CHRISTIANSBURG -- As Diane Yopp glided gracefully across her living room, her granddaughter called out "slow down" and "keep your shoulders back."

Yopp, 61, was practicing for Saturday night's Ms. Senior Virginia pageant in Vienna, Va., where she will do her best to impress the judges with her singing talent, composure and her speech about her philosophy on life.

"I have to get used to walking in high heels again. That's my biggest challenge," said Yopp, who owns Diane's Hair Center in Christiansburg.

Yopp hasn't competed in a pageant since she was in her 30s.

Being on stage instead of behind the scenes is nerve-racking for Yopp, who directs several local and regional pageants, including the United Miss and Master pageant and the preliminary pageants for Tiny Miss Virginia. Her daughter and two granddaughters also compete in pageants.

"It's kind of new to me to be on this side of the judge's table," she said.

Yopp has spent hours preparing for Saturday, from gluing more than 400 rhinestones onto her sleek, black dress to rehearsing the gospel song "Mansion Over the Hilltop" by Debra Swartzendruber.

A member of her church choir, Yopp often sings publicly, but she said the singing portion of the contest makes her the most nervous.

She also wrote and memorized her life philosophy, a 30-second message of living life to its fullest and having faith in God.

She walks on her treadmill, but she said her arthritis limits her exercise.

"They say your size doesn't matter in this pageant," she said. "It's how the package is wrapped."

Wendy Pinhey, a contestant in Saturday's competition who is in charge of the pageant's public relations, said the winner will go to Las Vegas to represent Virginia in the Ms. Senior America pageant, which will be held Nov. 5 to 11.

The contest is open to women 60 and older. Yopp will face five contestants Saturday.

Pinhey said the Ms. Senior Virginia pageant is about staying active and healthy.

"We're all going out there, and we're saying, 'Look, you're 60 or better and you're not in a rocking chair. You're active and involved and you're a role model for people who are aging,' " she said. "It's not over once you hit a magic number."

Most of the pageant's contestants are in their late 60s, but many are older. At the national level, a woman competed at 88 years old, Yopp said.

Pinhey said one of the pageant's highlights is watching the women show off their talents. The most common is singing, but people have read poetry, acted or tap-danced. In Saturday's pageant, Francisca Cordova, 78, will talk about the art of flower arrangement.

Throughout Yopp's life, pageants have brought her closer with her daughter and granddaughter.

In the past few weeks, Megan Eller, 22, helped her grandmother pick out her dress from a bridal shop in Harrisonburg. She also helped critique Yopp's pageant walking, life-philosophy speech and singing.

"I help her with, 'Is she walking right? Is she holding her body right? Is she smiling right?' " Eller said.

To show support, Eller and about 25 friends and family members, including Yopp's husband, David, plan to attend the contest carrying long sticks with an 8-by-10-inch photo of Yopp on the end.

Eller said her grandmother always supported her when she competed in pageants and she wants to return the favor.

Often, Eller would drive with her mother and grandmother to places such as Florida or South Carolina for a pageant.

Although people sometimes criticize pageants as superficial, Eller said, it has given her the opportunity to travel and meet interesting people. It has also taught her to present herself with poise.

"I'm not afraid to speak in front of a large group of people," she said. "It's also really fun to dress up and look cute or pretty."

A room in Yopp's house shows off dozens of trophies and sashes her children and grandchildren have won.

Yet, Yopp said, sometimes a contestant has an off night, so winning is much less important than having fun.

"You just have to go in with the right attitude," she said.