Buckeye Twirl puts on spring showcase

Ashley Diggins
Fri, 07 Apr 2017 21:19:21 +0000
Arts & Life, adventure recreation center, baton performance, baton twirling, buckeye twirl, clinic, club sport, competition team, Dance Coalition, irish dance team, Jump Rope Club, showcase

Buckeye Twirl will present a showcase on April 9. Credit: Courtesy of Nicole Badik

Things will be up in the air for Buckeye Twirl’s spring showcase.

On Sunday, Buckeye Twirl, Ohio State’s baton twirling team will present a showcase titled “A Year with Buckeye Twirl” at the Adventure Recreation Center.

“It’ll be a great opportunity for students to reflect on the 2016-17 school year and enjoy the awesome talent we have on our campus,” said Melissa Baker, a second-year in medical laboratory science and president elect of Buckeye Twirl.

The showcase will include performances by the club and competition team, solos and duets from beginning team members, and guest performances by student organizations Jump Rope Club, Irish Dance team, and Dance Coalition.

“Buckeye Twirl began over five years ago starting as a student organization, (with) a few girls that were past majorettes and twirlers who wanted to continue to twirl in college,”Baker said in an email.

The student organization became a club sport three years ago, and started competing at the collegiate level. Buckeye Twirl has since expanded to include teams at the club, competition and beginner level, with 22 members total who will be performing on Sunday, Baker said. ?

As a club sport, Buckeye Twirl has represented OSU in multiple national and international competitions such as America’s Youth On Parade’s Collegiate Nationals at The University of Notre Dame and Twirl Mania’s Collegiate Classic at Disney World, and has won the Halftime International Division at Twirling Unlimited Internationals.

The team also has annual performances at the Homecoming Parade and Light up the Lake, and has performed at Buckeyethon and a women’s basketball halftime show.

“Our name is still growing in the twirling community, but it’s amazing to see how surprised people are knowing Ohio State has a group of twirlers,” Baker said. ?

Genevieve Lee, a graduate student in welding engineering and treasurer of Buckeye Twirl invites all students to become involved with the group. ?Those with no prior experience can join the beginner skills team, Lee said.

“We’re always welcoming new members to our team and we’re happy to include those who have never picked up a baton,” she said in an email.

On April 1, Buckeye Twirl held its annual spring clinic, open to anyone interested in twirling, from elementary to college-aged students.

In the future, Buckeye Twirl will be performing at Relay for Life and OSU Cedar Point Day, as well as continuing to compete and practice throughout the summer, Baker said.

The showcase is set to take place from noon to 2:30 p.m. at the Adventure Recreation Center at 855 Woody Hayes Dr. Admission is free.