April
7, 2008
We Are Reporting Live from Las Vegas
Miss and Mrs. Rafalowski after a fun day of rehearsals!
After
some heavy technical difficulties Monday morning we are in the Planet
Hollywood Theater about to experience the week that is Miss USA! The ladies
are now all about rehearsals until the broadcast Friday evening. As of 2:00pm
local time the delegates just returned from lunch. Today is exciting as it’s
the first day with cameras and full crew. Goal of the afternoon is to finish
the stage patterns and tomorrow head to camera blocking.
Up
first this afternoon was the blocking of the swimsuit pattern featuring the
rock act Finger 11 song “Paralyzar”. Look for the choreography to take
advantage of the wide circular front stage and multi-leveled stage and
staircases. The new choreography makes it feel more like a fashion show and
the rock music gives it an edge. We will see the stage with full lights on
Tuesday as the pieces are starting to come together production wise.
Tonight is a family visitation time as for the last time as the ladies will have time to get away from the pageant. Then it’s back onstage Tuesday morning at 10:00am. Look for our Pageant Viewing Primer starting tomorrow only at www.MissFloridaUSA.com.
CATCHING UP WITH MISS FLORIDA USA
Today
was the first day we were onsite so it was exciting to hear from our Miss
Rafalowski. She had been so busy that communications were limited not to
mention she caught a viral infection. We are happy to report that after a few
days on antibiotics she is back to herself. She is also having the time of her
life as she expressed that “this is a once in a lifetime experience.”
She
also is comfortable with the stage pattern and choreography that look more
like a fashion show this year. She loves the new choreographer and says that
everyone is getting not only the stage patterns but instruction on how to
present themselves on stage. She also noted that she has very friendly and
positive group of friends amongst the contestants and loves her contestant
director.
More from Planet Hollywood tomorrow as we will have daily Miss Florida USA updates until show time!
PRELIMINARY
SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS
Planet Hollywood was rocking Saturday night Miss USA style as it was time for the pageant preliminary competition. The presentation show is where the final two phases of the pageant come together. We also have some fun backstage pictures so enjoy!
Co-hosts of the 2008 MISS USA Presentation Show Jason Feinberg and Miss USA Rachel Smith observe as First Lady of the State of Nevada Dawn Gibbons presents Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization, with a Proclamation welcoming the competition to Las Vegas during the 2008 Miss USA Presentation Show in the Planet Hollywood Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino
Swimsuits:
LauRen Merola, Miss Pennsylvania USA 2008, and Raquel Roxanne Beezley, Miss California USA 2008 perform in their Syrup Swimwear during the swimsuit competition at the 2008
Miss USA Presentation Show
Jessica
Rafalowski, Miss Florida USA 2008
Tiffany
Andrade, Miss New Jersey USA 2008; Raelene Aguilar, Miss New Mexico USA 2008;
and Danielle Roundtree, Miss New York USA 2008
Evening Gowns:
Jessica Rafalowski, Miss Florida USA 2008, competes in the evening gown competition
during the 2008 Miss USA Presentation Show
Danielle
Roundtree, Miss New York USA 2008, Crystle
Stewart, Miss Texas USA 2008,
Amy Diaz, Miss Rhode Island USA 2008 & Keisha Walding, Miss Alabama USA 2008
Behind The Scenes
Michelle Marie Font, Miss Washington USA 2008 touches up her nails prior to competing in the first round of judging for the 2008 Miss USA Competition
Michelle
Marie Font, Miss Washington USA 2008 &
Julia Bachison, Miss Utah USA 2008
GETTING TO KNOW MISS NORTH CAROLINA USA
SALUDA
-- Miss North Carolina USA Andrea Duke stands at the counter at the Purple
Onion in Saluda looking like a model straight out of the pages of a magazine.
The 5'11" classy 26-year-old has traded playing sports for sporting heels
and dresses. A former record-breaking volleyball player for Wofford College,
Duke will soon hit the pageant stage to compete for the Miss USA crown.
A Saluda resident who graduated in 2000 from East Henderson High School, Duke
will compete at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. The pageant finals will air at
9 p.m. Friday on NBC. Duke's platform focuses on improving women's self
esteem, especially in the realm of eating disorders, something she's dealt
with, herself. "It's
something I'm very passionate about," she says.
Road to Vegas
Duke left Saluda March 25 for Vegas. After arriving in there, she'll attend
cocktail events and other outings. The week of finals, she'll compete in
preliminaries in swimsuit, evening gown and interviews. "I look forward
to the interview. If you haven't noticed, I like to talk," Duke laughs.
The preliminary panel of judges will choose nine of the 50 competing.
Mystery judges from behind the scenes will choose the other six contestants to
round out the top 15 to move on to finals Friday. This part of the competition
will be aired on NBC.
The finals will feature a different set of judges -- a celebrity panel. This
panel will judge the top 15 in swimsuit, narrowing the field down to the top
10, who will compete in evening gown. Then the top five will be selected for
interviews.
Duke will have her own cheering section at the pageant. Her parents, Brenda
and Alan, will be at the pageant to support her, as will her brother, Dustin.
Duke's friends will attend, as well as her preacher and his family.
To get to this point, Duke competed in (and won) the Miss North Carolina USA
pageant held in October 2007 in High Point. (The prior year, she was in the
top 10). Her prize package included gift certificates, an evening gown and
sponsorships for hair care, nail care, tanning and more.
The winner of the Miss USA pageant (not to be confused with the Miss America
pageant, which was held in February) will get an impressive prize package, as
well. "If you win Miss USA, you move to New York City," she says,
explaining that the winner moves into the Trump Towers.
The winner is also provided with the opportunity to travel the nation to raise
awareness about the national platform of breast and ovarian cancer. In
addition, Miss USA will also compete in Miss Universe, which will be held in
Vietnam this year. This is Duke's last pageant because you can't compete again
once you've won a state pageant title. "This is it for me -- so I'm happy
to go all the way -- this is a one-time shot. I'm just trying to live the
dream," Duke says.
Shopping for a prom dress
Duke's involvement in pageants began in high school while shopping for a prom
dress. A store clerk asked her if she had ever been in a pageant. She had not.
"I thought, well, it wouldn't hurt," Duke says. Before then, the
thought didn't even cross her mind. "I was really into sports," she
says.
Having struggled with an eating disorder, she felt that competing in pageants
would be a great way to get out a message of hope for others struggling with
the same issues. "If I was going to be passionate about helping other
people -- first I had to help myself," Duke says. "That really
motivated me to get back into it. ... If you have a crown on your head, people
are going to listen to you."
Her eating disorder began when she was in high school and continued into
college. She credits her relationship with God for overcoming the disorder.
"I had to come to a point in my life, where I wanted to get over
it," Duke says. "Some people think it's just about food -- but it's
so much deeper than that."
She knows that unless you experience an eating disorder, you can't understand
it. But she does ask people to be understanding about eating disorders. Other
than what's to be expected in any everyday situation, Duke hasn't experienced
the catty girl stereotype commonly placed on pageant contestants. "My
experience has been -- most of the girls are really fantastic," Duke
says. "I'm always impressed with the people I meet there."
Being true to herself is the most important part of the process for Duke. She
recommends competing in pageants to young women, but only if they understand
what they are about.
"It's not about the body; it's not about the evening gown. It's about who
you are as a person. So if you can grasp that concept, I would recommend
it," she says. "Know who you are; it's easy to lose yourself."
Duke played volleyball in high school and graduated in 2005 from Wofford
College with a bachelor's degree in French. She broke 13 school records during
her three-year career there. It has taken a little getting used to for Duke to
go from spending hours practicing her sport to being a pageant contestant.
"It's just a different phase of life -- I thrive off change," Duke
says.
She earned a master's in business management from the University of Florida in
2007. Her long-range goals include becoming a professor of the romance
languages.