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The Talent Competition :
ENGAGE, PERFORM, ENTERTAIN

By: Maria-Teresa Grinneby
June, 2009

An audience favorite, the talent competition sometimes leaves contestants wondering “What are the judges looking for?” Aside from demonstrated ability in your talent of choice, the judges are looking for one thing… entertainment value.

As a two-time National Talent winner with National American Miss, I have spent many years trying to find the perfect “talent formula.” It took me a very long time to figure out that, when it comes to the talent competition, simply having talent is not enough. What good is a fantastic vocalist who doesn’t entertain the audience? What good is an amazing dancer who fails to connect and engage the judges? Oftentimes, it’s your presentation that truly makes the difference between a good talent and a winning talent.

There are a lot of things that go into making your talent performance entertaining. Costume, choreography, eye contact, and song choice are all a part of your performance and should be paid as much attention as learning your talent piece.

For singers, first choose a song that suits your voice. Sopranos should not be singing belty Broadway songs… you need to work with your voice, not fight against it, in choosing the song that’s right for you. Once you’ve settled on a song choice, think about what the message of the song is and what the lyrics are. This will help you in putting together a costume and character. Character is the persona you will take on while performing. If, for example, you were singing a song from “Phantom of the Opera” you might take on the character of Christine. If you’re singing a pop song, this is a little bit harder to do… but, for example, if you’re singing a  Hannah Montana song, you should be embodying Miley Cyrus while up on stage and have fun “rocking out.”

For dancers, song choice is still important. Your song should be entertaining if you’re doing an up-beat tap or jazz number or moving if you’re performing a ballet of lyrical number. Again, listen to the lyrics and try to step into the song while dancing. A lot of dancing is feeling the music… don’t be afraid to engage fully in your song as this will enable the judges and audience to fully engage with you.

If you are an instrumentalist, don’t underestimate the power of choosing an entertaining song played with flair. While a well-played, technically difficult piece can do very well, I have also seen less difficult, contemporary pieces played well and with great fanfare score highly. A major pet peeve of mine when it comes to instrumentalists is when a contestant brings her sheet music with her during the performance. Vocalists are expected to know their notes and lyrics… dancers are expected to know their choreography… instrumentalists, too, should have their talent memorized. Furthermore, not being dependent on sheet music greatly opens up your ability to play well and engagingly.

Aside from the talents mentioned above, there are many other things I have seen: from the more common monologues and karate routines, to the more exotic hula hooping and roller-blading pieces. No matter the talent, the evaluation scale remains the same. Ask yourself:

• “Is this entertaining?”
  
  
• “Am I engaging the audience with my talent?”
  
  
• “Am I interested in my talent to the point where my interest shines through in my performance?”

So long as your answer is “YES!” to these questions, you can’t go wrong!

Remember... when it comes to the talent competition don’t just do… engage, perform, and entertain!