She went there expecting to experience a "bit of drama," but it wasn't until the show was almost over that the theatrics took centre stage.
Kamilah Sturton managed to bag B.C.'s only spot among the top 12 finalists out of 60 contestants in the Miss Universe Canada pageant in Toronto last week, despite this being the Terra Nova resident's first foray into the world of beauty pageants.
MacNeill secondary grad Sturton, 21 - a professional ballet dancer who only entered the competition late after injuring herself while preparing to go on tour - lapped up an "absolutely wonderful" whirlwind week of media appearances and rehearsals while preparing for the competition.
Her surprise at making it into the top dozen vying for the "Beauties of Canada" title, however, was matched only by the foul-mouthed tirade spat from the mouths of contestants who missed out on a coveted final spot.
"I went there prepared to experience a bit of drama, but after the second day, it didn't look like there was going to be anything at all," said Sturton.
"But when the final line-up was given, the language from the mouths of very pretty girls was shocking.
"They were trash-talking everyone that made it into the top 20. That was the first time some girls' true colours started to show."
There was more drama to come, and it wasn't for the faint of pageant heart.
Two days after Denise Garrido, of Bradford, Ont., had been crowned Miss Universe Canada 2013, the organizers realized there had been an error in the voting system. They had crowned the wrong person.
The real winner was, in fact, Riza Santos, a 26-year-old Calgarian engineering student. Garrido was fourth.
"It was all so very sad and I felt so, so bad for the first winner, Denise," said Sturton. "But, she handled it all with incredible dignity."
Up until the last day's drama, Sturton had just been glad to get back on stage.
"It's such an adrenalin rush to be up there and once you get that taste, it's hard to forget it," she said.
"You have to put on a character, really. Each time you come out in a different costume, a different walk is needed, for example. That was easy for me with my dance background.
"But after walking off the stage when they announced the final 12, I started crying. For the first time in a while, I was actually proud of myself."
Sturton will now get back to her day-to-day job of coaching off-ice figure staking and teaching at a few studios in the Lower Mainland.
She said it's unlikely she'll return to professional ballet dancing and will set her sights on getting something that will perhaps lead her to Broadway.
She's certain, however, she won't be entering another pageant. "This was a life goal for me, it's not something I'm interested in pursuing."
