Emily poses in her bedroom with one of the many jeweled crowns she's won participating in pageants. Emily Dextraze is an eleven-year-old beauty pageant competitor who lives in Westfield, Massachusetts, a small town of 42,000 people in Western New England located about two hours west of Boston, Massachusetts. The beauty pageant industry in the United States is estimated to be worth 5 billion U.S. dollars annually; the estimated number of pageants in the U.S. ranges from 5,000 to 100,000, according to an Internet search. It is conservatively estimated that 2.5 million American girls, from babies to teenagers, participate. The cost to a family for a daughter to participate in a pageant ranges from $1500 to considerably more. Entry fees, elaborate costumes, makeup, hairdressing, artificial tans and weeks of professional coaching contribute to the high cost. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Sienna Dixon, 6, stands as her mother places fake teeth, commonly referred to as "flippers," into her mouth. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Wendy O'Rourke Karnolisz, a close family friend who Emily calls her "grandmother" comforts Emily after she didn't do as well in the pageant as she'd hoped. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily and Sharie walking through the hotel to a competition. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Tracy Sutcliffe mimicking her daughter's routine in the audience as her daughter performed on stage. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Posing for a photo with her fellow competitors. Emily was not pleased with the outcome of this pageant - she had hoped to get a higher title. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Sharie Farina shows off her daughter Emily's awards from past beauty pageants. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily rests her head for a moment during the pageant. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily spends time with her siblings in the family's yard. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily relaxing in the sun at home. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily's brother hugs their mother as Emily dries off after swimming in the pool. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Candy is readily available for the girls at most pageants. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily dances in the hallway with another participant during the pageant. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily and another participant take a break from the pageant on their phones. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily sits with her formal dress billowing around her. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily watching as other competitors had their hair styled. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
This red corset caused one judge to deduct points because the outfit was "too mature." Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily Dextraze and Sienna Dixon wait in the hallway at the pageant. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily's mother, Sharie Farina, embraces her in Emily's "grandmother's" living room. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily floats in the pool at home. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Sitting in one of the pageant's back rooms, Emily waited to get her hair and makeup touched up between routines. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily snaps a selfie to post to her Instagram account. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Sharie Farina, Emily's mother, adjusting Emily's corset, an outfit she knew would be controversial with the judges. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily poses as her mother takes photos of her. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily taking a bath with her brother after swimming. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily has her hair touched up between routines. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily gets ready with her hair in curlers. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
A hired makeup artist touching up Emily's makeup before a routine. Emily's mother hires a makeup artist to apply and touch up makeup at every pageant. The pageant industry in the United States is estimated to be worth $5 billion annually. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Participants waited for their turn on the stage. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman
Emily Dextraze performs in front of the judges. Photo by Ilana Panich-Linsman