Beauty pageant starts girls young
The best a Belizean has ever done in a major international beauty pageant was almost a quarter century ago when Sarita Acosta made the top ten in Miss Universe. But that hasn’t stopped us from trying…and trying…with the latest tactic being an early start. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods reports.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Primary school and even preschool pageants are growing increasingly popular in Belize as little girls receive their first experience on stage at an ever younger age. It is not certain just how many of those children will one day compete for Queen of the Bay or Miss Belize, but the smaller pageants continue be big events.
Kiasha Bevans, 11 years old
“When I was young I use to like watch the ladies go up for beauty queen and I said, mom, I want to be just like them, I want to go in a pageant. My mom said when it comes up to my age, she will let me participate in it, so this is my chance and I’m really excited to go up in it and I want win.”
Eleven-year-old Kiasha Bevans will be competing against five of her schoolmates in the St. John’s Anglican Primary School Pageant. The event takes place at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall and it was there we found the children busily getting familiar with the stage and the venue.
The contestants are between the ages of nine and eleven years old. This makes the rehearsals somewhat challenging for pageant coordinator, Melanie Cadle. Cadle says the young girls started practicing several weeks ago and believe they are ready for the contest.
Melanie Cadle, Pageant Coordinator
“The word you use young you have to consider they are playful at times, you have to be careful, very picky with the words. Sometimes they would say things that would hurt the other’s feelings and you have to correct them, but overall we try to keep it fun.”
Jacqueline Woods
“And are you having a lot of fun practicing?
Linda Thompson, 9 years old
“Yes ma’am.”
Jacqueline Woods
“How have you girls been getting along?
Linda Thompson
“Good.”
Jacqueline Woods
“So nobody is saying I wah win this pageant and you wah lose.”
Linda Thompson
“Not really.”
Jacqueline Woods
“And do you want to win?
Linda Thompson
“Yes, ma’am.”
Melanie Cadle
“It’s a lot of work, and work pays off, so it is paying off and I think tomorrow the audience will have a fine time, because we have a beautiful show.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Tessa you girls are finding out just how hard it is to take part in a pageant, there is a lot of work involved here; how long have you young ladies been practicing?”
Tessa Wells, 10 years old
“About three weeks.”
Jacqueline Woods
“What have you girls been doing?”
Tessa Wells
“Sportswear, evening wear and our introduction.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Are you feeling nervous, confident, as that day draws near?”
Tessa Wells
“Nervous, I’ve never been on stage before.”
St. John’s Anglican Primary School has been holding pageants for the past nine years. Each year the event gets better as the school adds a number of interesting items to the programme. This year it’s not only the young girls who will be getting physical; but check out this line of little body builders from Infant One.
Melanie Cadle
“That is the highlight of the pageant. It’s just a little competition between Infant One to show who has the better muscle and the best physique and things like that. Also, the main objective of it is to entertain the audience.”
Jacqueline Woods
“And not to let those little guys feel left out.”
Melanie Cadle
“Right.”
The pageant is not just about having fun…the school also hopes to raise enough money to help with the expense of running the school.
Melanie Cadle
“Basically to raise funds because the school also has to pay its electricity bill and water bill and so forth. And to maintain the classes and stuff like that, so it’s for a worthy cause.”
A cause that the young contestants have been working hard to let the public support, even though they admit they are beginning to feel the butterflies.
Anessa Pitts, 9 Years old
“I get into this pageant because when I watch the TV I see lot ah people the do the movements and so I want go in.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Now a lot of children are scared when they go stage. Are you feeling nervous?”
Anessa Pitts
“Yes ma’am.”
Jacqueline Woods
“So what are you going to do to calm yourself and give yourself a lot of confidence?”
Anessa Pitts
“I wah practice hard and try fi be the winner.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Galatea I looked at you on the stage performing and it looks like you have some dancing experience. Do you like to dance?”
Galatea Fairweather, 10 years old
“Yes.”
Jacqueline Woods
“And how have you been preparing yourself for the pageant?”
Galatea
“Practicing at school and home.”
The girls say they know they are ready and it was up to ten-year-old April Samuels to give the last word.
April Samuels, 10 years old
“I am going to invite everybody, every single body. I want everybody come because it’s an exciting show.”
Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
The pageant gets underway at six Friday evening at the Holy Redeemer Parish Hall. Tickets can be bought at the door or at St. John’s Anglican Primary School. Adults pay only five dollars, while a children’s ticket is three.
