Purdue hosts collegiate twirling championship event

Thursday, January 25, 2007

More than 70 college and high school twirlers from seven states will compete in the Collegiate Baton Twirling Championships hosted by Purdue Bands & Orchestra on Saturday, Feb. 3 in the Benton Central High School gymnasium.

Activities will take place between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the school located on U.S. 52 about 20 miles north of West Lafayette. Spectators are welcome.

This marks the first time the annual event, coordinated and sponsored by the United States Twirling Association (USTA) and the National Baton Twirling Association (NBTA), has been held outside Tennessee.

At the 2006 event, Purdue’s twirlers won the College Team competition and Golden Girl Christy Stallings won the Multiple Baton/Freestyle Competition. This year Purdue has the honor of hosting the 2007 event says Alisha Kuckartz, Director of Auxiliaries for Purdue Bands.

From the state of Washington in the west, to Maryland in the east and Florida in the south, twirlers are coming from every direction for the event. “We are really excited about the turnout,” Kuckartz says. Both the NBTA and the USTA hold competition events for their members, but this is the only joint venture open to all twirlers.

“It’s the only event like it, and each year it gets better,” says Kuckartz. There are two main reasons for its existence, she adds: “To promote twirling in college by showing young girls the benefits of continuing to twirl and to keep college twirlers motivated.

“Competition provides a personal challenge; it keeps a twirler motivated, building skills and improving. Plus you see different programs and styles at the event and it gives you new ideas and keeps things fresh.”

Competition categories include Collegiate Teams, College Fight Song for Individual Twirlers, College Fight Song for Groups, Duet/Pairs Competition and Solo Competition for One Baton/Free Style and Multiple Baton/Freestyle. Purdue’s solo twirlers and twirling team plan to compete in several of the categories. For specific information on the competition visit http://ncabt.com