San Diego Pageants Turn Out a Night of Talent and Beauty

Saturday night’s 2011 Miss San Diego and Miss San Diego’s Outstanding Teen pageants at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts proved it takes a lot of courage and self-confidence to compete.

It’s hard to say what was more challenging: answering complicated questions that would stump experts, walking across stage in a swimsuit, or performing the perfect talent.

When it was all over, Chula Vista’s Marina Inserra was crowned Miss San Diego 2011. Inserra will go on to the state pageant to vie for the title of Miss California. She has big shoes to fill: last year’s Miss San Diego County, Arianna Afsar, won the state pageant and placed in the top 10 at the Miss America pageant.

“I’m so excited,” said Inserra, a theater major at San Diego State University. “It’s been a great experience.”

Inserra’s sister, Julianna Inserra, was also a contestant for a local pageant. She competed for Miss San Diego’s Outstanding Teen 2011. Although she didn’t win, her fellow contestants named her Miss Congeniality.

Fresh-faced Danamarie McNicholl-Carter was named Miss San Diego’s Outstanding Teen. McNicholl-Carter, who lives in La Mesa, attends the Academy of Our Lady of Peace. She also was named Most Photogenic.

“It’s been so amazing,” McNicholl-Carter said. “It’s all about building and growing.”

In addition to the Miss San Diego and Miss San Diego’s Outstanding Teen selections, Shelby Macdonald was named Miss San Diego Cities, Ryan Osborn was crowned Miss San Diego County and Lauren Smolka won the title of Miss Southern California Regional.

Macdonald, Osborn and Smolka will also go on to compete with Inserra for Miss California.

The night began with the national anthem and a choreographed number that featured all of the contestants. It would be the last time the contestants stood together on stage before the winners would be announced.

The subsequent question-and-answer portion delved into several issues, including a challenging California economy, capital punishment, and the effect social media has on the public’s lives.

Contestants gave great answers, good answers, and answers you’d expect from any young person confronted with the task of giving a simple reply to a not-so-simple question.

Several questions regarded women’s public roles. One contestant cited Sandra Bullock as a role model for her poise and grace. Another named First Lady Michelle Obama as the most influential woman in America for championing the fight against childhood obesity.

Because the Miss America pageant promotes fitness, both Outstanding Teen and Miss San Diego contestants had to show off their shapes and forms. The teen contestants did jumping jacks, high kicks and air punches in tank tops, workout pants and sneakers while the Miss San Diego contestants flaunted their stuff in two-piece swimsuits.

As the last contestant walked behind stage, mistress of ceremony and Miss San Diego 2008 Lauren Weeks said, “I can honestly say from experience that the hardest part of the competition is over.” Weeks co-emceed the pageants with her husband, Ian.

While contestants needed nerves of steel to wear swimsuits on stage, the talent portion wasn’t any less daunting for the young women who showed that San Diego County has talent.

Teen contestant Anastasia Alm sang, “L.O.V.E.,” a song made popular by Nat King Cole, Julianna Inserra performed a song-and-dance number from Chicago, Sabrina Alonso did a classical jazz routine to “The Locomotion,” and Valerie Alcarez did a monologue. 

Miss San Diego contestants played the piano, sang, danced and even performed comedy routines. Lauren Stone performed excerpts from one of Bill Cosby’s famous stand-up routines, which had the crowd laughing out loud.

After a brief intermission, contestants modeled their evening gowns. Sequined strapless numbers seemed to rule the night as young women entered the stage sparkling under the bright lights.

The Miss San Diego contestants were accompanied by Miss San Diego 2011 princesses—young girls who took part in a program that taught them poise, modeling skills and manners. Most of the contestants gave their princess escorts a twirl and hug before finishing their formal strolls.

Before the winners were announced, last year’s titleholders performed. Miss San Diego Cities 2010 Saundra Combs sang “If I Could” and Afsar performed Heart’s “Alone.” There was also a slideshow featuring past moments experienced by the last year’s queens.

The next step for the winners will be to work with the Miss San Diego prep team on make-up, fitness, questions-and-answers and refreshing current events to be ready for the state pageant in Fresno.

“There’s definitely a lot of work ahead,” Inserra said.