MARIETTA - It is a subculture unto itself of intense competition, excessive primping, watchful mothers and endless rehearsals that is often times filled with disappointment, and on rare occasions, exhilaration for a select few.

Regardless of the controversy that surrounds child beauty pageants, they are immensely popular with some parents and children. It is estimated that between 100,000 and 200,000 children younger than 12 compete annually in pageants. A documentary about child pageants inspired the "Toddlers & Tiaras" reality TV show in 2009, now in its third season on TLC.

On Saturday, girls from around metro Atlanta competed in the 19th annual Little Miss Cobb County Pageant at Southern Polytechnic State University.

More than nine, from age 2 to 18, competed for beauty titles in six competitions, including Tiny Miss Cobb, Petite Miss Cobb and Pre-Teen Miss Cobb. In addition, two talent pageants were conducted for girls between 8 and 18. The event funds the annual Miss Cobb Pageant.

Besides a crown, trophy and sash, beauty pageant winners receive various prizes, including admission to the North Georgia State Fair, a pageant doll and an opportunity to ride in parades. The talent pageant winners get a chance to appear at the Miss Cobb Pageant.

But according to Gene Phillips, pageant coordinator, pageants are more than venues to showcase pretty faces. He said many parents enroll their daughters to build self-esteem.

"I think it's for the experience of being onstage and gaining self-confidence, poise and grooming," he said. "Just the experience of being onstage helps you grow and be confident in yourself."

Backstage on Saturday, some of the girls rehearsed their talent up to the last minute. Others watched intently the performances of those onstage. And a few mothers feverishly assisted their anxious daughters behind the scenes.

Some of the girls who have competed in the Little Miss Cobb Pageant have gone on to vie for the Miss Cobb crown and college scholarship money. Mandy Daniels started out in the Little Miss Cobb circuit and ultimately became the 2000 Miss Cobb winner.

Ten-year-old Katelyn Hamilton of Powder Springs would like to follow in Daniel's path.

Katelyn - a fifth-grader on the honor roll at Powder Spring's Youth Christian School - said she enjoys competing because she loves to dance. She aspires to attend New York's Juilliard School someday. In 2009, Hamilton won the crown of Cobb's Talented Miss. She returned on Saturday to defend her title by dancing to jazz.

"I think the best thing about it is when you're performing," she said. "The worst part about it is when you're about to go (compete)."

Her mother, Setha Hamilton, admitted that mothers in the pageant world can be tough on their children.

"I've seen it from other parents, pushing the kids," said Setha Hamilton, 38, a bank teller. "When the kids don't do well, I can see them coming off-stage and instead of saying, 'You did a good job;' you can see the expression of disappointment in the kids."

Jan Galasti, 52, of Kennesaw, also said pageant mothers can become very competitive and demanding on the girls. However, Galasti, a Chicago native, said she is not among those women.

She said her daughter, 2009 Cobb's Talented Teen winner Julia Galasti, entered herself into the pageant last year without telling her because she was uncertain what her mother might think. But, Jan Galasti said she is completely supportive of her daughter's pageant interests, albeit not deeply involved.

"I just get her back and forth to places," Jan Galasti said.

Julia Galasti, a Pebblebrook High School junior, said she was persuaded to compete in the talent division by her best friend, Tara Lynn Steele, who won in 2007. Though she has been dancing for years, last year was her first year of pageant competition.

"I've been doing this since I was 3-years-old, so it kind of becomes easier every year now," she said. "But, before I used to spend hours in the dance studio, practicing and making sure that everything was perfect and going to go smoothly at the time of the performance."

After factoring registration fees, dance or singing lessons, the variety of outfits needed, hair and make-up costs, competing in pageants can be expensive. Annual expenses can run into the thousands of dollars, said Jan Galasti.

"It's expensive, but you've got to stick with it," she said. "The only reason I don't mind paying for her dance lessons all those years is because she had the talent and the drive."

Seth Hamilton said the amount of time and energy that goes into preparing for competition can be exhausting. She compared her role as chauffer and adviser to a part-time job.

Nevertheless, Julia Galasti said she enjoys pageant competition and that there is generally good camaraderie among the girls backstage. She also said she intends to compete for the Miss Cobb title when she turns 18.

"Future goals - I hope to be dancing on Broadway," she said.