Fifteen contestants danced in sparkling black dresses to kick off the Miss UF Pageant at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Monday to a cheering crowd of about 500.
Paige Smith, the winner of this year's pageant, and Diana Kelly, the Miss Florida Gator winner, each received a $750 scholarship and will go onto compete in Miss Florida, according to the Miss UF Pageant Director Amanda Hall.
The Florida Blue Key hosted the pageant, which consisted of private interviews, onstage performances and presentations in swimwear and evening wear.
Shelley Meyer, wife of UF football coach Urban Meyer, was one of the masters of ceremonies facilitating the pageant and pumped up the audience with "Go Gators" during every intermission.
The contestants shared their passion for organizations such as Gainesville Pet Rescue and Healthy Women, Healthy World.
The contestants performed a variety of talents including a Broadway vocal, a Tahitian dance to "Bora Bora," baton twirling to "Hot Hot Hot," a piano performance and a comedic monologue, all in hopes of being crowned Miss UF.
Lauren Beard, contestant eight, said before her piano performance of "Chopsticks," she kept telling herself, "I'm not nervous anymore. I practiced this a thousand times. There's no point in being nervous anymore."
They were judged by Miss America-certified judges as well as Jeanna Mastrodicasa, Gainesville city commissioner and UF's assistant vice president of student affairs.
According to Amanda Hall, director of the event, 35 percent of the contestants' score was from the talent portion.
"This is not just a beauty contest. These are normal girls," Hall said."These girls are leaders on campus representing a philanthropic organization that they support in the Gainesville community."
Brooke Helvie, Miss UF 2008, asked questions to the contestants and sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
"The pageant gave me opportunities to touch people's lives through my voice," Helvie said. "It is a wonderful event that is great for the contestants and really makes a difference."
