BEING A JUDGE
It is easy to spot a winner. If you can imagine her on stage in an international pageant, she’s the one.
It sounds basic, but the pageant world has never been more competitive and it is usually apparent to a judge from the outset who has the attributes and qualities required to be able to rise to the challenge.
I look for energy, poise and elegance in a contestant on stage. I don’t like to see an over-exaggerated walk, nor the flicking of a swimwear sarong like an aggressive matador. Keep use of hands to a minimum. Confidence is key, and less is more when it comes to a beautiful, flowing walk with great posture. Posture is a bugbear of mine – head up, shoulders back. It makes such a difference to how you look and feel.
In interviews and on stage, I love a contestant who will look each judge in the eye in turn – it conveys great warmth. Interviews should be fluent and eloquent without gabbling, and a well-prepared finalist will steer the conversation so as to talk about the subjects close to her heart. To me, interviews are less about their content than assessing how a contestant handles herself under pressure, and her ability to be able to talk articulately in a given situation.
A judge wants to see natural confidence embued with an unbeatable star quality. If you can walk, smile, talk and feel like a princess, you have all the attributes required to become a queen.
Sally-Ann Fawcett
Recognised as the “Hedda Gabler of the Pageant World”, Sally-Ann Fawcett is the author of “Misdemeanours: Beauty Queen Scandals” and the forthcoming “More Misdemeanours” (Amazon).
A former participant herself, Sally-Ann is a much in demand judge at pageants throughout Great Britain.
Photo Credit: Lee Dare
The Pageant Consultancy 