Teeth and violins carry newly crowned Miss. Chesapeake

CHESAPEAKE

The first thing you notice about Crystal Brickhouse is her brilliant white teeth, and that's OK with her. That's the first thing she notices about you, too.

"I love teeth," said Brickhouse with giddiness most college students reserve for the frivolous. "I'm obsessed with teeth, actually. I want to help educate people on oral hygiene. Many people don't realize the effect oral hygiene has on your health."

Brickhouse, 22, is in a position to do that as Miss Chesapeake 2011. The Indian River High School graduate, who was a math major at Spellman College, will compete for the second straight year in the Miss Virginia competition in June. Brickhouse was Miss Norfolk last year.

A first-year dental student at the University of Maryland's Baltimore campus, Brickhouse didn't envision herself as a pageant contestant until she began researching college-scholarship options.

As a seasoned violinist, she knew she had the talent.

Swimsuit didn't faze her because, "I love working out." Her regimen includes boot camp on Mondays, zumba on Tuesdays, a core class on Wednesdays and spinning on Thursdays.

Being on stage and talking with people come naturally to her, so pageants seemed like a great option to pursue. Three times she finished first runner-up (Greater Richmond, Alexandria and Northern Virginia) before winning the Norfolk title last year. She was crowned Miss Chesapeake earlier this month at Greenbrier Middle School.

At the pageant, she wowed folks with her rendition of "Butterfly" on violin, a piece she played while wearing a stunning red gown and 4-inch heels.

Sweaty hands almost caused the bow to slip from her hands, she confessed, but she finished flawlessly. It was quite the turnaround considering the disdain she felt for the instrument in fifth grade.

"My first year I was literally one of the worst at it," Brickhouse said. "But I kept practicing. They told us to practice 30 minutes; I'd practice an hour or two a day. By sixth grade, I was first chair."

At the Miss Chesapeake pageant, Brickhouse altered a teal gown she wore at the state pageant last year. Adding to a teardrop design in the middle and an open back, she put a split in the front. And she didn't let a mishap with her purple rhinestone swimsuit rattle her, either.

"Right before I was supposed to go on stage, my top popped, and I needed a safety pin to hold it together in the back," she said.

She is grateful for the experience she gained last year in Roanoke in the Miss Virginia competition. She will upgrade her wardrobe and add a bit more pep to her talent, playing "Victory" by Bond.

"First and foremost I'm going to get a lot more sleep this time," she said.

An avid online shopper who loves to indulge her jewelry collection, Brickhouse is most passionate about her platform of oral health. She has already spoken to students at Great Bridge Middle and Georgetown Elementary in addition to two city community centers.

She encourages youth to make healthy choices when it comes to food and especially drink.

"My parents told me when I was 13 that soda would give me pimples," she said.

While water is best, Brickhouse is a smoothie junkie, starting every day with strawberries, yogurt, milk and ice.

"I love promoting this platform," she said. "Hopefully one day I'll be a dentist who was a former Miss Virginia."

Vicki L. Friedman, (757) 222-5218 vicki.friedman@pilotonline.com