AMANDA ELIMINATED FROM "AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL" ON THE CW

November 30, 2006 (Burbank, CA) -- Amanda, a bookstore sales associate from Anaheim, CA, was the tenth girl eliminated during the seventh cycle of The CW's hit dramality series "America's Next Top Model," reducing the pool from 4 girls to the final 3.

The girls headed to a local dance studio to learn how to work with a partner. They were each paired with a male dancer, and then taught complicated steps to a choreographed Flamenco dance routine. Amanda had difficulty picking up the moves, and the instructor noted that she looked awkward. "The idea of dancing just makes me nervous because I'm not a very strong dancer," Amanda said.

Miss J met the girls for dinner, and they were pleased to have the opportunity to talk with him outside of the judging room. Miss J recalled thinking in the beginning of the competition that Amanda and her sister were gangly. "Now that Michelle has gone, I think the competition has changed. I really want to be an individual," Amanda said.

The next day, the girls dressed in full Flamenco costumes and make-up before performing their new dance with a partner in front of an audience. While each of the girls felt the strain of the competition, Amanda's insecurity also added to her nervousness. "Sometimes when you want it, you don't get it because you psych yourself out," Amanda said. Though the instructor noted that Amanda looked more relaxed than the previous day, Eugena was chosen as the challenge winner.

The following day, Tyra and Jay met with the girls for their photo shoot. Tyra wanted the girls to continue to learn how to work with a partner and paired the girls up to float on their backs in water. Shortly after Amanda and CariDee began their photo shoot, CariDee's body went into hypothermia due to the cold pool of water they were in, leaving Amanda to continue the shoot alone. As Tyra provided guidance to all of the girls, she had a difficult time having Amanda contort her body to look soft and graceful. "You don't understand how awkward your hands are," Tyra told Amanda.

During the judging, Nigel and Twiggy both commented that Amanda has a unique, high fashion look, though there is something about her that is just a little awkward. "She needs to know her body, but she is too young," guest judge and photographer David Ruiz said. While Tyra considered Amanda to have strong potential as a model, she felt there was something a little too soft and meek about her personality. "It's always hard when something good ends," Amanda said after being eliminated from the race to become "America's Next Top Model."

In addition to a $100,000 contract with cosmetics giant CoverGirl, this year's prize package for the winner of The CW's "America's Next Top Model" will include a contract with Elite Model Management and a cover and six-page fashion spread in Seventeen magazine.

Making its debut on The CW, the seventh cycle of the dramality series "America's Next Top Model" follows 13 young women as they attempt to prove they have what it takes to make it in the high-stress world of modeling. Banks, who created the show, also serves as executive producer along with Ken Mok ("Making the Band") and Anthony Dominici ("The Amazing Race").

"America's Next Top Model" airs Wednesdays, (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on The CW. For more information about "America's Next Top Model" log on to http://www.cwtv.com/.