Friday, January 5, 2007

"Almost Elvis"…..The Unusual and Bewildering World of Elvis Impersonators! (Part 9)



The Road to Impersonator Success: There are several prominent Elvis Impersonator competitions held each year. The two most well known are 'Images of The King' (aka [Worldwide] Images of Elvis) that reaches its peak, following regional eliminations, during Elvis Week in Memphis, and the competition held during the Annual Elvis Festival in Collingwood, Ontario (Canada).


The winners of these contests find immediate short-term success as doors open but without good management and promotion, medium and long-term success are not assured.


A newer contest started last year at the Isle of Capri Casino in Mississippi, while in Australia the Annual Elvis Festival in Parkes, NSW features 'sound-a-like' and 'look-a-like contests'.


The Memphis contest tends to be a more conservative affair while the Canadian one is progressive - in 2001 it introduced different competition divisions: professional, non-professional and youth.


Contest judges are often hated, particularly by losing contestants and over-zealous fans who have their personal favorites. To be a good judge one needs to have spent a long time studying The King. Elements to be looked for in the contestants include visual image, vocal range and strength, quality of costume, physical movement, posture, rapport with the audience and ability to have fun on stage.

This series of articles are reprinted with the kind permission of www.elvisinfonet.com



Andy Stankovich

Elvis The Voice

www.ElvisTheVoice.com

One of the world's great Elvis Presley tribute artists

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