Miss Teen Ontario - World 2010 pageant was Sunday Dec 6th 2009 at Jane Mallet Theatre the St Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts at 40 Front St E in the heart of downtown Toronto. This upscale establishment was the setting for an exciting evening, that became the arena for what was perhaps the first steps in a dozen exciting careers in entertainment and fashion modeling. The experience was, I'm sure, a character building exercise for all participants.

Let's not forget this is a competition, and these girls are all contestants. Indeed every teenager on stage was competing for a spot in the upcoming Search for Miss Teen Canada - World 2010 pageant which will be held in Toronto in late July.

Oustide, I spotted Katie Stark the much celebrated 2008 Miss Teen Canada World and now high fashion model and a Miss Universe Canada finalist. Last year this seventeen year old blond bombshell was the face of the MTC-W pageant, and the first blogger on the new website blog. She's a remarkable girl, beautiful and confident and getting a good education in a hard discipline at York University. I think she still plays girl's varsity hockey, even though it left with her a concussion for most of 2009.

I watched Katie Starke closely on Sunday night, and I wondered how she was feeling; this was the first night that she could attend a 'World' brand pageant event as a regular audience member.

For the first time in two year and half years, her presence would not be required on stage. It must have been an odd feeling of accomplishment, and acceptance and her evening's experience probably contained several moments of self reflection - now she can finally sit back and enjoy the show.

I snapped a shot of Katie entering with her friend Mark, a guitar player in a Toronto rock and roll band and a University of Toronto student; he's a pretty hunky guy with a nice smile.

Siera Bearchell was absolutely radiant in her sash and crown, and she was very generous with her time, as usual, signing programs in the lobby of the Jane Mallet Theatre before the doors opened for the show.

Siera is a good writer and a great blogger (her high score in last year's blog competition is one way she earned the 2009 MTC-W crown), and she wrote a very entertaining account  with some great insights into the evening of Dec 6th 2009 on the MTC-W blog which is her own space on the Miss Teen Canada - World website.

Here's a glimpse of Siera, the reigning Miss Teen Canada - World in the lobby of the Jane Mallet Theatre signing the evening's programs under her name and face on the cover.

I was very impressed with the quality of the Miss Teen Ontario - World program.  And despite the fact that its in black and white (the Miss Teen Canada World pageant program in July is in colour)  the booklet is packed with good photos and interesting biographies and information on all the contestants and personal sponsors. Beauty pageant bios are an art form, and I'm always impressed with people who can craft amazing write-ups about themselves especially when they are young and there really isnt very much to talk about yet... LOL

There was a nervous excitement in the lobby.

When the doors opened there was a scramble to get inside the joint and occupy the very best seats, but many of those first in line squatted too close to the stage and ended up sitting in the reserved section. As the judges and VIPs arrived these early birds had to move back and most ended up in the gallery above as all the real estate in the main section was now occupied. It was a full house, and I needed to wave my press badge to approach the stage.

As usual, some of the contestants brought their entire families along as cheering squads, but what was unusual was the quantity and quality of the signage.  All this for Reema? I went looking through the list of winners to try and find her name, but I did not see it in the finals. Perhaps that's why her father didn't email me for this picture?

This event fashion show made a very exciting Sunday evening for about fifty teen girls and five hundred audience members from all over Ontario, and unlike other theatre arts held in this upscale venue, the audience that night played a big role in the proceedings. That's because they cheer in support for every participant and this helps cut the tension and makes the event freindlier and even more enjoyable. Its a high energy event with music and dancing.

Michelle Weswaldi does a good job of getting the audience engaged, and she actively encourages lots of applause. She also reads from the script in a conversational manner and this brings more life to the words. She asks prefaces questions with anecdotes and spent fifteen minutes wih some of last year's Ontario Finalists making them describe the experience of competing in the 2009 Search for Miss Teen Canada World pageant last July.

Here are the Judges for the evening's event. I'm not sure of their names... help. I know the one sitting closest to camera is named Maureen and she's a real character and a personal make over wizard. We spoke at length last year about her making me over... someday.

This night the Judges were looking for twelve finalists who can stand up and be their own kind of beautiful.

After the introductions, the evening was filled dancing and fashion presentations. The teenagers looked terrific in their evening gowns and this segment was another place to win points with Judges - another place where audience applause directly affects confidence level and scoring.

There was a performance by Suzanna Alsayed, the Overall Talent Winner 2009 National pageant. Then a brief intermission and then the Swim Wear competition to demonstrate athleticism which is a true test of confidence in the 'presentation of self'. And then, almost three hours before it started, after meeting more of the 2009 Title Holders, this year's Ontario Regional winners were announced.

Congratulations to,

Alicia Angus,  Miss Teen Ontario -World

Victoria Soo Lum, Miss Teen Southern Ontario - World

Cynthia Loewen, Miss Teen South Western Ontario - World

Sarah Vander Zagg, Miss Teen Simcoe county - World

Laura Clark, Miss Teen Halton Region - World

Tiffany Borges, Miss Teen Cambridge - World

Veronica Gasinec, Miss Teen Barrie - World

Julane Pratt, Miss Teen Kitchener –Waterloo - World

Vanessa Stead, Miss Teen Whitby - World

Katelyn Scheffre, Miss Teen Durham - World

Jamie Lyn Baggs,  Miss Teen Peel - World

Alysse Charbon, Miss Teen Mississauga - World

Theresa Do Trinh,  Miss Teen Vaughan - World

Amber Bernachi,  Miss Teen Essex county - World

Wendy Huang, Miss Teen Scarborough - World

Shalanda Spencer, Miss Teen Toronto - World

Neola Husbands, Miss teen GTA -World