the girls a lesson on folding paper into
a beautiful origami box—the perfect size for holding small treasures. Shiseido Cosmetics (America), Ltd., through the artistic talent of Susan Panis and Noreen Masaki, offered a crash course on skincare and makeup application. For some, this was their first time wearing eyeshadow and mascara, and every young woman left the class armed with an arsenal of beauty goodies and tips on how to take good care of her skin and look her best, no matter the situation. Any fears over public speaking that may have plagued the contestants this year were assuaged by the ever-professional Nelson and Patti Nakagawa. This husband and wife team stepped up to the challenge of tackling the Festival’s first-ever Speech Training classes. Their mission: to help prepare the contestants answer impromptu questions and deliver the personal speech you’ll hear on Festival Ball night. All without fainting. Hopefully. Grace, poise, beauty. These are the things an audience comes to expect when they watch a Cherry Blossom contestant take the stage. Two left feet, erratic movements, and slouchy posture is usually what Pam Futa-Campbell is faced with when she first meets the contestants! Credit Pam for the transformation you see in your daughter, sister, niece, or girl
friend—for years she has imparted her knowledge to a countless number of contestants, all of whom have walked away from her classes standing a little taller, and a lot less clumsy. Classes on Calligraphy, Tea Ceremony and Odori were shared with the contestants through Hiromi Peterson, Betty Okubo and the Urasenke Foundation, and Joanne Ching and the Hanayagi Dancing Academy. Traditions centuries old were passed on to the contestants and were truly the epitome of this year’s Festival theme, “Perpetuating Our Traditions.” Learning to put on a kimono is a difficult task on its own. Walking in one? Nothing short of impossible. But through patience and steadfast training, Yuko Miskolczy and the staff of Watabe Wedding brought the contestants up to speed. And as icing on the cake, the contestants have the honor of wearing furisode silk kimono at Festival Ball, each of which has been individually selected and flown in from Japan for the lucky twelve. Don-tsu-don-tsu-don-don. The beating of those taiko drums will echo the beating of the hearts of the contestants on Festival Ball night, thanks in no small part to Kenny Endo and his troupe from the Taiko Center of the Pacific who mercilessly prepared the contestants for the opening taiko number.
ishly given of themselves so that everything can come together for this very special Festival. Heartfelt thanks go especially to Shelly Kawamoto and Joni Tanimoto, my two Contestant Advisors who provided me with much love, support, and uncensored humor. The three of us proved that when you take an attorney, an orthodontist, and an engineer and throw them together, miracles can happen! To Cat Toth—a kindred spirit who first crossed my path 16 years ago in freshman English, and whom I discovered is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. To Corday Feagins—the big sister I never had, who spearheaded the Festival with the perfect blend of organization, class, and style. The number of volunteers who emerged out of the woodwork to return to the Festival is a testimonial to the loyalty she has fostered amongst the people she has touched in her life. To my partner in love, life, and crime-busting, Kory Young— thank you for always being my number one fan. You make me a better person than I ever could be on my own. Finally, to the twelve contestants: my fervent hope is that these few short months will have touched your life forever. Thank you for adopting me as your Chinese mother, the one who might scream and scold and nag you until the very minute you step on stage. But remember—it is only because, from the very beginning, I wanted the best for you. Go forward and do great things. Then come back, and share it with others.
In the English language, twelve is the number of greatest magnitude that has just one syllable. And throughout this year’s Festival, I have constantly been reminded of this by the strength of the sheer number of volunteers and people behind the scenes who have unself57