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Published: 2012-09-10 18:00:00
Updated: 2012-09-10 19:15:17

Rocky Mount dance parents never receive photos


dance photos
dance photos
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Hundreds of young dance students, thousands of dollars spent on photos and plenty of frustrated parents.

5 On Your Side has a list of more than 17 complaints right now from angry parents, as well as the studio owner, who paid for photos at a dance studio they did not receive.

Plenty of parents never got the pictures they paid for as part of a weeklong photo shoot at Crystal's Elite Dance Studio in Rocky Mount.

The studio hired photographer Laura Jolly to do the job. Many parents are not happy with the photos taken in May, promised by June and not delivered until this month.

"I think she's really just ignoring the problem it seems like," Stephanie Tamisiea said. "I sent her two emails myself and I've gotten no response."

Tamisiea paid $100 for a CD of her daughter, Anna. Initially she didn't get one. When it finally arrived, it wasn't complete.

"I have six poses that are missing," Tamisiea said.

She's one of more than a dozen parents who complained to 5 On Your Side about pictures not being delivered, and the quality of those that arrived.

Traci O'Conney paid $50 for a photo package of her daughter.

"Obviously if she is a professional, she would know how to crop photos and not crop things out like a child's foot or hair," O'Conney said.

Crystal Harrelson owns the dance studio and hired Jolly. She says after repeated calls and emails, Jolly finally dropped off some of the photos.

"It was over $10,000 that she got paid during that week," Harrelson said. "When she saw me open a package and start looking at 'em, she was out my front door. I started calling her as she pulled out of my driveway, and it took me three days to get in touch with her."

5 On Your Side went to Laura Jolly's house in Rocky Mount, just to find out what in the world was going on. But a sign outside said "no trespassing."

5 On Your Side called and sent an email. Four days later, she offered an email response saying the dancer photo shoot was an "aberration." Adding, "We are working diligently to correct those mistakes at no additional charge to consumers" and that she expects to have "a quality, final product to customers in the near future."

"I just want whatever my parents paid for," Harrelson said. "They're not asking for any extras, they want whatever package they ordered to be fulfilled."

"Why would she sign up for a job that she knew she could not handle?" O'Conney said.

"At this point I really don't want my money back," Tamisea said. "I just want my pictures because there's really no way for me to recreate that moment."


11 Comments


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employeenc: That's funny because my son is in Nash-Rocky Mount Schools and he DOES bring home a packet of pictures that we choose what we like and send back the rest with the check...interesting!

Superman-you are quite mistaken. Both Nash-Rocky Mount public schools that my kids attend require money up front. You must choose a package and send the money. They use to send a 3" "proof" glued to the envelope so that you could choose from pose A or pose B. You don't get an envelope full of pictures to choose from. Stay informed. And thanks for pointing that out. Didn't the hired photographer work for one of the "school picture photography" companies? No wonder school photos are so bad!! HAHAHAHA!!

employeenc-- you cant even compare apples to apples. The people paid for the dance pictures BEFORE they received them. School pictures are taken by the photographer, they are printed and sent home. Parents have the option to buy some, all, or none. The school pictures do not require money "up front". Surely you dont think that school pictures illustrate your point of view.

Awful shot at the top of this article. The photographer cropped the dancer's shoes, the lighting is flat and there's an obvious shadow against the wrinkly, dirty looking backdrop. If that's the kind of photos she was taking, I fear for these people who spent their hard-earned ...

I am one that has sent Ms. Jolly numerous polite emails asking for my correct photos. I have received no response nor have I received my photos. These were taken in May so Ms. Jolly has had efficient time to have these photos printed and delivered. I agree with mtamisiea, there really is no defense for what Ms. Jolly has done. Ms. Jolly took the money and did not produce the product that she was paid for, that is wrong no matter who you are. I feel there was no choice than to contact 5 On Your Side so that we can get the photos that we paid for and that our voices be heard so that this will not happen to anyone else.

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