by: MisS VictoriA DaviD
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| (Miss Iwa Moto, Miss Amazing Midlands 2017) |
Four months of deliberate preparations for the Dayanara Marques de Araneta Production with the systematic coordination of BFBCV (Birmingham Filipino- British Community Volunteers) exclusively to achieve a 2-day spectacular event held in Birmingham and Beyond. It is the biggest gathering and has just achieved its non-stop 10th year of public existence and named this year as Birmingham- Sandwell West Midlands Fiesta Celebration.
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| (Birmingham Filipino- British Community Volunteers) |
Detailed information of the event has been disseminated, either in person or through social media, in order to acquire attention from the British-Filipino communities and supporters in the U.K. Effectively, most of social media users showed their approval and enthusiasm by sharing on their walls the important particulars of this year's biggest celebration in West Midlands. The solidarity of a number of Filipinos who travelled far to attend the celebration was acclaimed by the hospitable organisers and the jovial locals. I have to say that the unconscious hearty camaraderie and cheerful personalities of my fellow Filipinos made me realised how lovely for us all it was to have this event on a sunny day. In my humble opinion, it was an excursion worth travelling to and more importantly, a BIG THANK YOU to the amiable Miss Dayanara Mesmeize for my complimentary taxi from the station to the venue and vice versa!
The sun was glorious as I arrived in Bearwood's Lightwoods Park and I was welcomed with warm greetings from the watchmen in green vests. I was walking on an elongated pavement and from there I saw a stationary Sheriff's car; myriad presence of jovial visitors on the grassland and many merchandisers' stalls with protective tent-like awnings. As I walked through the grassland, I appreciated the unvarying bells and whistles of the raised stage which prominently featured the flag of Republic of the Philippines and the Union Jack of the United Kingdom. There was also a conspicuously erected Filipino version of simple hut (nipa hut) made from natural materials.
“I couldn't find her and Where is Miss Dayanara?”, I whispered in my mind. All of sudden, she appeared in front of me and handed over my entry badge for the restricted area. A guarded place with encompassing basic chain link fence which effectively secured the safety and properties of the candidates for Miss Amazing Midlands 2017.
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The Unshakably Radiant 7 candidates
(From Left to Right: Daniela, Agatha, Leila, Iwa, Sophia, Mikayla and Cassandra)
(With Miss Amazing Midlands 2016 Queen, Miss Venus Petra Moutney) |
There were 14 original applicants but only 5 of them pursued and showed up for the competition. However, 2 additional candidates also arrived. The final unshakably radiant 7 candidates ostentatiously showed-off on stage in order to contend for the exalting title of Miss Amazing Midlands 2017...
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| (The Members of the Jury) |
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| (The Tabulators) |
The high spirited audience had a glimpse of the colourful candidates on the side of the stage while the positive hosts, Alexandra Marie Diaz and Julious Labao, introduced one-by-one the calmed members of the jury; the well set-up tabulators and a list of this year's sponsors. Thereupon, all candidates were called one at a time to make a spectacle of themselves with their considerably full FANTASY COSTUMES. All of them were very flamboyant with their well-fastened headdresses and cunningly crafted wings. When the rainbow like appearances of them was completed, the jury handed over the score sheets which were tabulated and the Best in Fantasy Costume was awarded to the Sparkling Lustre Lady in Red, Miss Sophia Frewin.
(Candidate #1, Miss Sophia and Candidate #2, Miss Cassandra)
(Candidate #3, Miss Leila and Candidate #4, Miss Mikayla)
(Candidate #5, Miss Agatha and Candidate #6, Miss Daniela)
(Candidate #7, Miss Iwa)
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| (Miss Sophia Frewin, Best in Fantasy Costume) |
They carefully headed back into their tents, changing room, for the next round of the competition. Subsequently, a local quality Filipino Artist named 'AlPaBeT' rocked us all with his quick & sharp rap performance.
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| (AlPaBeT) |
“Hey, sexy ladies... Where are your itsy bitsy teenie weenie bikini?”. Can you guess what was the next round? Undoubtedly, this was the sensuously delightful SWIMWEAR display. They each trusted on stage with vanity and impressed not just the jury but also, the madding crowd. All of them were indulgently flirtatious in their fleshy, one-piece and two-piece, bathing suits. They were all called back on stage for the traditional 360 degree turn around and in particular, to be examined as to who amongst them had the hourglass figure and buffy booty. The woman who unanimously made the jury gulp and drank more wine was Miss Iwa Moto for Best in Swimwear.
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| (Miss Iwa Moto, Best in Swimwear) |
After the thought-provoking 360 degree turn around by the voluptuous candidates, another local quality Filipino artist in the name of Maria Otadoy stirred and fascinated us with her singing voice.
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| (Maria Otadoy) |
Our energy levels remained high and accelerated more when the candidates were back on stage for their PRODUCTION NUMBER. One-by-one they appeared in their above the knee bodycon dress. They didn't just walk in like a prancing model as they also moved their bodies and feet to music on stage. It was like a dance party and the one who stood out on the disco floor (stage) was Miss Leila Duterte. She unanimously brought home the Best in Catwalk which was assessed during their production number.
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| (Wiggins Sisters) |
The Wiggins Sisters mollified most of us who were under the dehydrating heat of the sun. The ameliorated feeling continued when the candidates performed individually their learnt by heart TALENT. Most of their amusingly dazzling dance performances tickled us but there was only one who scored high in the hearts of the jury. Once again its contestant number 7, Miss Iwa Moto, who was unanimously decided as the Best in Talent.
After the nailed down talents of the sanguine candidates, another local quality Filipino artist was presented and took over the stage. T.MaX intensified the crowd with his hip hop music rhythmical beat with the percussion break of funk or soul recording. It was an upbeat feat music of his which was a contrast to the performance of the BFBCV (Birmingham Filipino- British Community Volunteers) Dancers. They appeared as group of women wearing pleated skirts embellished with shiny sequins; covered their fingers in gold plated filigree bead cones and accessories their head with the traditional jewelled headwear. Over and above that, they enacted a popular traditional fingernail dance to the tune of slow rhythmic movements of their legs, arms and fingers.
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| (T.MaX) |
The performances of the earlier artists were expunged when the cleaning Lady from the Philippines, Lady Imelda, emerged in the crowd with her buffooneries and more importantly, her confidently dominion bright vocals. Then I quipped to myself, “She is indeed the cleaning lady who will sharply restore your sense of hearing and you will envy her vocal cords”.
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| (The Cleaning Lady from the Philippines, Lady Imelda) |
Lady Imelda enjoyed the guffaws of her audience which is why, she started and finished her depiction only on the grassland. She's the Lady Imelda after all who made most of us laugh aloud and astounded with her powerful vocals. Standing ovation!
Here comes the candidates who were warmly admired because of their long chromatic finely detailed sewn gowns. One at a time, they appeared on stage elegantly and took their time in flaunting their body hugging off-shoulder long gowns. Ensuingly, each of them were serenaded by a healthy young boy who handed over red roses with a Hillgrove gentleman's bow. The exquisiteness of their selves in gowns were appreciated by the audience and more so, when they were called back for the jittery QUESTION and ANSWER portion. Each red rose had a covert number which revealed to a corresponding question. Honestly speaking, they all answered clearly, smartly and substantially (core points!).
The woman wearing the fishtail lace purple off-shoulder neckline body hugging gown, Miss Iwa Moto, was awarded and agreed by all as Best in Long Gown. On the other hand, the woman wearing the see-through trumpet tail flowy pink sweetheart neckline body hugging gown, Miss Sophia Frewin, was unifiedly awarded the Miss Intellectual title.
(Miss Iwa Moto, Best in Long Gown and Miss Sophia Frewin, Miss Intellectual)
They all headed back to their tent-like dressing room and thereafter, the stage was occupied by Alexander Martinez. A Filipino artist who appeared in Poland's Got Talent and wooed us that day with his chosen songs.
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| (Julious Labao, Alexander Martinez and Alexandra Marie Diaz) |
It was roughly 30 minutes past the hour of 17:00, when the FILIPINIANA attire or the “modernised Maria Clara gown” procession of the candidates commenced. They all wore elegant formal outfits which symbolised the virtues, nobility and the world class capacity of a Filipino woman. I admired their compassionate depictions in bearing their own design of modernised Maria Clara gown with the distinct butterfly sleeves. Historically speaking, the modern terno became well-known because of the former first lady of the Philippines, Imelda Marcos, tastes in fashion. The prime candidate who portrayed well the Filipiniana formal attire and stunned the eyes of the audience was, Miss Iwa Moto. More importantly, her statuesque embroidered white “modernised Maria Clara gown” and accessories gained unanimously from the jury the Best in Filipiniana.
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| (Miss Ate Gay) |
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| (Arianna Morgan) |
All of the candidates had their gasconading and swaggering appearances on stage. Which is why, the presence of last year's first runner-up, Nicole Williams, and last year's Queen, Venus Petra Moutney, were called upon for their farewell walk and speech (for the Queen only). Their radiant beauties were seen again by their admirers and their provocative composures in wearing their gowns were once appreciated by their undying supporters.
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| (Miss Amazing Midlands 2016 1st runner-up, Miss Nicole Williams) |
Miss Nicole Williams was uniquely dramatic in wearing her custom-made strapless bronze gown which showed-off her beautiful tattoo. On the other hand, Miss Venus Petra Moutney was raging and confident in her simple tiffany teal satin gown. However, her plunging neckline showed off her perfect bronze and her thigh-high grazing slit exposed her perfectly toned legs.
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| (Miss Amazing Midlands 2016 Queen , Miss Venus Petra Moutney) |
After the farewell walk and speech of the last year's Queen, the admirable and stunning candidates were all called back on stage. They were joined by the members of the jury and the team of tabulators. The host was handling an envelop containing the names for the special awards and the unanimously decided runners-up as well as the title holder of Miss Amazing Midlands 2017. However, the announcement of winners was interrupted when the host misapprehended the tally result for the runners-up and the title holder. The clarity of tabulation was revealed and found no mistake at all. Thenceforward, the runners-up and the Queen of Miss Amazing Midlands 2017 were revealed and declared.
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2nd Runner-up, Miss Sophian Frewin
1st Runner-up, Miss Leila Duterte
Miss Amazing Midlands 2017 Queen, Miss Iwa Moto |
We all have different perceptions about a certain person which is why, we encircle ourselves in a group of similar inclinations. It is also true that some people like to be admired by the group and this can lead to vanity and arrogance. On a more noteworthy sense, a simple “Hi or Hello” will never hurt nor harm you whether you are on a pompous pedestal or on the ground like most of us. The world is round and multicultural but should not be a control place for authority!
