Local talent Erin Yamabe is set to put her skills to work next week competing for Canada in the World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) held in Hollywood, California.
The event, held at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel from July 17-24, is known as the “Olympics for the Performing Arts,” with representatives of over 40 countries competing in various categories such as acting, dance, modeling, vocals, group vocals and dance, instrumental and variety.
The 19-year-old Taberite Yamabe is currently home from Langley, B.C., where she is attending classes at Trinity Western University.
Founded by Griff O’Neil, a former executive officer of the Miss Universe Pageant, WCOPA will be a new experience for Yamabe.
“You can kind of compare it to the Olympics a little bit. It’s a bunch of competitions and you compete against all these professionals from other countries. You can win medals and scholarships. There are opening and closing ceremonies. It’s in its 14th year.”
Yamabe is competing in a number of vocal categories, including gospel, pop, contemporary, country and musical theatre; acting categories, including drama, comedy, contemporary, open and will be performing a one-minute monologue. Modeling, including formal, runway casual, swimwear, spokesmodel and photoprint will also be part of her experience.
She has had training sessions in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Edmonton as well as video internet sessions, and has recorded a demo CD of her singing. Yamabe played the role of Sandy in the W.R. Myers production of Grease, as well as Natalie in All Shook Up. She has also competed in the Kiwanis Music Festival from 2005-2009 and in the Kiwanis Music Festival Provincials in 2009. Yamabe admits she hasn’t done anything quite like this before.
“Not on a worldwide scale, but the Kiwanis Festival and stuff. I’m extremely nervous, actually. Everybody’s going to be from these big cities, it seems like. Maybe not, but I’m from this tiny little town, and everyone’s supposedly famous in their country already — I’m definitely not.”
Getting tapped for the Canadian team came as a bit of a surprise.
“They discovered me, I guess. I was at the Kiwanis Music Festival in Edmonton, at provincials. They have scouts from all over looking for new talent. I was in school, and they just called,” said Yamabe.
She isn’t viewing the WCOPA competition in the light that others might view it, rather as an experience unlike any other.
“I don’t know. It’s not really competition really. It’s just the experience — I’m not thinking about it as competing against people, because when I sing, I don’t sing to compete, I sing because I love it,” said Yamabe.
Yamabe has received generous support in her endeavours over the years from local service clubs and other community groups and citizens.
She has promised to keep people up to date on her progress during the week-long event.
“If you want to follow what I’m doing down there that week, or before then, starting Tuesday, I’m going to update my Facebook and Twitter accounts with information, pictures and video.”
Erin can be found on Twitter  @ErinYamabe and on Facebook at Erin Lindsey Yamabe.