The art of walking

In everyday life, we hardly pay attention to walking. It is usually just a means of going from point A to point B, and so on. People would not really pay attention to how you walk, unless it’s a style that is very far from normal.

But in the beauty pageant industry, walking is an essential tool in making an impact. Walking showcases how a candidate carries herself.

I joined pageants early, and as I was just starting out, I managed with what my perception of the ideal was at that time. I was quite unsupervised, so my style was far from polished. Looking back, my walk then was very exaggerated because most of my energies were focused on projecting a larger than life persona.

When I was in Manila and as I set my sights on the Bb. Pilipinas title, I was very fortunate enough to be trained by Jonas Antonio Gaffud, CEO and president of Mercator Artist and Model Management (now my home agency). Jonas is known for his superb eye for talent, but also his uncanny ability to train people how to walk. Because of him, my style has greatly changed. He has instilled in me how to walk with attitude, grace and elegance.

I still fondly remember how he would religiously coach me in walking. In fact, even whenever he was not around, he would call me! Jonas would tell me where to place my hands depending on what I was wearing, whether it be a gown or swimsuit. He would also give me a bunch of reminders like lifting my shoulders, etc. And this was something that he did even during the days leading to the Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas. The last night before the pageant, he was late for the final visiting hours so he just called me on the phone. He practically dictated what I had to do, where to place my shawl, how to go down the stairs and when to place my hands on my hips. And I was very happy that I was able to execute whatever was taught to me because that was of course one of the major reasons I entered the Top 5.

Reigning Bb. Pilipinas-Universe and Miss Universe third runner-up, Shamcey Supsup, also benefited from Jonas’ tips on walking. Along with Jonas, Bessie Besana of the group called Aces & Queens also helped me and Shamcey out. And then of course, once we won our titles, Miss Stella Araneta and BPCI further honed our skill and style. Training in Colombia was rigorous, but a great source of valuable experience that mattered so much in the competition. According to some Filipinos who were there, Jonas did the final touches for Shamcey at the Miss Universe venue for proper posing if ever she will make it to the finals. 

Fortunately, Jonas found time to share some of his thoughts on the art of walking. Not one to take credit for everything, he says he often finds ideas from different people and places throughout the years.

How did you develop this expertise and where do you get inspiration?

Jonas Gaffud (JG): “Since I was a child I have been fascinated with and was very passionate about beauty pageants. When you really like something then you do your best, and you get inspired. The tips come from whatever you see. One has to be a keen observer, I guess, to come up with a lot of formula.”

What are the qualities that you look for in order to tell if somebody has the potential?

“The qualities that I look for are: First, the face, then the proportions of her body. The shape can be fixed that through exercise. In fact, even if one doesn’t have a shapely body, you can do improve it with the posing and swaying of hips. It’s really the face that is more important.”

What are the qualities of a perfect walk?

“There is no perfect walk, but there are standards for proper posture, gliding, swaying of hips, swinging of arms, etc. In the history of beauty pageants especially Miss Universe, most winners or finalists have all these. However, there are exceptions like Miss Universe 2004 Jennifer Hawkins of Australia. A lot of pageant enthusiasts thought that her walk was very awkward. But then again we cannot discount her very beautiful face and gorgeous body. Besides, she was very confident.”

Are there certain types of walk and do you favor one over the others?

“I am usually not a fan of the Miss USA walk. They are mostly the same, looking masculine on stage. They don’t even sway their hips. They seem to gallop, not glide. The Venezuelan (or Latina vibe) walk is very sexy. There is a lot of playing onstage. I think Asians have to walk very elegantly because of their look. They should capitalize on how the West perceives the Oriental beauties. Many Asian girls do not exert much effort on proper walking and those who try to be fierce seem to lack that Latina vibe. However, Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori of Japan was fierce but she has also had this elegance, thanks to her being a ballet dancer. And of course who could discount the fierce Venus Raj walk and the ‘tsunami’ walk of Shamcey Supsup?”

Is walking a talent you are born with, or a skill you just develop?

“Both. A lot of girls have this innate ability to walk elegantly. Girls who are not really good in walking and win in local competition, have a very difficult time training for the international pageants. Some really have the talent. The body has to be very well-coordinated from the head, to the shoulders, to the arms, the back, the abdomen, the hips, the knees and the legs. In your (Venus’) case, you had everything. You were very elegant and have this certain power. But we had to fix some things like your shoulders and the swinging of arms, when to put your hands on your hips, etc.

Again, there are always exceptions to the rule. Shamcey was very determined to learn how to get the perfect walk. Along the way she made so many mistakes. She never really walked in heels. But her ability to copy and observe proper walking helped her to achieve her unique walk. In the end, it is all about perseverance and hard work.”