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While a variety of beauty pageants are available, they all basically start the same. Every
contestant must first register. Most registrations can be completed by phone, mail or via
the Internet. Occasionally, all registrations will take place on scene. Typically, registration
will consist of a few simple questions like name, age and hometown. Registration will
also involve a fee to participate in the beauty pageant. Fees will range from $5 to a couple
thousand dollars depending on the event. Fees go toward paying for location rental,
decorations, employees and awards.

Pre-Event
Larger events will require beauty pageant contestants to attend several rehearsals before
the event to learn group choreography and where they should stand at different parts of
the competition. Contestants will also stage interviews with judges and perform their
talent to allow the judges to gauge the personality and talent of each contestant. This is
why large, televised beauty pageants are able to eliminate contestants so early on. They
have already learned so much about each contestant before the event ever begins. Smaller
events typically do a short run through directly before the event and no choreographed
group dances or interviews will be required.

Event
When the event starts, all the beauty pageant contestants will be announced, at which
point they will take the stage. Occasionally contestants will be required to introduce
themselves. This typically involves giving a name, age, home location and a personal
snippet about a hobby or passion. As the competition proceeds, contestants will often be
required to display a dressy look and a sports or swimsuit look, depending on the type of
competition. Contestants will also be expected to show off a talent. Usually contestants
will also undergo an interview portion. The master of ceremony will give each contestant
a single question to answer within a specified amount of time.

In larger events, contestants will begin to be eliminated almost immediately. For smaller
events each contestant is allowed to participate in each part of the competition.

Awards
As events unfold, judges will watch and grade every action that each contestant makes.
Contestants will be judged on grace, poise, beauty, eloquence of speech, personality,
talent and dress. From these scores, winners will be determined and awards will be
issued.

Awards are typically given as the last event of the beauty pageant. Occasionally, awards
are also given between each event. They can come in the form of trophies and crowns,
cash, cars, scholarships or free gifts. Each beauty pageant gives awards for different
reasons, but a few common awards include awards for most talented, best outfit, best
smile, best personality, congeniality, winner of category, winner of group and winner
overall. Often, the smaller the event the more awards are given. Some beauty pageants
take care to award each contestant with something. This is especially common for beauty
pageants with contestants under 18 years of age.

Stair-Stepped Beauty Pageant

Some beauty pageants work in a stair-stepped model. That is to say that the winner of
competition A will be allowed to advance to competition B. The winner of competition B
will be allowed to advance to competition C. This is how famous beauty pageants like
Miss Teen America and Miss Universe work. Often these beauty pageants are
geographically separated. A contestant will attend a competition in her hometown,
advance to a county competition, advance to a state competition and so on until the
competition is complete.
 Best Ideas for Pageant Talent
1. Dance There are many different forms of dance for a contestant to choose
from. Just to name a few, there's lyrical dance, ballet (especially en pointe),
jazz, acrobatic, interpretive, hip hop, and twirling. When picking which type of
dance you want to focus on, look and see what type of message you want to tell
the judges. Are you trying to tell them about a more visual side of your
platform? Or would you rather like to show the judges how down to earth and
fun you can be? Either is a great choice, but picking the best option is always
up to you.

I highly recommend starting at a dance studio before making your own routine.
A lot of judges know many dance techniques, and how some things are
supposed to look. Even if you watch videos online of how to dance, going to a
professional will make sure you are performing correctly and make sure you
know what you need to work on. (Read: Would a Hip-Hop Dance Routine be
Good for Pageant Talent?)

2. Vocal Many girls choose a vocal talent. But if you've never had feedback
from someone who has experience singing onstage or coaching someone
before, look into it before jumping into vocal. Working on your voice every day
and vocalizing can really improve your voice. Your voice is your instrument,
and if you don't tune it, take care of it, and practice with it, it will never
improve. What you also want to think about is what type of song you should
sing. Can you belt ballads? Are you a theater junkie? Want to be a country star?
Your voice is unique and you should know what type of music you sing well
before picking the right talent, let alone talent music. Look at some videos on
YouTube on how to warm up your voice before singing, too. Remember,
practice makes perfect. (Read: What Every Vocalist Should Do Before Walking
On Stage)

3. Play An Instrument I have known many girls who have played instruments
all their lives, but pick a different talent to perform onstage. Playing an
instrument for talent is a wonderful gift. If you have grown up playing the
violin, piano, guitar, french horn, or even the bongos, you can use that for your
talent. But if you have never played and instrument before and want to for your
talent, don't worry! Something I always tell girls I coach when they want to
play an instrument, learn a song on that instrument, just one song.
Practice it everyday until it is perfect.

Then play it at your pageant and no one will ever know you've never played
before. You never know, you may discover you are a fast learner in the process
and pick up other songs faster a long the way. It all starts with baby steps. As
with singing, it's important to find someone who can teach you to play your
song properly, because many judges are instrumentally gifted and will evaluate
your technique. You don't have to learn a hundred songs on the instrument you
want to play before you perform with it. Just pick a song you think would be
good for talent and something you would enjoy playing and really give it your
all. You are the only person who can make it outstanding. (Read: Where to
Practice Your Instrumental Talent in Front of an Audience)

4. Monologue/Acting I have seen many girls win titles while doing

monologues. A lot of girls think that this is the last chance talent, but really
monologues are great ideas. In the amount of time given, you get to portray
someone in a scene or skit or musical you've seen before. This is a time for you
to be someone you've always wanted to be and show the judges you are very
versatile. Monologues range from comedy to dramatic scenes, so it all depends
on what you're trying to portray. I once saw a girl perform a skit by Lucile Ball
and it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

It's always good to make the judges laugh. But some girls like to bring the
waterworks, but that also gets the job done too. Another form of monologue I
have noticed to become popular is a stand up comedy routine. I recently saw
when a girl at Miss West Virginia's Outstanding Teen perform a stand up
comedy routine. She made up the routine on her own, based on former routines
she has seen before. And she had the crowd rolling in the aisles. So whether it
be drama, comedy, or even add some puppetry with it, monologues are always
a good idea to bring out the actress (or comedian) in you. (Read: 5 Tips to
Improve Your Pageant Monologue)

5. Two Talents at Once One of my favorite things to see is girls raising the bar
and performing two different talents at once. There's singing and dancing,
dancing and playing an instrument, singing and playing an instrument, and so
much more. This is a way to make yourself look very skilled, but sometimes
doing two things at once can hurt you, so be sure to perfect both talents by
themselves before throwing them both together.
By performing two talents at once, you can also work up your stamina. You
already have to be in shape, why not go a little further so when you're doing a
series tumbling pass, then belting out a song, you don't sound winded or out of
breath. But like I said, always be careful when putting two talents together. It
could either really help you, or really hurt you. Just be sure to practice, practice,
practice! (Read: Is Technical Skill or Entertainment Value More Important in
Pageant Talent)

6. Demonstrate Something I have see girls perform CPR, paint, and give
many different expository speeches as their talent before and have done well. In
1955, a Miss America contestant taught the audience how to properly pack a
suitcase. When in doubt, think of Miss Congeniality. She was playing water
glasses, but when her talent was all sipped up by the other contestants, she
turned to teaching self defense. Although in the movie it was hilarious and cute,
this is something you could really use as a talent.

Say your platform is domestic violence, your talent could show the judges how
to defend themselves if ever in the needed situation. What's important is you
have all you want to teach in the designated time memorized and perfected. If
you choose to show the judges how to perform CPR, spice it up a little and tell
them how one of the easiest ways how to know the speed when beginning CPR
is to sing the song "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees in your head. This is your
time to show the judges you aren't just beautiful but also very talented in
whatever aspect you choose. (Read: Should You Perform a Traditional or
Nontraditional Talent? )

7. Make Up Your Own Talent Be unique. I once competed at a pageant when

a girl chose archery as her talent. It was awesome! Granted you may have to
talk to the director to see if you are allowed perform that as your talent, but it
never hurts to ask. If you see something on TV you would like to try, try it. I
know several girls who tried aerial silks after seeing Pink perform and they love
it (it's also really great exercise). Always look for feedback from other people
when you're picking a talent. Whether it be friends, family, or a pageant coach,
they will tell you the truth if your talent is pageant perfect. When I asked Miss
West Virginia 2012 Kaitlin Gates what she would say to a pageant girl looking
for a talent to pursue she said, "I always trusted the input of vocal coaches,
especially those who are familiar with the industry, and then I chose a song I
felt comfortable with.
It's also very important a contestant can relate to their song or their talent in
general too. When the natural emotion and feelings start coming through during
her performance, that's when you know it's real." Your talent is the time to
reflect you in powerful way. It can show how athletic you are, how wonderful
you sound, and how gifted you are, not only with beauty, but with brains. Talent
is also so much fun. You get to be free and let out the special part of you that no
one else can be. Never worry about anybody else, because your biggest
competitor will always be you. (Read: The 8 Most Unusual Pageant Talents)
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