Walking in a pageant can seem incredibly daunting, especially if it is your first time. These beginner tips will help you feel more comfortable in your skin and provide a great foundation for you to improve on. Stay tuned for more advanced tips and posing advice.
Practice in a mirror whenever you can! Being able to see yourself and your movements is crucial in order to improve. While practising in front of a mirror at home is good, I recommend booking a dance studio on occasion
Walk heel to toe in a smooth movement and place one foot in front of the other without crossing - try following a line on the floor
Make sure every step you take is with a straight knee. This will elongate your legs and also create a smooth, elegant movement
"Hands on hips" is a bit of a misnomer - putting your hands on your hips will make your body appear disproportionate. You want to put your hands on the smallest part of your waist instead
Your posture can make or break your walk - have your shoulders back and your chin up (but not too far). Pretend there is a string running up your spine and it has been pulled up tight and then tuck your ribcage down.
It's all in the hips baby! You want to be swinging your hips as you walk - pop your hip with each step and then sink into it. This is not a natural movement and it might help to do exercises to loosen your hips beforehand
If you're just getting started, use songs that you enjoy to get the hang of it. Having a groovy little dance party can help you feel the beat and loosen up into it
Arms - there is a sweet spot between swinging them too wildly and having them be too limp. Try filming yourself and watching your walk back to see if you notice anything obvious. And keep your hands soft and gentle
Practice in the shoes you’re going to wear! If you’re not used to heels, start with low shoes and even wedges to get comfy, but build yourself up to be practising in the shoes you will wear on the night.
Familiarise yourself with the difference between swimwear (sassy, fun and bouncy) and evening gown (graceful sashaying, like you’re floating - you can either go for sultry or regal). It's important that you have separate approaches to these two sections
Once you have gotten the hang of the basics - practice to the song you will be walking to! There are always fun accents in the music that you can get familiar with and play into on the night
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