We’re going to the I-M-T-A, we’re going to the I-M-T-A, where you can chase your dreams, and you can bask in peers screams. Oh yeah. We’re going to the I-M-T-A.” While not quite a hit song from the 1970s, the IMTA convention, held every summer in the heart of the blinding lights of Broadway, is a major gold standard hit unto itself.

Traveling to New York City—the city that never sleeps—the International Modeling and Talent Association convention is an annual trip to mecca that draws hundreds of aspiring actors, dancers, singers and models that believe they have what it takes to be the next surprise discovery to be found at the IMTA experience and shoot to stardom

It’s a whirlwind of motion, both on and off the stages and runways. It’s a cacophony of sound with the ballrooms coming alive with the ever present techno beats of the runway competition, the lilting sounds of the vocal performance, and the varied musical styles of the talent showcase. So you can sing, dance and strut down the runway. If you feel you have that certain star quality but aren’t quite sure where your own strengths lie, there are numerous competitions and training seminars to help point you in the right direction. Enjoy singing in the shower? Try Team Singing or the Talent Showcase. Always wanted to walk the runway? Team Fashion, Swimwear, and Runway competitions might be right for you. Dreamed of being on the silver screen? You can find yourself in front of casting agents during Cold Read, Monologue, Toys-R-Us, Soaps and I’m Ready for My Closeup events. Why not try them all?

Thriller: Featuring talented children, teens and young adults from around the country in everything from song and dance to dramatic acting and modeling, the summer 2009 International Modeling and Talent Association convention in New York City provided a thrilling experience for everyone in attendance.

There’s something for everyone, including parents. The learning and training seminars, in which the top agents and scouts convene to impart their words of wisdom, are smart places to start. Questions on the business side of show business? Head straight to the Perfecting Your Performance, The Dos and Don’ts of Auditioning, the parent and child inclusive The Way to Go After the Show, and First Impression and Beyond: What agents, Managers & Casting Directors Want From You seminars.

Thinking of modeling overseas? Be sure to attend Modeling in Paris—Everything You Need to Know and Upcoming Markets for Models: Asia, South America and Others, and How to Book as a Commercial Print Model. With over 450 agents and scouts in attendance, as well as Pageantry & PromTime, you’ll always have the opportunity to showcase your talents and learn what it truly takes to enter the spotlight while attending an IMTA convention. (Look for our newest discoveries within the upcoming 2010 Pageantry and PromTime fashion shoot.)

We’ve all heard about the IMTA discoveries, the household names that have been touted as the personification of the successful convention. But do the stars actually credit IMTA with their success and meteoric climb to fame? The answer is a resounding “Yes.” Model, actor and mega Tweeter Ashton Kutcher once stated, “This is a dream come true. I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a kid. This is the ultimate opportunity.”

In the words of Alyson Stoner of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and the voice of Isabella in the Disney Channel’s Phineas and Ferb, “IMTA created a place for me to find my own stage presence and it gives you a sense of what it’s really like to be in the business.”

Hollywood and Broadway actress and IMTA discovery Katie Holmes imparted: “Let’s just say a girl from Toledo wouldn’t end up in a Hollywood movie if it weren’t for the IMTA.” They believe. You can see and listen to more IMTA discoveries while watching the IMTA commercial when reading the digital version of Pageantry at Pageantry-Digital.com.

As the sounds fade and the lights dim with the conclusion of the New York IMTA, one can only wonder as to who might have been discovered from the hundreds of talented young people in attendance. Will a future star or supermodel join the lists of those IMTA discoveries we already recognize like Eva Longoria or Elijah Wood? Will our next household name become the latest IMTA success story?

Who knows? But without belief in their own personal abilities and the determination to chase their dreams, and the opportunity presented while attending the IMTA Convention, what might have become of today’s stars who were eventually discovered at IMTA? Would they have found other paths to fame? One answer is for sure. The IMTA is the common thread in all of their successes.