In what she described as an, “amazing’,” experience, eight-year-old Maiya Baziuk was crowned Little Miss Calgary for 2018 in February.
“I worked really hard to do it,” she said.
Maiya’s mom, Shali Baziuk, said they were, “pretty excited,” when Maiya was announced as the winner.
The pageant consisted of interviews, photo shoots, modeling, talent competition and runway.
Maiya said that her favourite part of the competition was the runway while the most difficult was the interview.
“I like to walk like a model,” she said.
While still a pageant, Little Miss Calgary is focused on building confidence and developing young actors.
This focus on confidence and skills rather than just a beauty competition is what swayed Maiya’s mom to support the pageant.
“Normally pageants are not my thing and I really had sort of what the public’s perception of a pageant was in my mind, so I wasn’t that excited,” said Baziuk.
Her concerns were laid to rest after speaking with the pageant’s organizer, Patti Falconer.
“Talking to Patti, after 40 years in the business, she had set some of the standards for child actors in the business,” said Baziuk, “for her she’s trying to grow actors and so the pageant is just one way for her to get kids to become more confident.”
“I thought if that’s what it is, if its confidence building and poise that’s the kind of pageant I would like for Maiya to be part of,” she said.
With the focus on confidence and skills, the pageant ensures that the children participating, dress and look like children.
“No high heels, no short skirts lip gloss only, no other makeup,” said Baziuk.
To help kids be confident on stage, stressful aspects of the competition are kept to a minimum.
The talent competition is recorded at home and presented so that kids won’t be nervous on stage.
As for the interview, the lids get to select the questions in advance and prepare for them.
“They just get to practice being on stage and being confident,” said Baziuk.
With this successful and fun experience behind her, Maiya has said that she would like to keep competing, something that her mom supports as long as she’s still having fun with it.
“If she wants to keep on doing it I’m all for it,” she said.
