Local teen prepares for modeling competition

Dawn Postma is working to raise money to attend the International Model and Talent Association's convention in New York City July 23-30. At the convention the 17-year-old Rehoboth student will audition before some 400 modeling agents and casting directors. [Photo by John A. Bowersmith/Independent]

By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff Writer

GALLUP — While other local teens are spending the summer hanging out with friends or working summer jobs, Dawn Postma is busy preparing for an intense week in New York City.

Postma, 17, is one of 18 young people from New Mexico who will be competing in New York City's July 23-30 International Model and Talent Association Convention.

The 5' 9" Rehoboth Christian High School senior discussed her fledging modeling career in a recent interview at her home. According to Postma and her mother, Shari, their upcoming trip to New York is the result of a fluke meeting in an Albuquerque mall.

Postma was shopping at Coronado Mall last November when a representative of John Robert Powers, a modeling and acting school, approached her and encouraged her to stop in the school for an interview and audition. The result, said the Postmas, was the school offered Postma a scholarship to John Robert Powers.

Soon Shari Postma was driving her daughter to John Robert Powers almost every weekend, and Dawn Postma was taking modeling classes with titles like runway, image, photo posing, and fashion commercial/print. She was also taking basic acting classes and instruction in hip hop, reggae, and jazz dancing.

Postma, who has no previous modeling or acting experience, said she found herself most interested in the modeling classes. She also found modeling, particularly runway modeling, to be more difficult than it looks.

"It's hard," said Postma. "It looks really easy ... , but I still learn new things."

And contrary to the negative image that many parents have about the modeling field and the entertainment business, Shari Postma said she has found the majority of people involved in the classes to be individuals and families with good values.

According to Postma, she was asked in February to audition for the New York City convention, which is a competitive venue for aspiring young models and actors. Although Postma admitted she was very nervous before the audition, she said she found it surprisingly easy. She was one of only 18 students chosen, she said, from more than 400 applicants across the state.

Since her acceptance to the convention, Postma and her family have been working to raise money to pay for travel expenses and the cost of the convention, which also requires a professional modeling portfolio and clothing for the competitions. Postma has been working to earn money, and she and her family have organized a number of fund-raising events like the raffle they are currently sponsoring.

Postma said she has been warned that the convention involves a grueling week of competition in front of modeling agents and casting directors.

"It's all competition, all week," said Postma, who explained that her days will begin at 6:45 a.m. and will run until late evening.

About 400 modeling agents and casting directors are scheduled to attend, she said, and they will be observing the students in various competitions such as runway, swimsuit, fashion print, makeup, television beauty commercials, and acting.

During the week, Postma explained, all the students will be identified by just a number. At the end of the week, selected students will receive a "call back" by interested modeling agents and casting directors. At that time, she said, students will then be able to provide their names and some information about themselves.

Although Postma said she is working hard to prepare for the convention, she also said she is not investing all her hopes on its outcome. If she receives a number of call backs, she said, she may pursue a career as a runway or magazine print ad model.

If things don't go so positively, Postma said, she will probably continue to take some classes in Albuquerque because of the number of modeling and acting jobs that come to New Mexico each year.

However, Postma does have other interests. She hopes to rejoin Rehoboth's soccer and track teams for her senior year activities she was previously sidelined from due to a foot injury, and she has a long-standing interest in pursuing a career in the medical field.

Whether a modeling career develops, Postma said she is O.K. with the outcome. But by making the attempt in New York City, she said, she won't have any "what if" regrets in the future.