Complaint Review: Dawn Rochelle Productions - Mckinney Texas

I've read everyones reports on Dawn Rochelle Productions and the Miss Latina World Pageant. I myself am a coordinator for a Pageant, however one not affiliated with Dawn Rochelle or the Miss Latina World Pageant. If everyone paid attention to the web site when they entered the pageant. They were competing to be the 2008 queen but the pageant is being held in 2007. If you look at the site know it shows the 2007-8 Queen Melina Fernandez and they are asking you if you would like to compete in the 2008 pageant, making you the queen for 2008-9. confusing!

I have changed my pageant because of this. My pageant was held in November 2007 and we used to advertise it as 2007-2008 queen. the girls that win are the queens for 2008 so this last November we crowned our 2008 Queen.

I was a little disappointed. NO, a lot!

I totally understand the name changes for Dawn's company because she did get divorced. I myself did the same thing. I changed my name back to my maiden name. I was disappointed in the pageant itself. As far as the production of it. The entry fee for my pageant is only $275. Mind you they are local contestants but still. We have 4 days of rehearsals and I take the contestants to special events set up by me for the city to meet with them.

My contestants are judged in 4 categories, interview with judges, physical fitness (which would be sports wear instead of swim suits) gown competition and on stage questions. the minute the final rehearsal starts there is absolutely no contact with any person other than a staff member of the pageant. If one of my staff members knows a contestant they are not allowed back stage. There are no family members seated directly behind the judges, these seats are blocked off and are used for visiting queens and special guest of the pageant.

What I saw in this pageant was disorganization. I felt that since it is considered an international pageant and has been going on for a while that it would have run more smoothly.

What I didn't like:

1. The fact that the pageant was moved from the 4th of July weekend to October.

I was told by a photographer from Las Vegas at an event I was at in Puerto Vallarta was that if the pageant was moved it was probably because they do not have a location for the pageant yet. I don't post my pageant until I have the location. It's something that is decided on before the current pageant is held. so that we can announce when and where the following pageant will be.

2. All items needed to be turned into the pageant before June because of a online contest they had for photogenic.

Here we were telling everyone that they needed to go online to vote at the pageant web site and you could not access the link to get to the site. I tried e-mailing and calling the phone numbers and web sites given me and no one would answer. I could only leave a message. I finally got a e-mail from Ilesett, who was Dawn's assistant (Just a note: I received an very nice e-mail from her stating that she is no longer with the company) stating that e-mails were sent out that the pageant had been moved and photogenic would be voted on closer to the pageant. This all made sense at the time. Later after we e-mailed everyone to vote, a $10 charge was placed on each vote anyone made. It was later stated that the money made from the voting would go toward the monies won by the winners.

3. the contestants were told that they would receive their crown and sash in the mail along with their handbook and ticket information and well as information regarding the hotel so that family members could rent rooms at a discounted price.

I don't remember anyone having their crown or sash when we arrived. they were handed out at a meeting the first day of the preliminaries. I didn't expect the crowns to be expensive ones. but a Bigger impact would have been for them to arrive at the airport with their crowns on their heads. This would cause people to ask why they were in Las Vegas. We were told a weeks before the pageant what hotel it was and the discount was about $50 a night. I happen to have a family member who could get us a bigger discount and I had two rooms. The total cost for my family to stay there was $1400.00 for the three days. We drove to Las Vegas.

Note: Most pageants that I send Queens to, have special accommodations for it's contestants they do not stay in the same room with their families. Family members are not part of any event. All contests do everything together. I think the contestants should have been roomed at least two to a room and all family members should make their own room accommodations. They should all go to eat together , they should have been taken sight seeing as a group wearing their crowns so that people could see them.

4. We were told that there would be a bathing suit preliminary...... the closes thing to a preliminary for swim suits was trying to get the contestants to the hotel pool area to be photographed. there were several photographers that were considered staff photographers, but they seemed to only photograph certain contestants.

NOTE: I personally had two photographers with me. One was considered staff and the other his assistant. They did photograph every single contestant and if you don't get any photos from Dawn Rochelle Productions please contact me through my e-mail. My add is in the back of the program. The photographers that were with me will send them to you.

5. the contestants were told that they would be going site seeing. They were told to meet in the lobby. When we got to the lobby no one showed up. because I am a coordinator, I was a little concerned. The group of girls waiting to go sight seeing ranged in ages from 15- miss, and a few of their parents. I stopped Giselle and asked her who was taking the girls site seeing and I was told this was their free time and they could go where ever they wanted. My concern for this is as a production company I would feel that they are responsible for the contestants. I felt that all the contestants should have been keep together and everything they did should have been done as a group. There were contestants their from all over the place. Some have never been to Las Vegas. So I went into Coordinator mood and make there site seeing trip fun. I took one of the photographers with me and a few parents. The girls didn't wear their crowns but they should have, they did however wear their sashes. we paid for our own taxi cabs which cost about $20 each time we got into one. We went to Caesars palace to start our site seeing and we were met by Caesar and Cleopatra who were more then happy to pose with the contestants. When the girls lined up for the photo everyone arriving at the hotel started asking why they were their and taking photos with the girls. We also went to Paris and were allowed into the lounge in the Eiffel Tower and again they were allowed to take photos with people visiting. After a few more stops and attracting crowds asking for photos my photographer friend paid for a limo to bring the girls back to the hotel.

6. Party at the Brazilian Nightclub. This was a trip arranged by Miss Brazil and yes it was a party that she was introduced to, but I understood that she was asked to bring the contestants with her if they could. What I thought was funny was that the contestants were told that the sightseeing was to be done on their own, even though it was on their itinerary of stuff they had to do, and the Brazilian Nightclub was a mandatory thing that everyone needed to go. Everyone met in the lobby around 10pm and Ilisett arranged for a lot of cabs to arrive at the hotel and take us to this event. What we found out after we were in the cabs that we had to pay for them ourselves. I was in one of the last cars and the staff from the pageant was getting into the last two cars. We were taken clear across town a few miles away from the strip to this night club. Once there we were taken into the night club which accommodated the contestants nicely. It was more of a restaurant then a night club. They had them pose for photos, introduce themselves. they even had a samba dancer, which got the contestants up and dancing with her. But not once did the staff in the last two cars show up. When it got to be about 12:30am I asked the director from Puerto Rico who was making arrangement for the contestants to get back to the hotel he said he didn't know. So again I went into coordinator mode and started calling for Taxies. We needed 6 taxies to get back. several people drove over in their own cars and they took back extra contestants and their families. When the last 2 taxies came to pick us up it was after 2:30am. and the contestants dance rehearsal at 7:30am. When asked about the trip to the night club and why the staff didn't show up. They felt the taxi drives didn't know where they were taking everyone and went back to the hotel and that this was not a mandatory event and the girls were again on their own.

7. the modeling class. this class cost each of the girls that participated $190. I was told by the girls that attended the class, that the exact same thing was taught to them when they were learning the on stage walks. There was nothing extraordinary about the class other than they had to pay $190

8. Each of the girls was to receive a gift bag and shirt and no one received one. they were told later that the items would be mailed to them. I can't speak for anyone else but my daughter has not received hers yet.

9. meals were to be included in their competitions, but I only saw the contestants fed twice. Once at the dance rehearsal which was a buffet for breakfast that the hotel had. and a pizza and sodas tat was brought to the auditorium while they were doing rehearsals and no cup or plates were furnished with the meal.

10 the press conference auction. I was really disappointed with this event. I expected a large conference room with news media, maybe some important people from the City of Las Vegas, but nothing. We were charged to go to this event and the room could hold possible 75 people comfortable. but there were only about 20 people there. Family and friends of the contestants and the 5 photographers. The purpose we were led to believe was to auction off the gift items brought by each contestant to raise the most money possible. The gift basket my daughter brought had a value of about $300. I feel that invitations should have been sent out to businesses in Las Vegas or Dawn should have contacted the local paper and have them cover the event or place an ad in the paper to draw more people in to this event. The interview with the judges was also done at this event. My daughter liked being interviewed this way better than sitting in front of the judges. However if you look at the video supplied by Giselle company She did not draw the attention of the people that were in attendance. There were people talking over the contestants and Giselles English is not that good so it almost sounded like she wasn't sure what she was asking the contestants. The only contestants she felt comfortable talking to were the contestants that spoke Spanish.

this was the Miss Latina World Pageant and I felt that even the Contestants that did not speak Spanish, their Questions and Answers should have been translated into Spanish for those who were their that could not understand English.

11. Back stage at the pageant. One of the big complaints was that only certain contestants had make-up artists. Again this was a part of the pageant that I felt was unfair. I asked if my other daughter could go back stage to do the make-up and hair for my daughter that was a contestants. She was not denied but she was told that she would have to be willing to do the make-up and hair of the other contestants as well. The contestants were given 1 hour to get ready for the pageant after rehearsals. How does a MUA do more than one girl? I felt that everyone should of already gone with their make-up on or do their own. There should have only been one person back stage to help zip up gowns or any other small duty that had to be done.

12. The rest of the pageant what we saw on stage was okay. There were no fancy sets only a sheet type back drop. contestants were charged $20 more to sit in the front row as apposed to the second row. which was $45. In one of the comments from a staff member who ever was lined up first to sit in the front got first choice. So why did the sell more tickets for the front row than there were seats available. There was no entertainment. Not a singer or dancer. Nothing. Just the contestants.

One of the biggest complaints was the fact that several of the contestants family members were directly behind the judges buying them waters and snacks, as well as talking to them through out the program. There should have been actually NO contact with the judges by anyone.

I have to admit, I meet each of the contestants and felt that the ones that won were justified. I have been doing pageants for over 5 years and have judged a few myself. My daughter did not win. But in talking with the contestants seeing how they interacted, their on stage presence and there on stage question. I felt was justified. I honestly don't think that the miss division was fixed. Only because of the hurt reaction of the 1st runner up. she was very disappointed. My own daughter has reacted to not winning a pageant and coming in as first runner up the same way only because they wanted it that badly. As for the Teen division, Teen Puerto Rico was far a head of all the other teen contestants, in her overall appearance. She could speak well, she had a lot of poise, she was very cordial and had great stage appearance. My concern with her in the teen division was that she told everyone she was 18. I thought 18 year olds were part of the Miss division. All the other teen contestants were about 16 years old. If Teen Puerto Rico competed in the Miss division I think she would have won.

13. The after party. This in itself was defiantly a big joke. It was to be held at the Venetian Lounge and it was advertised as a coronation ball. the only problem was that the only one's who could attend were the contestants and family members 21 or older. there were only, I think 4 contestants that were over 21. even the Teen winner would not have been able to attend. To go to this event the tickets were $30 each. I asked for a refund when I realized that even if my daughter won, she wouldn't be able to attend. I bought 4 tickets. I was told that they would be credited back to my credit card and have yet to see the refund.

I do want to say to all the contestants. There were a lot of mistakes done in this pageant and do feel that because of these mistakes refunds should be negotiated. If not all at least part. I do understand Miss Brazils disappointment, but I did think she was a little old for the competition. she looked great on stage but their were contestants with better stage appearance. the most difficult part of the pageant I would say was the on stage question everyone did a great job. I have to say to Miss Brazil that if it weren't for her the contestants wouldn't have had such a great time at the party they went to. Miss UK, You are such a beautiful young lady. I totally understand you father getting upset with the way the judging was done. especially with family members talking directly to the judges during the pageant. To be honest with you. What needed to change was the bathing suit. I honestly think that was the deciding fact in this pageant. the bathing suit choices for the contestants were not the best. A pageant like this should have each contestant wearing the exact same suit.

I do think from experience that the Ilisett who was handing out the flowers did know who the winners were only because of the way the paper with the winners made it to the stage. I think each girl when they were told that they were a 4,3, and 2nd runner up should have stepped forward and then the flowers presented to her and she be taken off to the side.

In talking to Dawn during the time we were at the pageant I told her that there were a lot of things she could do to fix this pageant. Having Miss Kansas win and her coordinator practically be in charge of the whole event looks bad. Dawn should not have had any of her coordinators back stage. for the same reason I don't allow cell phones back stage. This way the contestants do not get any outside coaching from anyone, coordinator friends or family. I do need to say that Dawns boyfriend was not one of the judges.

As far as being televised on Telemundo, we did receive a e-mail saying the day and time it was televised but I did not get to see it. One of the contestants and the photographer she brought with her both work for Telemundo in Florida.

I don't feel my daughter was taken advantage of and that this pageant was a scam, I do feel that it was poorly organized. I understand hurt feeling happen when contestants don't make it to the to 5 finalists. But I do need to say that if I was a judge and not including my daughter, I think I would have choose the same 5 girls.

There are photos of this pageant up on my daughter's MYSPACE. if you need to see proof

Pageant coordinator

Redlands, California

U.S.A.