LESLIE ELIMINATED FROM UPN'S "AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL"
Leslie, a student from Higley, Ariz., became the sixth girl eliminated from the sixth cycle of UPN's hit series AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL, reducing the pool from 8 girls to 7.
J. Alexander greeted the girls for a lesson about movement on the runway and demonstrated tips on how to use accessories and body motion to make garments come alive. While J. critiqued the girls on their techniques, Leslie's uncertainty became very apparent causing her awkwardness to stand out more than her beauty. "It takes the pretty away from her," J. said after the lesson.
The girls then met with Richard and Ron Harris, better known as the "aswirl twins," for a lesson on swirling and twirling that would further sharpen their knowledge of movement on the runway. Although many of the girls had difficulty mastering the graceful movements, Leslie appeared increasingly tense and unsure of her actions.
The next day, the girls put their skills to the test in a fashion show held in a local church that featured the fashions of renowned designer Lloyd Klein and beautiful diamonds of Sol Rafael. Leslie, who openly expressed being nervous before the fashion show started, had trouble relaxing which led to a stiff and unenthusiastic performance on the runway.
Jay Manuel then led the girls in a rooftop photo shoot for Payless Shoes, where each had to create an edgy and energetic look while dancing with Tommy the Clown and his Krumpers. Once again, Leslie had difficulty embracing the essence of the shoot and failed to provide a variety of poses and facial expressions. Jay was disappointed after Leslie's shoot, commenting "I really thought she was going to nail it more."
During the week's elimination ceremony, the judges challenged each girl to showcase their signature walk and tested their balance and posture in a slow motion 360 degree turn. Although the judges agreed that Leslie is both photogenic and beautiful, they were not convinced of her presence as a top model. "The judges think, 'beautiful girl, beautiful pictures,' but a lot of them don't see a model in front of them," Tyra said to Leslie before eliminating her from the competition.
The winner of UPN's AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL will have the opportunity to be managed by Ford Models. She will also receive a $100,000 contract with cosmetics giant CoverGirl. The winner will additionally appear in a fashion spread in Elle magazine.
The sixth installment of UPN's hit dramality series AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL follows 13 young women as they attempt to prove they have what it takes to make it in the high-stress, high-stakes world of modeling. Banks, who created the show, also serves as executive producer along with Ken Mok ("Making the Band") and Anthony Dominici ("The Amazing Race").
AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL airs Wednesdays (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on UPN. For more information about AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL, log on to www.upn.com.
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