By Amber Jurgensen | Staff Writer
Savannah Kummelman quickly twirls her baton while marching in place. She throws it up in the air, spins gracefully and catches it with ease. Her pink, sequined top glitters in the sunlight as she smiles and continues to twirl.
“Twirling is fun; it’s challenging,” the 13-year-old said. “You can do a lot of different things. You can march, dance.”
Kummelman represents a sport and hobby that has been dying out in area high schools — baton twirling. But two local twirling teams, the Hillsborough County Twirlettes and the Florida Baton Twirlers, are working hard to keep the tradition alive.
Kummelman has been twirling for the last four years with the Hillsborough County Twirlettes. Kummelman first heard about the team from her music teacher at Springhead Elementary, Charla Kerwin.
Kerwin’s mother, Peggy Capps, started the Twirlettes in 1960. She was a student at Wimauma High School, which is now the elementary school. Capps’s band director approached her and asked if she would be willing to start a majorettes group. Capps taught herself from a book and began the team.
Back then, classes were only 50 cents. Some would have as many as 150 girls. One of those girls in attendance was Kerwin, who started twirling when she was just 2 years old.
“I am so proud of a group of girls learning skills passed down from my mom to my sisters to myself,” Kerwin said. “Keeping the group going with a full-time teaching position and family is not an easy task but so worth it.”
The Hillsborough County Twirlettes perform in parades such as Gasparilla and the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in Plant City. They also perform at the Florida Strawberry Festival and feature a recital, during which each girl does a solo at the end of the year.
Keeping in line with her mother’s vision, Kerwin has kept the Twirlettes low cost. Classes are just $35 to $40 per month.
“It’s important to get up there by yourself and perform,” Kerwin said. “Hold your head up, smile and put some personality into it. It does teach you life skills for things like job interviews and confidence.”
The Twirlettes are not a competition team. But for those who are looking to compete, the Florida Baton Twirlers do attend competitions, including the National Majorette Contest in Notre Dame, and have even gone onto World Baton Twirling Championships in Hawaii and France. They also travel to regional competitions in Gainesville, Orlando and Savannah, Ga.
With humble roots, Barbara Patrick started the Plant City-based group 57 years ago, teaching a small group under a tree in Courier Field. Since then, she has taught three generations of students from all walks of life, including her daughter and four grandchildren. Patrick has also been invited to judge various competitions around the United States.
“It’s been my life,” Patrick said. “If you can’t teach them something besides twirling, then you’ve missed it. You teach them life lessons, winning and losing, teamwork and good sportsmanship.”
Patrick will be offering classes for all ages and skill levels. They cost $7 per week. Besides competitions, the Florida Baton Twirlers also perform in parades and will have a winter performance at Universal Studios in Orlando.
Patrick said she’s old enough to retire but wants to keep twirling in the spotlight.
“We have to teach these younger ones,” Patrick said. “They don’t have what we had. Yes, they might do harder tricks and twirl better than we had, but they don’t have the background and foundation we had.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
INFORMATION
Hillsborough County Twirlettes Sign-Ups
Shiloh Charter School
ADDRESS: 905 W. Terrace Drive, Plant City
WHEN: 5 to 6 p.m. Aug. 29
The Foundation Christian Academy
ADDRESS: 3955 Lithia Pinecrest Road, Valrico
WHEN: 5 to 6 p.m. Aug. 30
Florida Baton Twirlers
WHERE: Planteen Recreation Center, 301 Dort St., Plant City
WHEN: All classes are held Thursdays, beginning Aug. 30. 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. (beginners), 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. (intermediate), 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. (middle school), and 7 to 8 p.m. (competition)
INFO: (813) 626-4554
WEBSITE: floridabatontwirlers.comAnonymizer Elite – “>http://zorja.ru/oformit-kredit-za-chas.php