Majorettes add difficulty, variety to twirls

RUMFORD -- There are always greater things to accomplish and the Mountain Valley majorettes are striving to improve every time they perform, so breaking new ground on to a bigger stage is simply another transformation.

There are multiple skills involved in twirling batons that are often overlooked by casual observers. The combination of increased support and visibility is helping bring greater acceptance, however, there is countless hours of practice necessary in order to endure before the team is ready to step out in public. The squad can be seen performing in Puiia Gymnasium during halftime of any home boys' or girls' basketball game.

“We have had quite a rough season,” said coach Tammy Parent, because the team will compete in the states in May. “It’s a very new and exciting venture for us. But, (at the same time) it’s no easy task.”

In order for the Falcons to keep up and compete at the same level as the experienced teams from around Maine, they have added a lot more difficulty and variety of twirls to each routine. The difficult twirls and tosses include some that even the veteran girls are not accustomed to doing. And with so many new twirlers on the team this year, there is plenty of work to be done.

“Generally we would only focus our efforts working on the new girls' precision and posture,” said Parent. “But by taking on the very big venture of going to states we have no choice but to throw a whole lot more difficulty at them.”

The Mountain Valley team competing include tri-captains Krystal Parent, Kasey Jones and Katie MacDonald, and Debbie Souppa, Jenn Watts, Chelsea Gaudet, Syvella Harris, Heather Durfee, Brittany Cole and Hanna Giberson.

Additionally, the three captains will also be competing in the state individual events with solo routines.

To help the members grow and learn new skills, they attended a very helpful twirl clinic taught by the Maine Baton Twirl Council in Oxford last month.

They returned having learned some very difficult twirls, like a double elbow roll, shoulder rolls and fish tails. They will be going to an all-day clinic at the University of Maine in Orono, taught by the UMaine Majorettes. MV will actually get to perform, with the majorettes at a Black Bear Basketball halftime show on Jan 22.

“Our goal is to learn and incorporate twirls and tosses that before now, most of my girls had never even heard of, let alone mastered,” said Parent.