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A compilation of face character interactions where Rapunzel really showed up. Want a playlist to listen to while you do your makeup? Click here Interactions with Children skip to 0:41 for interaction skip to 1:06 and 4:14 for interaction skip to 0:21 for interaction skip to 10:47 for interaction skip to 2:37 for interaction Interactions with Adults skip to 1:22 for interaction skip to 1:00 for interaction skip to 11:32 for interaction skip to 0:11 for interaction

A compilation of face character interactions where Snow White really showed up. Want a playlist to listen to while you do your makeup? Click here Interactions with Children skip to 0:20 for interaction skip to 1:41 for interaction skip to 0:05 for interaction skip to 3:50 for interaction skip to 5:49 for interaction Interactions with Adults skip to 0:09 for interaction skip to 8:47 for interaction skip to 6:35 for interaction skip to 2:18 for interaction skip to 5:34 for interaction skip to 0:31 for interaction skip to 0:26 for interaction

A compilation of face character interactions where Belle really showed up. Want a playlist to listen to while you do your makeup? Click here Interactions with Children skip to 0:11 for interaction skip to 5:22 for interaction skip to 0:18 for interaction skip to 3:54 for interaction skip to 1:20 for interaction skip to 0:30 for interaction skip to 0:05 for interaction skip to 0:17 for interaction skip to 4:30 for interaction Interactions with Adults skip to 0:50 for interaction skip to 0:35 for interaction skip to 0:15 for interaction

A compilation of face character interactions where Aurora really showed up. Want a playlist to listen to while you do your makeup? Click here Interactions with Children skip to 0:36 for interaction skip to 0:42 for interaction skip to 1:43 for interaction skip to 0:45 for interaction skip to 1:15 for interaction skip to 2:17 for interaction skip to 0:55 for interaction skip to 0:20 for interaction Interactions with Adults skip to 0:50 for interaction skip to 2:36 for interaction skip to 7:41 for interaction skip to 2:05 for interaction

A compilation of face character interactions where Cinderella really showed up. Want a playlist to listen to while you do your makeup? Click here Interactions with Children skip to 0:34 for interaction skip to 4:24 for interaction skip to 17:55 for interaction skip to 2:06 for interaction skip to 0:50 for interaction Interactions with Adults skip to 0:12 for interaction skip to 3:56 for interaction skip to 5:41 for interaction skip to 6:21 for interaction skip to 0:50 for interaction skip to 2:44 for interaction

A compilation of face character interactions where Anna really showed up. Want a playlist to listen to while you do your makeup? Click here Interactions with Children skip to 0:36 for interaction skip to 0:42 for interaction skip to 1:43 for interaction skip to 0:45 for interaction skip to 1:15 for interaction skip to 2:17 for interaction skip to 0:55 for interaction skip to 0:20 for interaction skip to 1:27 for interaction skip to 5:25 for interaction Interactions with Adults skip to 3:47 for interaction skip to 0:10 for interaction skip to 4:09 for interaction

A compilation of face character interactions where Elsa really showed up. Want a playlist to listen to while you do your makeup? Click here Interactions with Children skip to 6:50 for interaction skip to 0:35 for interaction skip to 0:31 for interaction skip to 1:16 for interaction skip to 3:10 for interaction skip to 1:35 for interaction skip to 0:45 for interaction skip to 1:17 for interaction skip to 2:17 for interaction skip to 0:55 for interaction skip to 0:20 for interaction skip to 5:44 for interaction Interactions with Adults skip to 0:12 for interaction skip to 3:08 for interaction skip to 5:20 for interaction

A compilation of face character interactions where Ariel really showed up. Want a playlist to listen to while you do your makeup? Click here Interacting with Children skip to 0:45 for interaction skip to 0:45 for interaction skip to 0:09 for interaction skip to 0:39 for interaction skip to 10:02 for interaction Interacting with Adults skip to 10:02 for interaction skip to 2:00 for interaction skip to 1:03 for interaction skip to 1:08 for interaction

You never know what a party's going to be like - how many kids there are, who will want to be involved, how old they are - and if it's your first time being a party princess, navigating a party can be terrifying. But don't worry! I've got you covered. How would you feel if you met Beyoncé? Pretty FLIPPIN' excited, right? You want her to like you, you want to relate to her, but you may just end up ugly crying. And you won't really know until you're in the situation. That is how kids feel when they meet princesses. Break It Down Let's identify the levels of excitement, how they can present themselves, and how to best manage each one. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Overwhelmed *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ The overwhelmed kid encompasses a lot of variables that, ultimately, cause the kid to cry. Usually the kiddo is just over stimulated and, regardless of how old they are, they need some time to calm down before they can come back to the party (remember our Beyoncé moment). A good way of helping the situation is encouraging the child to take that moment outside of the scope of the party - a different room works really well - just to cool down with a trusted adult. It's really important to let the child know you'll be here when they're ready to re-join and ensure the parents that their child will get to try any of the activities they may have missed out on while they were cooling off. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Sometimes the time crunch of a party doesn't allow for exact replicas of activities missed out on (i.e. the game has been put away, time for nail polish to dry). In these situations, just do your best to make the parent and child happy without compromising the integrity of the company's time - giving an extra prize, an added color of eye shadow, leaving extra sticker tattoos for later. *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ Sometimes, a kiddo will just be too overwhelmed to join the party and that's okay too. Just do your best to make the experience a good one. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Shy *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ The shy child is one of the more difficult ones to navigate - especially when they're the birthday kid. A trick I like to use is as you're engaging with the rest of the party, always going back to them. If there's a question, ask what they think. When you make a comment, see if they agree. Always offer for them to pick the next activity and see if they want to go first [specifically when they're the birthday child]. But let's break that down into the why behind it because the why matters more than the what. Ask what they think... When you're asking them a question it's a good way of bringing them into an already existing conversation. But if they don't have an answer, don't linger too long. Of course, you don't want to cut them off or be impatient, but sometimes providing them with an answer if you can see that they're struggling and still nervous takes away any pressure and creates a natural flow away from them not being ready to engage. See if they agree... Having them agree with a comment is useful because it builds into that "I want them to like me - I want to relate to them" thought process. Even if they don't agree, kids will often say yes because they're overwhelmed in a situation. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* What kid is going to say they don't like chocolate when Elsa does? I mean, no kid is going to say they don't like chocolate...but still. *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ Offer them choices... Offering choices - usually between two - can give a shy birthday kiddo a sense of control. Letting them move at their own pace and, hopefully, they'll feel comfy enough to join in. Bonus trick... Voice control. Speaking softly, even as a high energy character can take away some of the input they're receiving and get them to a manageable level of stimulation. They may only warm up to you during photos, if at all. And that's okay. Ultimately, your goal is to engage normally with the party, purpose to include the shy kid by giving gentle check-ins - "Are you ready to join? Not yet? That's okay." - and not make a big deal out them not joining in. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Engaged *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ The easiest level. Engaged kids are excited for you to be there but know how to share you amongst everyone. They may want to tell you stories about their own world or may have questions about yours. They hang on your every word and are just happy to be along for the ride. I love having engaged kiddos because these can be some of the best interactions. As a character, you can really focus on the flow of the party and lean into the fiction and story. Often, parties with overall engaged kids are a whirlwind - over before you know it - and you leave the party genuinely smiling because you know it was a good one. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Amped *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ Honestly, if there were a child I, well, don't look forward to, the amped child is absolutely it. I feel crazy drained after these parties - think working retail on boxing day in the states. [not to say these kids are bad, they just really stress me out] The amped child usually manifests as attention seeking, loud, and interrupting. They typically don't know how to share you with their friends because all they want you to focus on is them. More often than not, the child's parents are MIA and ,of course, this makes managing and directing the party difficult. Common amped cases I find myself in are: The Chatterbox will not shut up. not to breath, not for a millisecond. will talk over their friends and interrupt you at every turn (reading stories are hard with this one). The Look At Me will do anything to keep your attention and will likely tell you to look at them until you acknowledge their existence. escalates quickly. will shove random things in your face. The Tantrum only comes out if you flat out ignore them. parents sometimes help with this one, but by then it's hard to re-introduce them into the party. So, what the hell do you do? Excellent multi-tasking skills. And I mean *chef's kiss* level multi-tasking skills. You'll be responding to everything the amped child says. Most of the party becomes; get dresses on all the children. "Ah, yes, I'm glad you have a doll of me" interact with a new kid. "Wow! That's a wonderful story!" crafts or nails next? "My goodness. You twirl really well" okay, five more kids need their nails done. - You get it. If you feel comfortable, you can try to set some boundaries. Something like, "Okay friend, I appreciate you showing me your drawing. But Brinley has been waiting very patiently for me to do their nails and I think we should let them have a turn. That way when we do princess lessons later, everyone will have beautiful nails." ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* It's the @kenziiewenz voice for me. *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ But of course, you can't parent a child and direct a party, so do your best.

To new princesses; or a princess that just needs a reminder. #aurora #princessknowhow I had the pleasure of being a manager and recruiter in the company I was employed by. In this company, we had both the character cast member and the non-character cast member, called the "host" [to know more about hosting, check out Supporting Cast: More Important Than the Princess]. As such, I would often host parties for new character cast members. The following is my in-the-car-on-the-way-to-the-party talk - mostly to give them a clear direction for the party and, hopefully, to inspire them as they begin a their job in magic making. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Remember Why You're There *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ “Why worry? If you've done the very best you can, worrying won't make it any better.” - Walt Disney - The kiddos already love you, you don't have to win them over (except maybe that one kid who's jaded and doesn't want to have fun - you know the type). They've made their parents play your movie for hours, days, maybe weeks on end. They probably know your story better than you do. So, really, they're just looking to spend time with you and show you their own little story. Focus on the kids and you can do no wrong. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Create an Intimate Moment with Each Kiddo *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ In all the parties I've done, there's always a one-on-one activity for the princess to do with each kiddo. This can be getting their nails painted, doing their makeup, or even just a temporary tattoo. These close-encounter moments are great for asking questions about the kid and their life [check out my Questions to Engage Kiddos post for some of my staples]. Basically, you want to show them that you care. Asking about their world makes kiddos so excited to share. (heh. rhyming.) Alternatively, if they're really shy or you simply haven't had a chance to interact because the party's been hectic, you can make the kiddo feel special during your picture taking. Asking what kind of pose they want to do or what they want to say before smiling for the camera shows that you value what they think, making their photo special for them [see A Princess Doesn't Say "Cheese" or check out my hashtags for targeted ideas]. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* It's the Birthday Kid's Special Day *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ Every birthday kid is a bit different. Some will be shy or overwhelmed and need some time to warm up to you before you can really engage with them. Others will be crazy over-the-top and almost won't let you engage with their guests. Ultimately, though, you've been hired for the birthday kiddo, so the birthday kiddo should be the one who feels the most special. This can be as simple as having them go first or asking them to choose the next activity. But you can also make them feel special by engaging with them during story time, dancing lessons, and whatever else your party includes. You can comment on how lovely they twirl then have everyone else try to twirl like them. Ask them questions about their craft or have them tell you their favorite part of the story. Be creative and boost their little ego. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Have a Lasting Impression *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ "The head forgets, but the heart remembers." - Lenard Jaskolski - This is my favorite part. (cue me getting all weepy) In 2018, I did a quick 5 minute video call with my boss's nieces while I was dressed as Tinker Bell for Halloween. They were going to Disneyland for the eldest's birthday, so I said a quick hello before starting my shift. Seriously, nothing crazy. I think I had only stopped by her office because I had a question or something. But, a year later, my boss told me they still talk about our little video call. When the party is over, you go home and maybe don't think about those kids ever again. Maybe the party was exhausting and you're just happy to be out of there. But I guarantee, that birthday kiddo will be talking about how their favorite princess came to their birthday party for weeks, if not months, after it's over. That's why being present in the moment and having those little connections is so important. You're making the world a more magical place for that kid - that's the job.

How I became a party princess and how you can too - but maybe avoid the sketchy bits. Everyone has their own story of how they became a party princess. Most of the time, it's through starting their own company or through a friend. Or they may have seen an audition and decided to try out. My story is a little weird and, in hindsight, really sketchy. But I didn't die so, that's something. My E-er-Audition? I was introduced to the idea of party princesses when a girl from my church told me she had just been hired at this company in Calgary. Being that I'd been obsessed with Disney for-literally-ever, I immediately looked into how to get a job as a ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* princess *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ Well after a few months of looking went by, I happened upon a flyer for a local party princess company. Now, I thought that they were advertising positions for the company when in reality they were advertising the service of birthday princess - big oof on my part - but I gave them a call and the guy I spoke to had me send in a headshot and resume anywho. This is where it gets a little sketch. I sent my resume and headshot to who I was told was the "casting director" and she set up the interview time and location. Now, should I have had some red flags pop up when the address she sent me was a residence (in a nice area, but still). And should I have been a little worried when a guy answered the door and asked me to come to the basement to try on dresses - OBVIOUSLY. Like, don't go into a stranger's basement, duh. Call me what you want (dumb, naïve, a cancer) it did work out. And now that you know how ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* not *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ to become a party princess, let me run you through the audition process, what to expect, and how to do well. Navigating An Audition Party princess auditions are some of the most fun and least stressful auditions, at least in my experience. So let's break down what to expect and what casting directors are looking for to land you that job! ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Be Early *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ This should go without saying, but being early to a casting call is super important! Now, when I say early I don't mean show up expecting to go inside and register an hour, hour and a half before the call time - you've got to be considerate of the casting director's schedule. But I always leave an extra 20-30 min before the call time to find parking, get a coffee, and locate the specific room or area where the audition is taking place. While walking around, you may even bump into other people going to the audition and this can be a really good way of getting to know them, making friends, and creating a more relaxed environment. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Socialize *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ Taking initiative to talk to people and make connections speaks volumes in a casting call setting. It shows that you're willing to put yourself out there and you have a natural engaging nature - which is literally the job... ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Stars Shine, Divas Shadow *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ Work with your fellow auditionees to create a positive and supportive environment. No one likes the person who brags about how good they are or points out how "badly" someone else did - especially the casting directors. Why would we want to work with someone who brings their fellows down? Not cute. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Come As Yourself *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ There are a couple criteria that fit into this guy. One; be naturally, beautifully you - don't come as a character. If you wear makeup, do a neutral look. And don't DisneyBound, especially if you're auditioning a face character. The casting directors want to see a blank canvas to cast characters that they see, not who you see yourself as. I totally get that this can be hard if you identify most with one specific character. But ultimately, you're hurting your chances of playing any amount of other characters that they might see you as. Don't limit yourself! Two; show off that personality! This ties in with socializing, but whether you're learning a dance, doing a cold read, or acting an animation work your personality into the work. I can tell you from experience, when you're tired or nervous or just not thinking as a character your personality comes out - so being cast as a character that acts similar to you is a huge benefit, especially when you're just starting out. ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* Have Fun, You Dummy *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧ The whole point is to have fun! As casting directors, we're looking for people who are comfy socializing, willing to be silly, and can take direction well. You can be nervous and still have fun. You can totally mess up and still have fun. At the end of the day, even if you don't get the job, having a blast and learning for next time is worth it.