By
Grant Gravitt, Jr.
Grant Gravitt, Jr.
was truly born in pageantry. The Gravitt family company, Tel-Air
Interests, Inc., produced televised segments for Miss Universe
and Miss USA from 1960 through 1986. His early days were filled
with pageant queens and pageantry. Today Mr. Gravitt is entering
his fifth year as executive producer of Miss Florida USA and Miss
Florida Teen USA Pageants and the accompanying televised special.
His involvements in leadership and philanthropy have been well
noted in South Florida. Mr. Gravitt has been a board member of
several local, regional, and national organizations such as The
New World Symphony, The American Cancer Society � Florida Chapter,
and The American Red Cross. He is the only winner of the prestigious
Price Waterhouse Young Professional Up & Comer of The Year
Award in both Dade and Broward counties. This award honors community
leadership and professional honors for those under the age of
40.
What does a title mean?
When you are judging a pageant, it is important
to understand what opportunity the title presents. The pageant
is not unlike a job interview for the position that is available.
A "title" is a year that offers the ability to make
business and philanthropic contacts that will last a lifetime.
Award this to a woman who will take advantage of all that is offered.
The "contest" part of the pageant is really nothing
more then checks and balances that will eliminate those who have
not made the effort to achieve the position.
Today's pageants are truly a gathering of young women who are
overachievers. To be complete in intelligence, personality, communications,
and fashion sense is what makes the competition fun to watch and
challenging to judge. It even gets more confusing when you judge
teen pageants. I personally tell my judges that I already have
a "Miss" winner, so please select the perfect "Teen,"
because I know that you can normally pick three winners in teen
pageants: the best looking adult, the best looking teen, and the
cutest teen on stage. I suggest you ask the director which of
the three their system prefers.
In my four years of producing my state pageant, I have been lucky
to have a group of winners that has professionally achieved the
following; executive producer and hostess of her own television
series; network sports personality; executive human resource officer;
and fourth year medical student. All these women have taken the
year of opportunities and have risen to leaders in their respective
industries. This level of achievement and more awaits those on
stage. With leadership as a theme, let's take a look at the checks
and balances that will allow you to make the right selection.
Interview
Competition
Not to put the pressure on, but this is where the pageant is won
or lost. In pageantry, the combination of intelligence, beauty,
fitness, and personality define the pinnacle of the competition,
with intelligence and personality being the most important part
of the mix. True, interview time allotment is often quite brief,
but even so, the cream rises to the top. The biggest consideration
of Interviews is finding someone who can handle the pressure and
responsibility of the title. In the year of her reign, your selection
will have to "dance on her feet" by meeting with the
leaders of your community. Reward those who have fared well in
this area.
Swimsuit
Competition
All bodies and figures are beautiful and valid, when presented
anywhere else but a pageant stage. When you are bestowing a title
that says, "I am worthy of being selected as the best,"
then your critique level must rise significantly. The swimsuit
competition is truly the litmus test of effort, which allows you
to eliminate those who have not committed themselves to the nutrition
and fitness efforts required to attain the title. It is also about
the delegate's ability to show not only fitness and tone but also
personality. The winner has to be able to radiate personality
on stage, as well as show an ability to take command of the stage,
judges, and audience.
Evening
Gown Competition
Personality and fashion style win this competition. Not unlike
the swimsuit competition, you are voting for the delegate who
makes you pay attention. Personality, confidence, grace, and prensentation
are the ingredients of success in which the title is based. But
remember that you are voting for the delegate and not the gown.
You may see $10,000 dresses and $200 dresses, but do not base
your impression on price tags. Instead, evaluate how confident
the contestant looks on stage in her gown. Certainly, judge the
appropriate wardrobe selections when it comes to the age division
you are judging. Youth and teen pageant gowns should be age-appropriate,
while older divisions (Miss, Ms. and Mrs.) should be more form
fitting.
Talent
Competition
This event combines artistic talent, presentation, costuming,
and performance. It is also about the ability of the delegate
to "connect" with the audience. Does the costume match
the theme of the selection? Did the performance display a range
of talent? Was the performance technically perfect? Was it entertaining?
All of these components must come together to earn high marks.
The
Final Selection
When
you are a judge, the choice is truly in your hands. The checks
and balances of pageantry's judges' panels have winnowed down
the delegates to a manageable few. But in the end, you will award
the "job" and title to that special woman. As a judge,
there is no better feeling than seeing your decision bear fruit,
as the titleholder turns the opportunities of winning a pageant
into a long and fruitful career — all because of your well-though-out
decision.
