The crowd goes wild at 2011 national beauty pageant

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15: The Miss Bermuda Pageant show burst open with all 15 contestants performing a sexy dance choreographed by Natasha Outerbridge to the song Diva.

The crowd went absolutely wild from the outset, screaming, whistling and getting out of their seats to have a little boogie themselves. The girls’ silver sequined dresses were dazzling in the studio lights.

The Miss Bermuda Pageant started in true Bermuda time — half an hour late — but all  was forgotten once these divas took to the stage.

After the dance the girls were invited to simply state their names and the parish they represented. While most stuck to the script, Alicia Phillips (Smiths West) said her parish was “home of beautiful ocean views, Spittal Pond and Portuguese Rock.” Then Jana Outerbridge (St George’s East) said that “great things come from the east”.

Patrina Paynter, aka Power Girl, strutted on to the stage wearing a Pembroke sash moaning the organizers had forgotten the largest parish — Pembroke.

“I am Miss Pembroke,” she joked, “home of Black Watch Pass, Market Place and C-Mart where people sit around doing do nothing.”

Power Girl and Nadanja Bailey were bursting with their usual hilarious on stage chemistry. While they were told to stick to the script, they appeared to ad-lib their way through the entire show. Nadanja introduced the swimsuit round which he said was the main reason most people came to the pageant. All the girls looked stunning though it would have been more fun had they not all been wearing almost identical red bikinis.

After a stirring rendition of Nina Simone’s Four Women, we moved on to the eveningwear round and all the girls looked stunning.

Next up was the announcement of the top eight finalists which surprised me as the girls had barely spoken a word aside from stating their name and parish.

The finalists went on to say a little bit about themselves including their education, their ambitions and even their hobbies. Some highlights included Channing Dill who talked about her hobby decorating high heels with jewels. She wants to pursue clinical psychology and open her own clinic to address some of the island’s social ills. Representing Devonshire East, Davina Cannonier said how she loves to dance ballet and aspires to be a social worker while Alicia Phillips of Smiths West once tried her hand as a Michael Jackson impersonator.

Next up was a provocative dance by the Sabor School of Dance set to Madonna’s Vogue. We then moved to the announcement of the top five: Channing Dill (Smiths East), Rachel Sawden (Hamilton South), Jana Outerbridge (St George’s East), Cratonia Smith (Sandys) and Sharmaine Landy (Hamilton Parish West).

They were asked a random question by the judges and that is when the nerves started to kick in for some of the girls.

Ms Smith talked about how people should make the most of their island by visiting all parts of it, Ms Landy said if she had a magic wand she would ask for a better life for her mother who had struggled so hard to give her all she needed. Ms Dill said her best achievement was her graduation from Bermuda College in Arts and Science while Ms Outerbridge said that the community needs to pull together to tackle the violence plaguing the island. Finally Ms Sawden said that if she was crowned Miss Bermuda would want to act as a role model for society and to be an inspiration for the youth.

The judges left to count up the votes and announced the prize winners. Davina Cannonier was named Miss Congeniality; Rachel Sawden earned the Style Bermuda People’s Choice Award; Channing Dill was named Miss Photogenic. Runner up four was Sharmaine Landy; runner up three was Cratonia Smith; runner up two was Rachel Sawden; runner up one was Channing Dill (Smiths East).

The crowd went wild when Jana Outerbridge was crowned Miss Bermuda — she proved to be extremely deserving of the prize for both her inner and outer beauty.