- April 24, 2024
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The older girls' competition group practicing their latest routine (yes, they're dabbin').
Jaylah Poku practices some of her infamous twirling (Photos by Emily Blackwood).
Taylor Anderson rehearses with her friends and dance partners, Mackenzie Adams and Kennedy Gill.
Jaylah Poku is the Miniature Majorette Princess of America.
Celina Case, Jaylah Poku, Summer Bell and Riley Doyle.
Riley Doyle practicing some of her killer moves.
Some of these baton twirlers have been practicing since they were 4-years-old.
With over 50 batons simultaneously flying and twirling through the air, there's a pretty good chance of getting hit in the face. Baton mom Kelly Phillips knows of only one big forehead welt — but it only happened because someone ran into a wall.
"They get hit often, but I've never seen anyone break anything," said Phillips, whose twin daughters have been attending Encore Baton and Dance Studio for two years. "A few black eyes here and there, but nothing too bad."
Located at 400 Andalusia Ave., in Ormond Beach, the studio has been owned and operated by Missy Fraine. She now owns the studio with her daughter, Amanda Henderson.
"It's very healthy," Fraine said. "It teaches the kids a lot of life skills, more than just the sport. It's not an easy sport. It takes a lot of skill to get under the baton."
Fraine grew up practicing baton and could never quite kick the habit. That seems to be a common struggle for most baton twirlers.
"It's very much a family atmosphere," she said. "A lot of these kids are children of children I taught years ago. They're second and third generation students. They're my grand-baton babies."
The studio offers baton and dance lessons for girls 4 and up. Call 527-8360.
