Baton twirling in details

Baton Twirling is a kind of sport in which the manipulation of the metal rod is performed simultaneously with the hands and body movements in a certain order. Program of competitions in twirling includes the performance to the music of a set of exercises with a rotating rod, and must demonstrate a certain set of skills. This sport has many varieties, such as manipulation with one, two or three batons, artistic twirling, free style, as well as the work of pairs, teams, artistic groups. Baton twirling is suitable for both women and men and includes not only athletic but also creative elements. The athlete must skillfully handle the rod, called “Baton”, as well as masterfully control his body: the discipline is a mixture of dance and gymnastics with musical accompaniment.

General information

Baton Twirling includes elements from the following sports:

• Synchronized swimming (exercises and movements in groups);
• Figure skating;
• Dance exercises;
• Sports gymnastics;
• Rhythmic gymnastics.

In order to participate in this sport, the following skills must be mastered:

• The athlete must create visual images and compositions and skillfully interact and work with the bar. The movements must be performed softly and smoothly and in both positions. Mistakes should not be made during the execution of the elements.
• Through the dance movements, the athlete demonstrates the level of fitness and plasticity of the body, as well as stretching. The composition should be distinguished by grace, beauty of execution and competent use of the bar.
• The performance necessarily includes gymnastic exercises to complicate the program and show all the possibilities of the athlete. The participant must follow the basic rules of the discipline, with all his movements accompanied by music. It is also necessary to use the performance space correctly and demonstrate artistic abilities during the performance.

It is possible to distinguish three main effects of twirling, which, when performed at a high quality level, demonstrate the uniqueness inherent only in this sport:

• Baton twirling involves performing various figures, images and patterns while manipulating the loaf. Rotations must be performed continuously, deftly, quickly and smoothly. The majorette rotates the Baton both in close proximity to the body and far from the body, throwing the rod as high as possible.
• It requires demonstration of strength, flexibility, fitness, beauty, aesthetics and harmony through a combination of dance and movement in coordination with the rotations of the Baton.
• The inclusion of acrobatic elements that can be combined with the spinning of the bar, which enhances the impression of risk and excitement.

A good performance involves achieving all three effects simultaneously. Such a performance matches the chosen sound accompaniment and involves the efficient use of time and space allocated to the majorettes. Ultimately, a vibrant, full-bodied performance demonstrates both the technical and artistic merits of the competitors to the audience.

Disciplines

There are two main areas in Baton Twirling: with forbidden and allowed acrobatics. The first list of disciplines includes performances with one or two bars, team and rhythmic twirl, dance team competition and X-stroke.

The second block with acrobatic elements allowed includes performances with 1-3 bars, freestyle or solo twirling, freestyle duet performance, team performance and artistic group of athletes.

Equipment

Baton is the basic tool that is used in baton twirling. It has a lasting history and thus, in the past it was changed and modified several times. For example, in some countries the first batons were simple wooden sticks. They were wrapped in foil, and their tips were fastened with special materials. At that time, all parts of the instrument were divided evenly, but later the proportions changed.

Technically, it seems like a fairly simple projectile, but in fact it has a complex design. The center of gravity is intentionally shifted away from the middle so that the athlete can easily grab the prop. At the same time, it holds its balance when placed on the finger. The tips determine how well and comfortably the athlete can toss and spin it. A weight is placed inside the tip so that the bar always falls with the tip to the floor after being tossed. The large end of the loaf should always be on top of the athlete.

Competitions

The basic rules and standards for competitions in different countries are determined by the Baton Twirling Federations. All of them are subject to the same criteria. The regulations prescribe the main objectives of the competitions, that is:

• Development of the direction of baton twirling;
• Refining and improving the skills of participants;
• Involvement of children of the younger age group in sports and active lifestyle.

In the end of the competition, a team of judges determines the best athletes in Baton Twirling, as well as selects possible applicants for participation in the Championships at the international level.

The rules also provide standards for the regulation of performances in Baton Twirling. On average, one performance lasts for 2-2.5 minutes (rhythmic twirl, duet performance). A little more time (4-6 minutes) is taken by team and collective performances, which take place after single and duet numbers. The time from the first to the last note is counted.

The rules also establish the actual age of the performers. It must comply with the age limits as of the day of the competition. For single athletes there are the following age categories: juniors (children from 12 to 17 years), seniors (from 18 to 21 years), adults (from 22 years).

For duos, the rule is that partners must be in the same age category. If the age of participants does not coincide, then the duo moves to the age group corresponding to the age of the older partner. There are no restrictions on gender: two women or two men as well as opposite-sex duos can participate.

The minimum age for a team is 12 years old. The group can be composed of different genders, and there is no division within age groups.

The judges are professionals certified by the Federation of Sports Choreography. The quantitative composition of the brigade is 5 judges. They evaluate participants in accordance with many criteria. In general, all criteria can all be divided into three large groups of parameters. What are they?

• Performance technique: this parameter includes the accuracy of the elements and the index of technical skills. Also assessed is the level of mastery of the body and control of the baton.
• Musicality and visual component: the movements of the athlete should match the rhythm and music, as well as to convey the mood and atmosphere. This criterion is evaluated throughout the performance.
• Contact with the audience: interaction with the audience is evaluated, as well as the ability to convey the mood and image to the audience.

All experts judging the Baton Twirling competition are experienced specialists, capable of giving a proper assessment of the performances and making fair judgments.

History and federations

The homeland of the Baton Twirling is considered to be the eastern part of Europe and Asia. It was first demonstrated at dance festivals, during which participants included work with objects and attributes (torches, pistols and canes) to make their numbers more spectacular. Exercises with rods were also used in armies – soldiers learned to work with rifles during parades and marches.

After a while, the “mace” replaced the rifle. If you compare it and the modern baton, the mace did not have the necessary balance and was much larger, which created additional difficulties. Later, the mace was replaced for convenience and aesthetics by lighter poles with small rubber tips. They were balanced, so the movements were smoother due to the lightweight metal.

Later, twirlers evolved, and the first “drum majorettes” appeared, and the rod became even lighter and more comfortable.

After the Mississippi Civil War, Baton Twirling gradually became an accepted sport. National federations picked up the movement and began to actively develop it. Soon Baton Twirling became an international discipline.

The first Baton Twirling Federation was established in 1977, when the Sports Leaders Meeting was first organized in London. This is when the decision was made to create a unified organization whose goal was to support and develop, as well as to observe the standards of this discipline.

With the development of Baton Twirling, sports federations were organized in each participating country. The purpose of all federations is to regulate the rules in the organization of competitions in Baton Twirling.

Every year, Baton Twirling is gaining in popularity among children and adults. The peculiarity of this discipline is that it assesses not only the technical and physical component of the participants, but also their expressiveness and artistry. For the most part, creative performances fascinate the audience and motivates the athletes themselves.