Baton Twirlers?

[ckay87]

Are there majorettes at your schools anymore? It seems like I see them less and less and when I do, they only use one baton or they have those big old flags attached to the baton, making the twirling more like flag-waving than anything.

Just wondering. I used to be a majorette in high school. I took classes at a dance school and worked very hard at it. It was NOT easy! Tons of practice - no fingernails - bruised fingers and arms. I still have the batons in my closet and will take them for a "spin" in the backyard now and then, fully aware of how stupid a 37 year old woman looks doing one- (or even two-)spins ! Ultimately each time I do this exercise, I wake up unable to move my arms the next day! When did this become such a workout??

Any other former (or current!) majorettes out there?

It's not a skill you can really use in adulthood (much like cheerleading!) and not something I can pass down to my kids (2 boys!) But I've often thought about offering lessons, for free even, just for fun. I just wouldn't know how to wave those little flaggies.

 

[JunieJay]

I was a cheerleader but my sister was a majorette, and so now is her daughter. You are right, it really is hard work and does take a certain amount of athleticism (not to mention youth on your side, LOL!)

 

[Kirby]

My DD is in color guard at her high school and also does rifle. Flag is definately a workout, especially if you have a six foot pole with weights in the ends with 3 X 5 foot (or larger) flags attached.

We called majorettes "baton twirlers" when I was in high school. That skill seems to be less popular now days, I miss seeing them. But we did play a school last week, Highland Park, that had not only color guard but a baton twirler also. She was the state champion so they are out there somewhere.

 

[clarabelle]

When I was in High School (early 80's rural GA town) it was the thing. I was not a majorette -but they were usually popular and pretty. I am kind of glad that it is not so poplular now. It is not a skill that translates into a career later.

 

[Crankyshank]

My high school still has a color guard. They didn't have baton twirlers when i was there or I would have joined. I was a baton twirler for years through my dance squad and local Y. I can still twirl a little bit.

 

[shirleyb]

DD9 is a twirler. It's pretty popular around here, and our high school marching band has a few girls that are really excellent, including one state champ.

 

[ckay87]

My DD is in color guard at her high school and also does rifle. Flag is definately a workout, especially if you have a six foot pole with weights in the ends with 3 X 5 foot (or larger) flags attached.

Or if you're in a parade on a windy day! Yes I remember trying that and it WAS a workout.

I remember that our rifles and flags were not allowed to smile and the majorettes were not allowed to STOP smiling. Both were equally as difficult.

I remember one time our lunatic leader put Vaseline on our teeth so that we would keep smiling . I think we probably ended up doing a lot more snarling than smiling

 

[ckay87]

I am kind of glad that it is not so poplular now. It is not a skill that translates into a career later.

Well, in fairness, not many high-school extra-curriculars translate into a career at all. Nowdays, anything that can get kids outside and physically active is a good thing.

 

[DaisyD]

No, thankfully they have done away with baton twirlers at our schools! They always reminded me of the talent part of Miss America contests! LOL!

 

[minkydog]

I remember one time our lunatic leader put Vaseline on our teeth so that we would keep smiling . I think we probably ended up doing a lot more snarling than smiling

Ah yes, Vaseline on the teeth Makes your smile sparkle. I was a twirler in high school. The worst was when we twirled fire--I was extremely afraid of the gasoline-soaked batons but I tried my best. One end went out early and I got very disoriented from the off-balance light and nearly fell down. I had black scorch marks on both legs for weeks.

I remember vividly one Mardi Gras parade where it poured cold rain on us for 9 miles. We were soaked to the bone and my black velvet uniform ran streaks of red & blue down my legs. By the time I got home it had shrunk to a size 2 and my mother had to peel me out of it. And my body looked like I had been beaten with a hammer, all red& blue. It had to wear off.

 

[JunieJay]

It is not a skill that translates into a career later.

I'd have to disagree with you there. Being a part of any squad or team builds teamwork skills, not to mention a level of commitment to hard work. Those assets translate into a career quite nicely.

 

[ckay87]

I'd have to disagree with you there. Being a part of any squad or team builds teamwork skills, not to mention a level of commitment to hard work. Those assets translate into a career quite nicely.

See, for me it was the dealing with 10 snippy, catty women with fierce political-type agendas which has stayed with me and given me a real ability to cope in today's workplace!

 

[JunieJay]

See, for me it was the dealing with 10 snippy, catty women with fierce political-type agendas which has stayed with me and given me a real ability to cope in today's workplace!

LOL! Well that too!

I was the most hated girl among the girls on my cheerleading squad because I never bought into all that mess. Ooooh, some of those girls were just so vicious! The sad thing is at a recent high school reunion I ran into the captain of the squad and the nastiest of them all. She was still the exact same, but the sad thing was she was still trying to hold court but no one was attending. But for the most part all the girls on my squad ended up to be successful and happy.

 

[Libby X 3]

Nevermind.

 

[VioltePrincess]

My high school had a color guard, and the girls worked with flags.

My dd's high school has cheerleaders and a dance team (well, duh! ) but no color guard. one of my older dd's friends does baton twirling competitions through a club.

 

[ckay87]

Nevermind.

Really? I read that before you changed it and it was very interesting & a nice thing to learn about you.


...oh, wait a minute, were you Junie Jay's squad captain???

 

[CinderellaIam]

I was the color guard captain of a Drum Corps. I twirled flag, rifle and saber. It was tough! I have broken every one of my fingers at one time or another.
My DD(20) was a twirler, she absolutely loved it, but I couldn't convince her to go into Color Guard.

I know my neighbor's 11 year old is in twirling, she came over to sell rafle tickets last week....

 

[simba928]

We have majorettes at our school. I am in the color guard. There are 17 of us and 5 majorettes. Our majorettes actually have it easy compared to the rest of the band (but thats a whole other story, not saying twirling a baton is easy by any means). There is talk that our majorettes will be eliminated next year, so they are joining Winter Guard this year so that they know how to spin a flag and rifle. We are having our first Winter Guard ever, though. I am kind of excited about it (I love our guard and I think we have amazing potential) but kind of not (long story there. LOL.) And BTW, our show is beautiful with our flags. We have huge 8 foot poles with big white "bed sheets" (our flags). It is amazing. One show, every single one of us was perfectly together and you could hear the gasp of amazement from the audience. Our instructor said all of our faces lit up when we heard that.

 

[golfgal]

I remember taking baton lessons with the park and rec department in town when I was in about 1st grade or so. It was fun but I was never very good. I saw a couple baton twirlers in parades this summer but it used to be EVERY band had one.

Our marching band does not have one but they have an awesome color guard, I think there are about 30 girls in the color guard for the band, and they all do the flags, rifles, etc. Trust me, after watching them practice for the past few months, is IS a workout!

 

[Libby X 3]

Really? I read that before you changed it and it was very interesting & a nice thing to learn about you.


...oh, wait a minute, were you Junie Jay's squad captain???

Guess that would make me a Nasty Girl

No I just kinda changed my mind about posting that..