The Preliminaries Have Begun – Congrats to Delaware and Indiana!!!

January 21, 2009

Okay, folks -- pageant week is in full force and the competition has officially begun. For people who aren’t as familiar with how the entire process works, I thought I’d explain a bit about what happens.   America usually only has the opportunity to see the final competition on Saturday night in which the top 15 will be seen actually competing on TV. But the true competition began first thing Monday morning.  Allow me to explain…

The 52 contestants are divided up into three competition groups: The MU Group, the ALPHA Group and the SIGMA Group.  The MU Group has their private interviews on Monday morning, with ALPHA following on Monday afternoon and SIGMA on Tuesday morning. Then Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings are the preliminary competitions where all 52 contestants compete in Swimsuit, Evening Wear and Talent. They also have an onstage question which is not judged, but a chance to see the ladies think on their feet in front of a large group of people.

Here’s the breakdown for who does what when in the prelims:

MU Group: 
Tuesday night – On Stage Question
Wednesday night – Swimsuit/Evening Wear
Thursday night – Talent

ALPHA Group:
Tuesday night – Talent
Wednesday night – On Stage Question
Thursday night – Swimsuit/Evening Wear

SIGMA Group:
Tuesday night – Swimsuit/Evening Wear
Wednesday night – Talent
Thursday night – On Stage Question

There is a gala on Friday evening so there is one night of non-competition “rest” prior to the Saturday night finals, when the top 15 semifinalists are announced (including YOUR four choices from the gold sash holders!!). Those 15 then do everything all over again and compete for the title of Miss America.

The Miss America Organization names the judges' preliminary winners for Swimsuit and for Talent each evening, and Tuesday night’s winner in Talent was Miss Delaware, Galen Giaccone for her piano performance of “El Cubanchero”. The Swimsuit winner for Tuesday evening was Miss Indiana, Katie Stam. Way to go, ladies!  The general “buzz” in the pageant world is that both prelim wins were well deserved. 

If anyone is interested in the breakdown of the competition groups, here’s a handy-dandy little table you can print, cut out and keep in your wallet (Okay, I’m joking about the wallet thing, but here’s the breakdown anyway, and it is also the order in which the contestants will be competing):

MU Group
Monday AM - Interviews
Tuesday – On Stage Question
Wednesday  – Swimsuit/Evening Wear
Thursday – Talent
ALPHA Group
Monday PM – Interviews
Tuesday – Talent
Wednesday – On Stage Question
Thursday – Swimsuit/Evening Wear

SIGMA Group
Tuesday AM – Interviews
Tuesday – Swimsuit/Evening Wear
Wednesday – Talent
Thursday – On Stage Question
Mississippi – Jazz Dance
Maine – Violin
North Dakota – Piano
South Carolina – Piano
Virginia – Pop Vocal
Louisiana – Vocal
Oregon – Belly Dance
New York – Vocal
Florida – Theatre Style Dance
Missouri – Vocal
Alabama – Piano
Illinois – Contemporary Dance
Maryland – Vocal
Nevada – Vocal
Indiana – Vocal
Vermont – Vocal
Washington – Piano
Wyoming – Comedic Vocal
Connecticut – Lyrical Dance
Nebraska – Vocal
Arizona – Lyrical Dance
Alaska – Vocal
New Jersey – Jazz Dance
North Carolina – Vocal
District of Columbia –
Contemporary Ballet
Delaware – Piano
Colorado – Jazz Dance
New Mexico – Vocal
West Virginia – Piano
Georgia – Vocal
Texas – Tap Dance
Iowa – Tap Dance
Wisconsin – Classical Vocal
Rhode Island – Classical Vocal
Kansas – Vocal & Piano
Oklahoma – Lyrical Dance
Minnesota – Vocal
Montana – Raqs Sharqi Dance
Utah – Piano
Michigan – Jazz Dance
Idaho – Classical Vocal
Tennessee – Classical Vocal
California – Ballet en Pointe
New Hampshire – Vocal
Hawaii – Tahitian Dance
Pennsylvania – Piano
Kentucky – Piano
Massachusetts – Lyrical Dance
Arkansas – Flute
Ohio – Vocal
South Dakota & Virgin Islands – Vocal

I will be attending the Thursday evening preliminary competition, so I’ll be able to give more “this is what it’s like” reports after that – but for now, let’s congratulate the first two winners and look forward to Wednesday’s competition!!

Comments

[Jetta]

I have watched the Miss American Pageant since the 1950s and I love today's format. I especially like it because a top five is not named. This gives the 1st runnerup opportunity for recognition. I am so glad we saw more talent competition than we saw a couple of year's ago. Keep this up and Miss America will be back on top.

[kasey and gabby]

go Miss. Michigan you are beautiful

[Marlys]

Great Job Katie!!!! Good luck!
Avon Junior Miss is behind you.

[Marlys]

Great Job Katie!!!! Good luck!
Avon Junior Miss is behind you.

[ME]

First of all You GO ASHLEY FAIRFIELD
From NEW JERSEY we are all pulling for you.

Second we are not Jew Jersey it is NEW JERSEY
All the girls look great!

But we want Ashley from the Garden state New Jersey

What ashame we really did not get to see that much of you on the TLC seemed like it was the same few girls over and over time and time again.

WE LOVE YOU ASHLEY!!

[Erin Callow]

I was Katie's high school cheerleading coach and I couldn't be more impressed with the young woman she has become. Best of luck Katie! I'll be rooting for you!!!

[Kristina and Chase]

We Love You Katie!!!!!

Kristina and Chase

(your Host Family)

[Bogue]

Can you tell me the details for how the eliminations will go during the show on Saturday?

I am guessing that it goes like this:
- 52 contestants
- 15 semi-semi finalists
- 10 semi-finalists
- 5 finalists
- 4th, 3rd, 3rd, 1st runner-ups, and winner

OR maybe it go like this (I think this is what they did last year, which was not good, in my opinion):
- 52 contestants
- 15 semi-semi finalists
- 10 semi-finalists
- 4th, 3rd, 3rd, 1st runner-ups, and winner (all while ten through six are standing there thinking they will be picked... cruel!)

I need to know this for a party I have every year where we fill out ballots before each elimination round.

Thanks for your help!

- Bogue