Baton champ Miss Majorette

First Avenue Middle School 6th grader Kelsey Miller, who became the California state champion baton twirler in December at age 11,  added a crown at the Miss Majorette Pageant Sunday, May 16, in the Intermediate 10-12 Division.

Kelsey Miller with coach Shari Taylor at Miss Majorette competition.

Now 12 years old, Miller will represent California this summer at AYOP (America’s Youth On Parade) Baton Nationals at Notre Dame University in Indiana.

Kelsey is the feature twirler for the Spartan Marching Band at First Avenue.

Shana Miller says Kelsey normally practices a few hours every day but had been sick for two weeks prior to the competition, which greatly affected her practice schedule but she still managed to pull off a 1st Place win.

Saturday was the Team State competition at Riverside Community College and her California Twirling Institute Dance Twirl Team took 1st place. Sunday’s events were held at Santiago High School in Corona, where Kelsey twirled in a highly competitive age division.

The Pageant includes three events and a twirler must place well in all three to even get a shot at winning the crown. One of the three events includes X-strut which is a routine that is a combination of gymnastic and dance movements with a baton. Strut is performed to marching music and the twirler must stay in step during the four marches of each leg of the routine. The baton movement must be continuous and can be passed from one had to another but it may never leave the twirler’s hand.

While doing a leg hold with a spin during her X-Strut routine Sunday, Kelsey’s baton broke into two pieces, according to Shana. As the crowd gasped and Kelsey looked horrified, the judge commanded her to quickly grab another baton. Kelsey ran off the floor and a fast-acting coach grabbed a baton from another girl who was passing by and traded Kelsey for her broken baton. Kelsey ran back, kept her composure, and finished her routine to cheers from the crowd.

Afterwards, Shana reported that Kelsey said it was an experience “she would be sharing with her grandchildren one day!”