'America's Next Top Model' all-stars edition cuts Dominique Reighard

America's Next Top Model's all-stars edition eliminated Dominique Reighard, a 27-year-old who previously appeared on Top Model's tenth season, during Wednesday night's broadcast on The CW.


"I can't wait to go home and see my babies and my husband. It's incredible how much I miss them, but I can't say that I'm not disappointed, because of course, I really wanted to win. But at the same time, my journey is obviously something different and I accept that. I'm okay with that. I'm a survivor. I keep pushing no matter what. No matter what, I will stay true to my dream and who I am and I think with that in mind, I can't go wrong," Dominique said following her ouster.

Dominique was eliminated from the tenth episode of America's Next Top Model's seventeenth season after Top Model judges reviewed the photos the season's five remaining finalists had taken abroad in Greece for their tenth photo shoot challenge, which required them to pose with fashion accessories that recreated the ancient Olympic sports of javelin, discus, hurdles, archery, and shot put.

Dominique ended up in the bottom two alongside Angelea Preston, a 25-year-old who previously appeared on Top Model's fourteenth season.

Dominique and Angelea failed to impress Top Model photo shoot director Jay Manuel and fashion photographer Nigel Barker during the photo shoot, which featured the models embodying classic athleticism. Dominique modeled with the javelin, while Angelea posed with the shot put.


"What I'd like to see more is kind of a graceful leap," Jay said.

"Dominique, there was a narrative in her performance, but for me, her person -- her character -- is sort of hidden. Where is Dominique? Who is Dominique? I still don't know" Nigel explained.

Nigel had to physically move Angelea into a modeling stance because he wasn't happy with her posing.

"Without being obvious, you've got your back to me. I would love to take a picture of your face -- at least a little bit of it," Nigel told her.

"Angelea didn't really understand what she had to do. Chin down. Open the mouth -- longer neck, longer neck. Unfortunately, she's so awkward, that the flow was awkward to photograph. What I was is more of an elegance, more of the dance of it -- long neck, bend one of the legs. Be more dramatic! Give some drama!"


The next day, the girls arrived for the seventeenth season's tenth elimination panel where they were met by Top Model judges Tyra Banks, Nigel Barker, and Andre Leon Talley, as well as guest judge Miss J. Alexander.

The judges first criticized Dominique's photo.

"It looks a bit awkward for me," Andre Leon told her.

"It's not easy. She's in heels. She's on an extremely rocky surface. She's on one leg. She's got a huge javelin in one hand," Nigel interjected.

"Sweetie, I think you're beautiful, but you come across in this photo to me as a warrior princess and not an Olympic champion. The leg is weak, soft like butter. And Mr. Nigel said, 'It was hard to do this in high heels!' That's the first time I ever heard a photographer make an excuse for a model," Andre Leon said.


"I really liked your film, but it's about nailing that shot where we go, 'Whoa!' -- not just a general feeling. So you need to just not sail with good film, but you need to come with a 'Bam!'" Tyra added.

Earlier in the episode, Miss J. instructed the girls to judge each other based on their runway walk, portfolios and overall star quality. Allison Harvard, a 23-year-old who previously appeared on Top Model's twelfth season, was voted by her competition to have the least potential in the group, while Laura Kirkpatrick, a 22-year-old who previously appeared on Top Model's thirteenth season, got the best feedback.

After panel critiques and the judges had time to deliberate on the contestants, Tyra revealed the girls in order of the best photo to the worst of the week. Laura received the first call-out.

Following Laura, Tyra then revealed Allison and Lisa D'Amato, a 30-year-old who previously appeared on Top Model's fifth season, had also advanced in the competition -- leaving Angelea and Dominique in the bottom two.

Tyra then recapped both girls' issues before revealing which one would get to continue competing on America's Next Top Model's all-stars edition.


"Dominique, you have taken beautiful photos week after week after week, but what the judges are struggling with is you being memorable -- going, 'Yes, I'm Dominique and I mean X.' We're wondering, 'Are you going to be memorable? Are the fans watching Top Model going to be rooting for Dominique because she has that extra special something that is so different from the other girls?'" Tyra told her.

"Angelea, [you] have taken really nice photos -- not as strong as Dominique's but you're memorable. But what we also remember is somebody that breaks under pressure and it makes us nervous."

Tyra then revealed Angelea's photo, resulting in Dominique's elimination.

"You need to be memorable. You need to find the things that brand you, because they say J-Lo, they say Beyonce, they say all these things. So what's Dominique? You need to go home and figure that out. You've got something special, you just need it to be memorable too," Tyra told Dominique following her ouster.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski