Norway

Beauty Pageants, a peek behind the scene of
Miss Model of the World and
Miss Tourism Queen International
in Oslo, Norway, 2009

Published by
cheryl
at March 11, 2009 in FASHION and Norway. 11 Comments

Cheryl Marie Cordeiro visiting the Norwegian Miss Model of the World and Miss Tourism Queen International pageant in Oslo, Norway, 2009. Red coat by Patrizia Pepe.
Photo for CMC by: Jan-Erik Nilsson © 2009.

A while back I got a call from pageant organizer Peter Hadward in Stockholm, Sweden. He is the national director and franchise owner of most of the beauty pageants there are in Scandinavia. After successfully having “done it all” in the entertainment industry in the 1980s and 90s, he has now settled for the challenging task of coaching young women towards fame and glory in the fashion industry.

During the talk Peter mentioned the upcoming international pageants of Miss Model of the World (MMW) and Miss Tourism Queen International (TQI) that were to be held in Oslo, Norway in early March 2009. He also mentioned the possibility that I could come along and coach a small group of Swedish girls through a real pageant.

The girls would participate outside the real Norwegian competition, but would be allowed to appear on stage and would be modelling sponsored designer dresses

This sounded like great fun and as the time grew closer towards early March it became clear that I would be coaching two girls, Minna and Katarina.

Pageants, much more than beauty contests

My interest in pageants comes from my own experiences of participating in the Miss Universe pageant and a number of other pageants which led up to that.

I find that pageants in general are vastly misunderstood and that those critical towards them often look at pageants from a rather singular point of view.

Pageants, events with a larger purpose

Each pageant has a purpose and an agenda for its winner. Both Miss Universe and Miss World title holders for example, are engaged in helping with humanitarian causes. The Miss Tourism Queen International title holder will work to enhance tourism and contribute to cultural exchange. Those who are choosen to represent their countries in these various titles will act as ambassadors to their country and will have more opportunities to act and influence commerce and world events than most other young persons of their age. Continue reading ‘Beauty Pageants, a peek behind the scene of
Miss Model of the World and
Miss Tourism Queen International
in Oslo, Norway, 2009′

Beauty Pageants, a peek behind the scene
1 – Dressing and outfit

Published by
cheryl
at March 11, 2009 in FASHION and Norway. 4 Comments

Natasha showing the dress that later actually is worn by the winner

Natasha, the head stylist, shows the dress that later actually was worn by one of the the winners
Photo for CMC by: Jan-Erik Nilsson © 2009.

The trip up to Oslo from Gothenburg was some four hours of relaxed travelling. The roads were good and were being improved along the way as we travelled towards a more and more wintry landscape in southern Norway. We arrived at about 2 pm and after checking in at the Clarion Hotel Royal Christiania, the first thing was to meet up with Peter and his styling team, and to send the girls off to their various appointments.

Clarion Hotel Royal Christiania is one of Oslo’s most modern and comfortable first-class hotels, and is located at the very heart of Oslo. It was a very good choice and was a very pleasant stay. Though we were early, the atmosphere at the meeting place was electric, with the styling team on location and already at work! Continue reading ‘Beauty Pageants, a peek behind the scene
1 – Dressing and outfit’

Beauty Pageants, a peek behind the scene
2 – Hair and Make-up

Published by
cheryl
at March 11, 2009 in FASHION and Norway. 5 Comments

Natasha at work, in the hair and make-up room for the girls.
Photo for CMC by: Jan-Erik Nilsson © 2009.

After selecting the gowns and being properly fitted, the girls were off to do their hair and make-up. The styling team on location had superb energy and focus, working several hours to get all the girls ready for the event.

The waiting time for hair and make-up gave a pleasant opportunity for the girls to socialize, network and do some girl-talk!

Girl-talk! Sitting in a group is Minna, Katarina and myself with Sandra Lura (next to me), Miss Intercontinental Norway, 2008. Catherine Sjœvold Gulliksen, this year’s winner of the MMW title is also in the group.

Next to the left of me was Sandra Lura, a tall and stunning blonde, who is the current Miss Intercontinental 2008, Norway. We got to talk about mutual friends and she mentioned she had met Miss Singapore Intercontinental 2008 in Poland last year, and thought Singapore a lovely place to visit one day. One topic that came up was what’s up with the peanut shells and the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel that’s so much talked about. We also shared our experiences of the international pageant scene.

I am in general curious about the motivations of young women to join pageants and Sandra told that it was the people she got to meet along the way that she found most interesting. She also enjoyed the cross-cultural experiences she gained through all her pageant related travels.

Katarina and Minna getting their hair done.

Minna, at the make-up station.

Continue reading ‘Beauty Pageants, a peek behind the scene
2 – Hair and Make-up’

Beauty Pageants, a peek behind the scene
3 – Stage Rehersal

Published by
cheryl
at March 11, 2009 in FASHION and Norway. 9 Comments

CMC coaching and giving pageant tips to Katarina (left) and Minna (center) just before the event at Sirkus, Oslo, Norway, 2009.
Photo for CMC by: Jan-Erik Nilsson © 2009.

1. Rehearsal begins

When the dresses were all set, the make-up and hair stylists were done, we proceeded to the event arena, which in this case was Sirkus, the largest club in Oslo which could seat 1,100 guests. Appearing in front of that many people would be scary for anyone. However it now turned out that the seats were distributed over several floors, so the show would be less intimidating for the girls than we initially had feared.

The girls, gathered at Sirkus, for rehearsals and the event proper.

What was now ahead of the girls was a five hour long rehearsal session. The girls and I had some previous opportunities to discuss what we were trying to achieve, but I figured now, for the first time the event would turn real for the girls. I would be part of the audience when the choreographer worked and would help refine the girls’ walk, self-presentation and deportment on the stage during the breaks.

Doing a stage presentation like this has elements from all other stage work.

It has threes stages; entrance, show, and exit.

The entrance is like any other entrance on a scene. You need to take charge and grab the audience’s attention at once. The public is there to see you, so there is no real effort involved in that. Ideally your mindset should be to see the audience, is the best thing that has happened to you today. If you sincerely feel like that, this attitude is helpful in all walks of life. Be and show that you are sincerely happy so see people you meet, and you will notice how your life is starting to change. Smiles are a rare commodity out there.

The show, is when you parade. Your mindset here should be that you are applying for a high profile job. You need to present yourself as the best there is to represent them, to be their best ambassador possible. You should glide – not walk – and absolutely not bounce on stage, which signals a happy kid but not an ambassador. Take charge of the scene and use the stage right up to its corners, count slowly to six between every position. Again, glide.

Then it’s time to exit. Contrary to fashion shows, a pageant often asks for an exit position, which ideally should be a most elegant pose with eye contact with the judges and audience. Your mindset should be, that you are the person for the job (and you’ll soon be back to fetch the crown). In a fashion show, the choreographer might actually ask you to “fade away” to heighten the expectations for the next dress, since fashion shows are all about what you’re wearing. But it might not be in your favour at a pageant.

Speaking with Anette, who was choreographer for this event.

As the evening wore on, a break during the rehearsal hours was appreciated. Already tired on thier feet before the event proper, most girls made themselves comfortable around the stage. Continue reading ‘Beauty Pageants, a peek behind the scene
3 – Stage Rehersal’

Beauty Pageants, a peek behind the scene
4 – Crowning and After-Party!

Published by
cheryl
at March 11, 2009 in FASHION and Norway. 5 Comments

The bartenders were not about to be upstaged by the girls; they offered a brilliant show of their own bartender tricks, juggling bottles, glasses and blenders.
Photo for CMC by: Jan-Erik Nilsson © 2009.

Around 10 pm the crowd started to pour in. The photography crews settled in and representatives from print newspapers as well as on-line journals started to appear and introduced themselves. The lights flashed and the sound checks punched holes in the ambience once in awhile. Girl friends, boyfriends, talent scouts and the hot and successful of the clubbing crowd milled around, settling in the VIP areas and the bought tables.

It wasn’t before long that the music was pumping to a vigorous dance beat and the DJ created new sound waves that got the crowd on their feat before the event began. Everything with the show was rehearsed and planned by now. The second stylist crew was on site and they were busy re-tangling any hair that the rehearsal could have untangled. Continue reading ‘Beauty Pageants, a peek behind the scene
4 – Crowning and After-Party!’