting a poem that he wrote, he may want to make sure that the host knows to mention that the contestant is the author. If the Talent is an act and has a specific name, like “Baby Elephant Walk,” the contestant should inform the host and make sure that the host makes a note in her cards.

Contestants are allowed to bring a CD of music to accompany their Talent. Each CD should contain only the song to be used and should be clearly labeled with the contestant’s name. CDs should be given to the sound technician when the contestants arrive at the pageant.

Contestants are allowed to have one co-performer for their Talent. However, the co-performer should not upstage or overshadow the contestant and the Talent should showcase the abilities and charisma of the contestant, not the co-performer.

A Talent may be any demonstration that showcases the contestant’s developed abilities or a skit that showcases the contestant’s charisma and creativity. Playing an instrument, singing a song, performing a trick, demonstrating martial arts, and displaying a craft object that the contestant has created are all excellent Talents, so long as they are presented in a dynamic, theatrical way that entertains the audience.

The judges will be asking themselves the following questions during the Talent Competition.

• Is it clear that the contestant has practiced?
• Does the contestant seem accomplished?
• Does the contestant connect with the judges as audience members? (Eye contact, smile, expressive face, etc.)
• Is the Talent entertaining?
• If the contestant makes mistakes, does he or she cover them well?
• Will the judges be able to recall and describe the Talent a year from now?
• Would the judges book this contestant to perform at an age play event?
• Does the contestant use the stage to its full effect?

Question

The Question Competition allows the contestants to demonstrate that they are comfortable and articulate in an interview situation, as well as that they are knowledgeable about the community that they hope to represent.

Sample questions:

• What do you feel is the greatest challenge currently facing the Littles Community?
• Do you consider age play to be an expression of sexuality?
• Do you choose to inform your vanilla friends and family of your age play persona and why or why not?

Format:

1. The contestants line up to the rear of the stage and wait to be called by the host.
2. When the contestant is called, he or she steps forward and stands beside the host.
3. The contestant draws a question from the bowl offered by the host.
4. The contestant hands the selected question to the host, who reads it aloud.
5. The contestant takes the microphone from the host and answers the question. (It is recommended that the answer begins with the repeated question. For example: “I want to be Little Mister Little because…” or “In the past year, I have augmented the spirit of my community by…”)
6. The contestant returns the microphone to the host and exits the stage.

The judges will be asking themselves the following questions during the Question Competition.

• Does the contestant seem comfortable using a microphone and speaking to an audience?
• Does the answer make sense?
• Does the contestant answer the question directly? Does the answer contain irrelevant information?
• Does the contestant seem informed?
• Regardless of whether or not the judges agree, does the contestant make a compelling point?
• Does the contestant speak clearly?
• Does the contestant speak with conviction and sincerity?
• Is the contestant someone who would represent the age play community to a media outlet in a positive and progressive way?
• Does the contestant stand with good posture when being interviewed?
• Does the contestant's answer seem natural or forced or contrived?
• Does the contestant look at the judges when answering?
• Does the contestant seem to have a fresh, eager, positive outlook on age play and life in general?
• Is the contestant able to answer the question in a professional manner while still maintaining the “little” je ne sais quoi?
• Does the contestant still appear to be well-groomed during the final section of the pageant?