Valya was hired to do two days of modeling for CC. So, I rented a hotel for Thursday night, because getting up super early, two days in a row to get there, was tough. They had given recommendations for that.

We get there on Thursday. She puts on a ballet costume, after hair and make up (the one in the photo), models that. Change hair and put on the tap version of it. By then, lunch.

I go in and they say, "Well, we can do two more for her and then you can go home and not have to come back, tomorrow."

I said, "What? We have a hotel room. Not only that, last year she did a full day and did five costumes (one was in the dance attire catalog), she is doing only three?"

They said that they hire more kids now and have them all do a little less to give kids more chances. Other kids, her same age, had done three by the time she had two done, and had done a bunch the day before, so that was a lie.

I said, "So, I paid for gas, hotel, etc., and that's it?"

The one woman saw that I was upset, so they asked the woman in charge. She comes back and says, "Yeah, come back tomorrow and she can do two more."

Three costumes in two days? Ridiculous, but I was not going to get my money back by canceling and my granddaughter was excited to stay in a hotel.

We get there at 8:15, she finished shooting her FIRST costume by 11 AM. I go in and ask for her next costume and the wardrobe woman said, "Oh, she's done. We had someone else do the other one yesterday."

Well, I was nice but I told her how I felt and she said, "yeah, I know. We told (name of person) about this before that she should not do that." Apparently, this has happened before.

She missed a day of school, yesterday, and her dance class. They could have had her in today, and she would have missed nothing and I would have the money that I spent on dinner and hotel. Gas would have been the same.

That is honestly, unorganized. It is not for the money, they only pay $100 for full day (past 4 hours) and $50 for half day (up to 4 hours), but for the fun and experience.

Valya was disappointed that the others girls had more costumes on than her, but she did have fun.

I turned down Costume Gallery, as they called after she was called by CC, because none of then will allow you to do another catalog in the same year.

Ok, there is my vent.

That's lousy! You went to all that trouble and expense, ON THEIR RECOMMENDATION, and then they don't have their act together, at your expense? Shame on them! I'd be fuming. Will you pursue this with higher-ups? I'd expect to at least recoup the money to offset your costs, but I know nothing about this modeling thing, and you do...

I'm glad, at least, that Valya enjoyed the hotel overnight with Grandma, and had a fun, modeling experience, even if it was too brief...

I will. They should know because the other parents were shocked, too.

Good and good luck!

I sent a letter to who was in charge, today, first. I want to see what she has to say. Then, if needed, I will go further. I don't like going over one's head, at the start.

That stinks :/ However she looks adorible

I have former students that model for more than one catalog in a year? Is this a rule between CC and CG? I think the whole situation stinks and I feel badly for Valya-Especially since she was featured in more for this year's catalog. Poor thing At least she still had fun and you got a good night's rest out of it...

It is good that they are using lots of different girls and trying to give as many as possible a chance.

But yes, terrible that they tell you that you are needed for two days and you get a hotel and then they need you for a few hours. Very unprofessional.

I composed an email last night. I just stated facts and my disappointment. I mentioned that one of the reasons that I picked CC over CG is because I favor one over the other and CC was always one of my big orders as a studio owner and still a company where I choose many costumes for my dancers, even now.

I will await her response and if it is packed with lies, ridiculous excuses or terse, I will step above her.

I guess that I have gotten used to working with some very professional people, as far as organization and information sharing, and even a better experience than last year, that my expectations were crushed.

I agree very crappy... but I don want to say i have worked with other companies and its not much different! I was posing girls one year and i was there 10 hours and posed maybe 8 costumes.

This is exactly why I never accept jobs for myself or my son that are less than union rates. If they aren't prepared to pay their models properly, then it isn't worth doing.

Helen

I don't mind doing these, it's once per year, you always get the tear sheets, in fact the entire book, and it's within driving distance, and she enjoys it. She LOVED doing it last year and was so excited to do it, again. She still had fun but was a little disappointed to not do more, maybe me even more than her.

But I made sure that I made up for it, for her, but giving her other fun options, after we were done. The books are always beautifully done and show her well and look great on a resume.

Besides, once she starts full time school, I am not sure if she will take off much, for jobs, because her school is very strict and none of us are up for home-schooling.