Ballet Dancer Wins Crown as Miss California

Wendy Sue Berry, a ballet dancer who is studying to be a forensic psychologist, was crowned Miss California Monday night at a pageant picketed by feminist opponents, but not disrupted as last year’s was.

Berry, 22, a Long Beach State student competing in her first state pageant as Miss Centinela Valley, was chosen from among 42 contestants to represent California at the 1989 Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, N.J.

Berry, who performed a dance from “Swan Lake,” won a $10,000 scholarship to the university of her choice, along with a fur coat and other prizes.

Security was tightened in the wake of last year’s on-stage protest by feminist contestant Michelle Anderson, the UC Santa Cruz student.

Although about 60 feminist protesters picketed outside the San Diego Civic Center carrying placards reading “Jesus loves fat women” and “Women don’t belong in this dog show,” there was no repeat of last year’s on-stage disruption.