If you were to ask a random person on the street what they think of when they hear the words 'baton twirler,' their answer will likely be something to the effect of "a young girl in a sequined costume leading a band through a parade." Though if you ask a competitive twirler the same question, more than a few of them will likely conjure up a mental picture of Mark Nash, leaping and spinning gracefully to the strains of 'Maria.' While baton twirling may appear to most to be a sport for young women, historically this is not the case. The early form of our now-cherished sport started centuries ago with men leading armies while carrying and twirling sticks, swords, and even torches. In the early to mid-20th century, drum majors were often seen leading bands while twirling staffs and heavy batons. In the 1950's, drum majorettes began to appear and baton twirling started to shift to a female-dominated activity. Many pioneers of the modern organized form of competitive baton twirling were men too- men like Fred Miller, Jack Crum, Dale White, John Chamberlain and others, were all instrumental in leading the sport to where it is today.
When I asked legendary competitor and coach Dale White what inspired him to be a baton twirler, he remembered being a young child and watching a neighbor practicing his drum major tricks in the backyard. Dale took his little cane that he had won at a county fair and would try to mimic his neighbor's moves. Tony Denbo, 1981 World Men's Bronze Medal winner, tells a similar tale. His parents had put his sister into baton twirling classes as a child, but it was Tony who would practice in his yard for hours on end until he'd perfected his sister's routines. Tony's grandfather once commented, "the wrong child is taking these lessons!" as it was Tony and not his sister who seemed to love twirling so very much. By that time, however, the twirling world had shifted into a "girl's arena," and, although his parents were very supportive, the rest of the world seemed to think that a boy would be better suited to playing baseball or running track. But young Tony knew better, and while decades ago he may have gotten kicked off his junior high baseball team for twirling the bat, he is still active in twirling and the arts to this day.
Jason Lee, a former Junior Men's World Champion, was eager to talk about overcoming the pressure that an athlete can feel out on the competition floor. Talking of his early years as a world-level athlete, he says, "I'd struggled with the added pressure of competing at the senior category with other fantastic twirlers like Seishi Inagaki, Toshimichi Sasaki and Sebastien Dubois. After a number of mediocre performances at worlds, I nailed every element in my freestyle at the 2002 World Championships and ended up getting a standing ovation from the crowd and from my fellow athletes watching in the stands. That was a big turning point for me, the moment when I rediscovered the ability to really deliver under pressure." Jason continues, "Do what you love. Life is too short to do anything other than what you're passionate about. Stay true to yourself and everything else will fall in place.'
For male twirlers today, it may still seem that the deck is stacked against them. Go to any twirling contest at any level and you will see many more females than males. However, it seems that current male champions are still thriving and being an inspiration to others. David Markins, the current Ohio State Men's Grand Champion, has only been twirling for eighteen months, but he has found himself totally immersed in the sport, saying, "the best part about being a male twirler is the factor of surprise. I love being able to put my own 'spin' on a mainly female sport."
Dale White says he is forever indebted to all of the men who paved the way and inspired him as an artist and a coach. He also cites Mark Nash as an inspiration, and as someone who possesses one of the most creative and unique choreographically-driven minds in our sport today. Dale would like to encourage male twirlers of today to study the techniques of baton progressively, take as many dance classes as they can, and build a passion for what they do by gaining inspiration from other artistic and athletic activities. He cautions, "in a sport dominated by females, it is crucial for male twirlers to be good." Tony Denbo echoes this sentiment, saying, "No matter what, don't give up. It may sound cliche, but follow your dreams. They can lead you to some wonderful and unexpected places."
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