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Toronto Star -
LIFE, Tuesday, April 15, 2003, p. C01
Model Aspirations
Take a shot at the world of modelling! We drop in where future stars are found!
Janice Mawhinney
Staff Writer
For 150 aspiring Models and Actors, this is an unforgettable four day adventure. There they are in a Toronto area hotel, walking down the runway, performing monologues, singing or dancing. Watching them
with great professional interest are over 50 of the World's Top Modelling and Talent Agents from cities such as Paris, Milan, New York, Athens, Miami, L.A., Tokyo, Montreal, Hamburg, Shanghai, Toronto and more!
This was the scene at the recent 11th Annual Canadian Model and Talent Convention (CMTC) run by Audra Anderson of Mode Elle Models & Talent in Belleville.
"Every Agent is looking for the next great new face," says Anderson, 36, also a former model.
And every young participant, walking around with their portfolio, wondering if he or she might be that next superstar in-the-making. They dream of travelling the world and making their fortune.
It has happened before at this event. International Supermodel Liisa Winkler was like any 15-year-old from Belleville walking down the runway in a simple, inexpensive cotton dress nine years ago when she was discovered at the CMTC, says her mother, Anita Winkler. On the last day of the convention, she had 23 "callbacks," or expressions of professional interest from Agents. She signed with a New York Agency, and since then Winkler has modelled on the runways of Milan, Paris, London and more. She was the international Gucci Girl for three consecutive contracts. She regularly appears in the pages of Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, Jane, Allure and Harper's Bazaar. She has modelled for Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Versace and Armani, among others.
Singer and Actor Tina Maddigan, who performed a lead role in the first Toronto cast of "Mamma Mia!" and is now in the "Mamma Mia!" production on Broadway, launched her career at CMTC as well.
The four days of activities include seminars, workshops and competitions in such areas as TV commercials, monologues, improv, photography and dance. There are also Question and Answer Forums at which
participants can seek tips from the international Agents that attend CMTC.
There are trophies for the competitions, but the most sought-after prizes are callbacks from the Agents on Sunday morning- the last day of CMTC.
"We come to scout for Talent, and I took five or six people on last year," says Agent Colin McMurray of The Talent House in Toronto and New York. "There are 10 I'm interested in this year. It's exciting to
watch them. This is a great experience."
On the final day of the convention, it appeared the two Models on our cover would have plenty more covers in their future. Belleville's Alexandra T., 14, had more than 20 callbacks from Scouts and Agents
that attended CMTC, more than any other young woman. She signed with Toronto's B & M Agency, and is considering her options for the summer, looking over offers to travel
to New York, Athens, Milan, Taipei and Tokyo.
Ottawa's Caalvin Jno-Finn, 22, was the most popular among Agents interested in signing a male model. He plans to spend the summer travelling to Athens, Greece with X-Ray Models, says Agent Julie Pellerin.
"Modelling is Caalvin's passion and the main focus of his life," says Pellerin, owner of Models International Management.
Ito Compton attended CMTC as a scout for Cinq Deux Un Modelling Agency in Tokyo. "We need to keep bringing in new people, and this is a good source," she says. "Audra has a
good eye for our market."
More information is available at www.cmtc.ca.
Next year's event will be held in March in Toronto.
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