Miss USA is only a few weeks away and the state titleholders are headed - literally, as I type up this blog - to Vegas to begin their journey to the NATIONAL crown. Many of these state delegates are National American Miss girls: Miss Nebraska - Meagan Winings, Miss Colorado - Patrice Williams, Miss Louisiana - Lacey Minchew, and thats not to mention the 6 TEEN USA state titleholders that will compete for Miss Teen USA later this year that call National American Miss home sweet home.
However, for 12 ladies( 6 teens and 6 misses) - gearing up for their national competitions began with "PAGEANT POWER WEEK!" This week-long power week was hosted by Future Productions - the team that directs the Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Colorado state USA and TEEN USA pageants, and it's purpose are to best prepare the girls for the national competition. I have been fortunate to have known the team behind Future Productions for YEARS, and they were kind enough to forward me this article that was written and is soon to be published about Pageant Power Week!
However, I mostly wanted to share it with you because the majority of you can relate, as you have endured your own "power -weeks," as you gear up for pageant time, but it also displays what is most important about pageantry - the friendships, the sisterhood, and the excitement!
It's time to get in the MISS USA spirit, cheer on our own NAM sisters competing for MISS USA, and check out "Pageant Power Week."
Your heart is beating so fast you think it might fly out of your chest. Your hands are sweating like mad as you grip on for dear life to the girl that's standing across from you. You're feet kill because you've been wearing the same four and a half inch heels since 8 a.m., the stage lights are blinding and it's all come down to this moment. One you can't believe is finally happening. A million thoughts are running
through your mind; maybe I should have paused longer during swimsuit, I should have answered my question this way instead, and why is the emcee pausing so long? And then the voice cuts in:
"The first runner up, who will assume the role of the titleholder if she cannot fulfill her duties is..."
Your name isn't called. You heart drops for a second and disappointment washes over for a brief moment and you feel slightly numb.
Then you remember. "Wait no. That was first runner-up. They haven't said my name yet. OMG! I won!"
Congratulations! You're the 2009 Miss/Teen USA titleholder! Now where do you go? There's obviously the national pageant co-owned by Donald J Trump and NBC Universal, but how do you even begin to prepare for a competition that features the best of the best?
For the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA titleholders in Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming there's an answer; Pageant Power Week.
Future Productions, LLC, a Minneapolis based production company, is licensed to produce state preliminary events for the Miss Universe Organization. Under the co-direction of Denise Wallace-Heitkamp and Craig Heitkamp, Future Productions has been putting on a power-packed week of training, practicing, and memory making for their state titleholders since 2002.
“The Future Productions staff knows what it takes to become Miss Teen USA (ie: Hilary Cruz – Miss Teen USA 2007), and has put together a crew to prepare the FP girls for the national pageant, so it’s important to be open to all suggestions! Every girl competing is beautiful and every girl is fit, so you must push yourself to be your personal best and stand out,” said Miss Wyoming Teen USA, Amy David. This rocky mountain native and competitive freestyle skier preparing to compete in the 2014 winter Olympics adds, “We cannot lower the mountain, therefore we must elevate ourselves.”
"Pageant Power Week is unique in that we bring all 12 state titleholders together (6 Teens and 6 Miss) and provide them a week of Pageant Training," Denise Wallace-Heitkamp, co-director for Future Productions said. " The ladies are given all of the professional services needed to prepare for the national pageants. In the process of this, they are given a chance to improve themselves and to come away from the event feeling like they are ready to compete on a national level and to hopefully win and bring home the national title to their state."
During the weeklong training the titleholders meet with a team of professionals in all areas of competition. Dr. Don Baker prepares them for interview and Brenda Torre; an image consultant and makeup artist, helps create a winning look. The girls then jump into appointments with physical fitness experts, dentists, gown shop owners and hair stylists. Music is played as the titleholders stay up late mastering their walks and turns and over 25 pageant volunteers pile into a meeting space to perform mock interviews that are video taped and sent to the girls for review.
When asked talking about what part of the week was a bit easier for the girls, Wallace-Heitkamp replied:
"Looking at gowns! Every lady loves to dress up and wear nice things! Going into the gown shop and having the whole place to yourself and getting to try on lots of gowns, is every girl's' dream!"
During their Pageant Power Week stay, the titleholders brought excitement to the Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Basketball game with an appearance sitting courtside.
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“I mean what’s not to love about trying on gowns, getting your hair done, going to a Timberwolves game, and meeting new people? It was incredible!” Chelsea Gauger, Miss Iowa USA, said of Pageant Power Week.
While the ultimate goal at the end of the week is for each lady to leave with a game plan and the skills necessary to compete at the national level, all the titleholders leave the week with something more.
"The other girls and I would stay up late just having "girl time" but I wouldn't take it back for the world," Taylor Schettler, Miss Colorado Teen USA, said. "The friendships I'll have going to Miss Teen USA are going to be the absolute best part of it all."
The titleholders start Pageant Power Week looking at each other as “the ones to beat” and by the end realize they are their own competition. Throughout the weeklong process they have made friendships that will last a lifetime and know that during their stay at the national pageant, they will have a group of girls they are close to who they can sit back and relax with. Upon arrival at the national event other states will soon learn they are the “FP Girls.”
While at age five, Alexandra Wehrley, Miss Wisconsin USA, wanted to be a fashion designer, Vanessa Johnston, Miss Minnesota Teen USA, wanted to be a princess and Fallyn Patterson, Miss South Dakota Teen USA, wanted to be a marine biologist; these ladies only want one thing after leaving Pageant Power Week… The Crown!
Written by: Andrew Riebhoff, Edited by: Breanne Maples
MISS USA airs APRIL 19th on NBC!!!!!! STAY TUNED!!!!!
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