The audience will admire plenty of girls at the Miss Dixie Pageant; that hasn't changed since last year.
The 2014 Miss Dixie Pageant is comprised of 10 contestants from Dixie State University.
This year's contestants are Megan Church, Baylee Bucher, Alexis Finch, Jessica Jensen, Sarah Nilsson, Jaylin Nilsson, Sarah Thompson, Jade Bybee, Abby Wynn and Rachelle Folger.
The competition is open to any full-time DSU student (12+ credits) who is between the ages of 18-24, hasn’t been married and doesn’t have any kids, said Jill Wulfenstein, vice president of student life.
The Miss Dixie pageant is a preliminary pageant to Miss Utah, said former Miss Dixie Krissia Beatty, public events chair of Miss Dixie. The audience can expect to see girls that are well prepared and comfortable in the various areas of competition.
Contestants learn a lot of life skills by participating in the pageant, said Wulfenstein, a senior integrated studies major for Pahrump, Nevada.
"It’s not just about how you look, it is about how you present yourself to other people and how well rounded you are," Wulfenstein said.
The Miss America Organization wants more than just beauty. It wants girls who are healthy, know how to take care of themselvess, and know how to carry themselves, Wulfenstein said.
"I think it is cool to be able to see yourself mature during the pageant," 2014 Miss Dixie Contestant Alexis Finch said. "By the end you are more confident in yourself and able to talk to more people."
Each contestant is required to compete in various different categories including, talent, eveningwear, swimsuit, interview and onstage question, said 2013 Miss Dixie Shaelie Knutson, a senior communication major from Preston, Idaho.
There is a wide range of talents this year, said Beatty, a junior communication major from St. George.
“I think the most unique talent this year is disc jockeying," Beatty said. "There are dancers, a flutist and instrumentalists, but a disc jockey is something we have never seen before."
Finch, a sophomore psychology major from Mona said, people with all different interests will be able to enjoy the show because of the wide range of talents that the contestants will perform.
The pageant is very, very modern, very upbeat and fast paced, Beatty said. The set itself is going to be like a Vegas show. The opening number is to Classic by MKTO and everyone knows that song so it’ll be a lot of fun, Beatty said.
“For me the best part of being a part of Miss Dixie was the rehearsals," Beatty said. "The rehearsals are when you get to build the friendship, make the memories and meet the girls. The pageant is a lot of fun and areas of competition are fun as well, but the bond and relationships that you build with the girls is the best part,” said Beatty, former Miss Dixie.
"You can meet a lot of friends doing pageants, and learn a lot about yourself and being confident," Finch said.
The winner of the Miss Dixie pageant receives a full tuition scholarship, but the rewards are even greater than that, Knutson said.
“The rewards of being Miss Dixie are being a part of Dixie and being in the limelight all of the time,” Knutson said. “The opportunities are endless when you become Miss Dixie because you meet so many new people. You’re put into circumstances and have experiences that you can’t really describe or explain, but they grow you.”
The Miss Dixie Pageant is Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Cox Auditorium.
Because the event is on a Tuesday it makes it hard for families to travel and support their contestants so, it is important that students come and cheer for everyone, Finch said.
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