Coach & Director: Shanon Barker, 503-284-6270

This page has been designed to be useful to the members of the Kelly Kadets and their families. We hope you can use it to find answers to the questions you have about twirling with the Kellys.

If you are interested in joining us, we'd love to have you! Contact us!

See our pictures from 2008--Including the Oregon State Championships!

See our pictures from December 2007!

Contents--Click on a topic to jump to that information:

 

History of Kelly Kadets Coaches Twirlers Practices Equipment & Clothing New service Competitions Description Levels Events Trick meet Foundation events Solo events And more... Your Caboodles! USTA Membership Fees Other Performances Family and Twirler Expectations Pictures of our twirlers over the years

Other links you can visit: Oregon Baton Council United States Twirling Association   See some of our pictures from 2006-2007!

History of the Kelly Kadets

The Kelly Kadets have been twirling in the Portland area for over half a century. Shanon and Amy both were dedicated members of the Kelly Kadets in their youth. Most Portlanders have seen the Kellys marching in Parades over the years.

(return to top)

Shanon Barker is an internationally renowned baton teacher who has taught many local, national and international champions. Shanon teaches with an emphasis on positive and fun participation. She is also a highly recognized dance teacher and owner of the Stites Performing Arts Center.

Amy Bonaduce is a graduate of PSU. She is highly trained in ballet technique, which is a wonderful plus for her students. She is a past member of the Kelly Kadets and a 3-time Oregon Grand Champion. Amy is a USTA certified baton judge. She also teaches dance at Stites Studio and for Portland Public Schools.

Katy Anholt, a kindergarten teacher at Mount Pleasant Elementary in Washougal, is a volunteer assistant instructor who works with the Glencoe Twirl Club and Juvenile Kellys. Her genuine love of the students and baton twirling is evident in her smile. She has taught dance and baton for Portland Parks and Recreation and Hillsboro Parks Department.

(return to top)

Twirlers

The Kelly Kadets welcome twirlers (boys and girls) of all ages and levels of ability.

 

(return to top)

Practices

The Kelly Kadets have team practices in Portland on Friday afternoons at Glencoe Elementary School. Glencoe is located at the corner of SE 51st Avenue & SE Belmont (south of Stark). To encourage interest in the sport of baton twirling, a FREE class (Glencoe Twirl Club) is offered immediately after school. The Kelly Kadet twirlers also practice on Saturday afternoons at Stites Performing Arts Center. This year, the Glencoe twirlers will practice in the gym. The Kellys will again practice in the cafeteria.

Many twirlers who have taken baton classes and love baton twirling will decide to join the Kelly Kadet Team. The emphasis for the Kelly Kadet Teams is on baton twirling and dance technique, as well as building team and group awareness, camaraderie, and sportsmanship. The teams twirl in several holiday performances in Portland, at senior centers, in the Junior Rose Parade, and at the four USTA Oregon Baton Council sponsored baton competitions (February-April).

Twirlers have a choice of different levels of involvement:

TIMES: Classes start at 2:25 p.m. and continue until 6:00. Times vary depending on the level of the twirlers. Class times may also vary slightly depending on the number of twirlers who enroll in September.

• Glencoe Twirl Club: TIME: 2:25-2:55 (30 minutes). FREE. This is an introductory twirl class recommended for first year twirlers. The curriculum is designed for recreational involvement. The students can repeat this class indefinitely. This class is free; however, there are costume rental costs for special performances. Special performances include: Winter Program at Glencoe (Dec. 14, 2007), two baton competitions, and the Junior Rose Parade.
  
• No class on the days that Glencoe children do not have school.

KELLY KADET PRACTICES: The Kelly Kadet Baton Corps offers twirling classes from beginning to championship levels. Classes are held for 60-90 minutes, and twirlers have the opportunity for numerous performances and parades. In addition, they compete in four baton competitions from February through April each year.

Stites practices on "no-school" days. Kellys practice every Friday. If Glencoe is closed, the Kellys meet at Stites (17925 NE Glisan) at 3:30 for practice. 2007 dates: Oct. 12, Oct. 26, Nov. 9, March 14, April 11.

• First Year Kellys: TIME: 3:00-4:00. This team is made of up twirlers who have just moved up from the "free" class. Twirlers in this class may attend the "free" class after school to continue developing their basic skills. Then after that class, they get their own instruction to add new twirls and skills. There is a special price for the First Year Kellys.
  
  NOTE: Twirlers who are waiting for their class should get dressed, fix their hair and have an afterschool snack. They should not leave the Glencoe gym where the free class is practicing without permission, as we are not supervising them in the halls and on the playground.
  
  
• Juvenile Kelly Kadet Team: TIME: 3:30-4:30, Friday afternoons at Glencoe. These are usually second or third year twirlers, from second to fifth grade. Twirlers are encouraged to join the First Year Kellys for more practice. They may choose to compete regionally, too!
  
• Junior Kelly Kadet Team: TIME: 4:00-5:00. Usually middle school ages. These twirlers should attend the Juvenile practice as well as this one. Twirlers are stongly encouraged to cross-train by studying ballet. Many Junior Kellys choose to compete regionally and nationally.
  
• Senior Kelly Kadet Team: TIME: 4:30-6:00. For High-school twirlers and beyond! The Senior Team also competes regionally and nationally.

There are many lifelong skills that can be learned from involvement with a prestigious group such as the Kelly Kadets. While striving for excellence in twirling, the students learn the importance of good attendance, punctuality, working toward a common goal, communication skills, good grooming habits, commitment, positive outcomes of a 100% effort, and not giving up when the going gets tough! This reinforcement is a big plus for parents trying to teach their children these important life skills.

• PRICES: You can check the prices here. Small group lessons are available on Saturdays to update your individual routines.
  
• COMMITMENT: Be sure you understand the expectations of a Kelly Kadet Team member (see below). If a twirler has many Saturday activities and cannot participate in the four competitions with their team, he/she might consider remaining in the free recreational club.

(return to top)

Equipment & Clothing

Many of the things listed below are NOT available in retail stores. You can get them from Shanon, at Stites Dance Studio, or through Footlights Performance Specialities at 503-284-6270.

Batons:

Toy batons are appropriate for the beginning twirlers. They can be purchased at a toy store. The length should be measured from the armpit to the fingertip, plus one inch for growth, As a twirler's interest in baton continues, he/she will want to get a "real" baton.

"Real" batons are heavier and twirl better. All twirlers in the Kelly Kadets must have their own silver batons. As participation in twirling increases, twirlers might buy a second baton or a colored baton.

Practice Clothes:

Glencoe Twirl Club members are encouraged to wear tights, snug T-shirts, leggings, or other clothing that is stretchy but not bulky, baggy, or loose. This way the baton doesn't snag in their clothes, and the clothing doesn't hinder their dancing. Jeans don't work well. It's good for girls to pull their long hair back into a pony-tail so that it doesn't get in their way. They should wear lightweight sneakers or socks.

**NEW** Kelly Kadet Twirlers must wear a black practice outfit. They must remove jewelry and watches before practice begins. Girls must have their hair in a slicked-back bun, no bangs in the eyes. We have found over the years that twirlers concentrate, pay attention, and perform better when they are dressed correctly, and the team works better together when everyone is following the expectations. In addition, developing responsibility for their belongings and activities is, of course, a valuable life skill.

To encourage consistent team dress and hair expectations, the Kelly Kadets is instituting a new service. We will have a supply of (used) black practice outfits available for twirlers who forget theirs on Friday. The cost will be $1.00 for this service, which will cover the cost of laundering the used outfits each week. The $1.00 fee will be added to your monthly billing for this service.

Hair supplies:

Every Friday, Kelly Kadet Twirlers (girls) need to come with their hair in a bun. Or, they can learn to put their own hair in a bun before practice begins. In this case, they should bring their own brush or comb, a supply of bobby pins (about 24), heavy hairbands, and a hairnet to practice every Friday.

New Service: We will have supply of nets, bands and pins. Twirlers who forget their supplies one week may borrow ("rent") a set of hair supplies for that week, but they should return the supplies at the end of class. A $1.00 charge will be added to your monthly billing each time the service is used, which will cover the cost of replacing lost bobby pins, broken bands, and holey nets.

Costumes:

Teams: Costumes for the Glencoe Twirl Club performances are provided for a small rental fee. Costumes for the Kelly Kadet team routines are provided as part of their monthly fees.

Individual (Solo) Events: As your interest grows and your skill level improves, Kelly Kadets might want to enter solo events. For competitions, the Kelly Kadets has a large supply of solo costumes which may be rented for the competition season for a reasonable fee ($10-20). Your coach will help you find the costume that looks the best on you. Some twirlers buy their own costumes at a skate shop or a dance shop, and they spend a lot of time and money decorating them. However, we strongly recommend that twirlers rent a costume from us and spend that extra money on more Saturday lessons. If a twirler is interested in buying a costume, the parents should check with the coach first before making the purchase. Depending on the routine, a costume should or shouldn't have long sleeves, a skirt, and so on. It is unwise to invest a lot of money for a costume that the coach knows won't enhance the twirler's routine. Renting costumes from the Kellys is strongly recommended.

Baton Shoes:

Glencoe Twirl Club Twirlers can wear light-weight white sneakers.

Twirlers in the Kelly Kadets wear beige-colored "Instep" brand twirling shoes for their team routines and individual routines. It is important that everyone on the team have matching shoes. Occasionally twirlers might need black shoes, depending on the costume. In that case, you may buy your own or Shanon may have some black shoes that can be borrowed. This is a cost that parents must consider when deciding to join the team.

Dance Tights:

Glencoe Twirl Club members do not need tights for their performances. Their costumes usually involve capri pants, bike shorts, or leggings.

Kelly Kadet twirlers provide their own nude (not shimmery) dance tights for team competitions and individual routines. These are not the same as "nylons." Tights are available at dance outlets, as well as the sources listed above. This is a cost that parents must consider when deciding to join the team.

Baton Bags:

As a twirler accumulates more and more baton things, he/she will want a baton bag. This should be large enough to fit the baton, shoes, practice outfit, and complete hair stuff (bands, pins, nets, gel, comb). Parents can help their twirlers learn to stay organized by encouraging them to keep all their baton gear together in their bag and to check Thursday night to see if anything is missing or if supplies need to be replenished for Friday's class.

Competitions

Kelly Kadets compete at all four Oregon competitions. After a few years, some twirlers compete at occasional competitions in Washington, and the yearly Regionals and Nationals. Competing outside of Oregon is not required; it's totally optional.

Glencoe Twirl Club twirlers perform exhibition team routines at two Oregon events in February and March or April.

At a baton competition, you will see many kinds of twirling, sometimes happening at the same time. Each team performs its routine during team competitions. Then, individual twirlers perform their solo routines in front of a judge. Though it may seem scary to beginning twirlers to perform in front of judge, each twirler only competes against other twirlers of his or her age and level. Routines are judged according to USTA standards and awards are given to the high scorers at each level (novice, beginning, intermediate, and advanced) and for each age group.

Kelly Kadets should arrive at the competitions on time and ready to twirl. This means girls' hair should be already fixed in a slicked-back bun and everyone should be wearing their black practice outfits. As soon as you arrive, twirlers meet with their team and practice with them. You stay with their team until after team competitions are over. They may not leave their team to sit with their parents until dismissed by the coach.

After team competitions are over, twirlers go back to their parents. From that point, their parents or other adults are responsible for keeping track of when and where a twirler should be at each of his/her individual events. For this reason, it is important that each twirler have a "responsible adult" at the competition. A parent who has another commitment on a competition day may ask another Kelly parent to take on the responsibility of helping the twirler keep track of the events.

(return to top)

• Your "caboodle" (this can be in a plastic bag or any kind of container): your personal supply of safety pins, bobby pins, an extra heavy hair bands, hair nets, comb & brush, hair gel, hair spray, dark blush, red lipstick, bandaids.
  
• Your costumes, shoes, and tights (& maybe an extra pair) for individual events.
  
  
• Water, light snacks: Competitions can several hours. Some competitions sell food, but some don't. NEVER eat or drink in your Kelly Kadet Team costume! Don't eat in your own costumes, either, unless you are wearing a T-shirt or jacket to protect the costume!!
  
  
• A pillow or cushion to sit on.
  
  
• A highlighter pen to mark your name in the program.
  
  
• Some money to buy a program. You might also want to buy raffle tickets or snacks. Sometimes vendors are present selling souvenirs and costumes.

(return to top)

 

Individual Events

The events in a competition are divided into different types:

In Trick Meet, each twirler meets with a judge and performs 5 twirls. The judge evaluates the twirler's form and posture. If you receive a score of 4.0 or more on each twirl, you will receive a blue ribbon. A blue ribbon signifies that you have passed that level. Even if you have passed a level, you can enter it again if you want to. Many twirlers do this until they get straight 5s on the tricks. You can enter more than one level of trick meet at each competition. You should keep a record of the dates that you pass each level. Click here to download "TwirlingRecord.doc" or "TwirlingRecord.pdf".

Click here for a description of the different tricks in the Trick Meet. Talk to your coach for advice on which levels you should enter.

(return to top)

These all use the same music, a short 32-count marching music.

• Basic Strut: Twirlers march in a square.
• L-Military Strut: Twirlers march in an "L shape."
• Parade March: This is a marching+twirling routine that uses the same music.
• Presentation: This routine (different music) is a very short routine with many poses to show grace, but not necessarily many hard tricks.

As twirlers progress in their twirling, they learn more routines and perform different styles of twirling with different amounts of dancing mixed in. They can look forward to adding these events:

Solo Dance Twirl Strut 2-Baton 3-Baton Pairs

A few twirlers dedicate even more time to practicing and competing in compulsories, movement technique, freestyle, and more. In the Kelly Kadets, twirlers generally do not compete in Freestyle until they have already reached the intermediate level in all other routines. In addition, Freestyle athletes are expected to supplement their baton classes with ballet classes to develop good dance technique.

(return to top)

Competition Levels

Keep track of your awards! Twirlers move up from level to level in each event according to how many times they have won "first" in that event. Notice that a your level can be different for different events. For example, a twirler can be a "Novice" in one event (such as Solo), a "beginner" in one event (such as Basic March) and an intermediate in another event (such as Presentation).

Levels:

• Exhibition: Entering at the "exhibition" level is a non-competitive entry. We recommend that all Kellys enter "exhibition solo" for the first year. At this level, the judge gives feedback to the twirler, but the twirler is not competing against other twirlers, which for some twirlers is very intimidating.
  
• Novice: This level is reserved for twirlers who have never won a "first place" in this event. If you win at the "novice" level, you can't enter "novice" again for that event.
  
• Beginner: This level is for twirlers who have won fewer than 5 "firsts" in that event. As soon as a twirler wins his/her fifth "first" place, the twirler cannot enter the beginner level again. Twirlers who want more floor time are encouraged to enter once at their level and a second time as "exhibition." Twirlers can also enter a level above the level you are in. For example, a twirler who has won 3 "firsts" can enter an event twice, as both a beginner and an intermediate.
  
• Intermediate: This level is for twirlers who have won more than 5 but fewer than 10 "firsts."
  
• Advanced: This is for the twirlers who have won 10 or more "firsts" in the event.

Keep track of your wins! You can download this "Twirling Record," which will help you. Every time you get a "first place" in an event, you write down the date. Click here to download "TwirlingRecord.doc" or "TwirlingRecord.pdf". Be aware that it might take 5-10 years to completely fill up the chart!

(return to top)

USTA Membership

All Kelly Kadets must be members of USTA. You must put your USTA on each competition entry form. You can apply directly to USTA--> USTA Membership Information & Application Form. There is a special price for first-year members.

USTA memberships run from September to September each year. To encourage twirlers to enter quickly, prices increase on November 1 each year. Join quickly to save money!

Your USTA membership number stays the same every year. Contest directors check your number on-line before each contest to verify that your membership is up-to-date.

You can also join the Oregon Baton Council. This costs $5 per year. If you do, you will get your own OBC booklet of entry forms sent to your house.

(return to top)

Glencoe Twirl Club classes on Fridays after school are FREE. There is a small costume fee for participation in the optional Winter Performance in December, the two contests in February and March, and the Junior Rose Parade in June. This costume fee covers costume rental, music costs, and team entry fees. This fee is usually less than $20 per event.

The Kelly Kadet equipment fee is for renting Glencoe, contest fees, holiday costumes, parade costumes and contest costumes. It also pays for printing, postage, extra batons, flags, juggling equipment, music systems (a big one!), CDs, professional music editing, bookkeeping materials & photocopies, lighted batons, certificates, facilities, guest teachers, and insurance.

The fee structure for the Kelly Kadet Baton Corps is an annual fee for a full school-year of twirling. The 2007-2008 cost is $336 for the year. There are three payment options:

• $336/year, which can be paid in 8 monthly payments of $42
  
• 2 partial payments of $168 in October and January = $336
  
• 1 full payment before November 1 of $320 (includes 5% discount for this payment plan)

For twirlers starting in January, the fee is $296. This is because the main equipment costs to the Kelly Kadets for competitions, costumes, and so on, occur during the months of Feb. - April. This can be paid in two ways:

• 6 monthly payments; two of $50 and four of $49 <or>
  
• 1 full payment of $296

This fee structure is quite reasonable. For most baton clubs of this caliber, 60 to 90 minutes of training per week costs approximately $75 per month, not including the team costumes and other benefits mentioned above.

• To encourage twirlers to try out the sport of baton twirling, we offer a "special price" for First Year Kellys--$240 per year, which can be paid at $30 per month for 8 months. The $240 is a flat fee; if twirlers decide to join in November or December, the fee is still $240. This is because most of the equipment costs to the Kellys is for competitions, costumes, and so on. These costs occur in December and in the Spring.

(return to top)

It is important that parents realize the financial commitment of deciding to participate in a competitive sport. As detailed in these webpages, here is a list of family costs that you can expect to incur:

For weekly practices:

• USTA membership
• team practice outfit (black, see above)
• beige shoes
• hair supplies (replenished regularly)
• baton
• baton bag (optional)

For contests and performances:

• contest entries for solo events
• solo costume (optional)
• dance tights (girls)
• hair gel and personal make-up (girls lipstick and blush)
• personal supply of bobby pins (for hairpieces) and safety pins (for costumes)

Extra practices:

• On Saturday afternoons. we have extra (optional) practices and group lessons at Stites Performing Arts Center, 17925 NE Glisan St. For the beginning twirlers, this is a time to practice in front of mirrors, have fun with other Kelly team members, and get feedback on general technique. For second-years and above, this is when they refine the choreography for their solo routines. The cost for these practices is detailed in the document, Private Lesson Fees.

Expectations for Kelly Kadet Twirlers and their Families

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS (please read carefully):

All Kelly Kadets twirl at these performances:

1. Festival of the Trees in December (2007 date: Dec. 1)

2. Glencoe Winter Program in December (2007 date: Dec. 14)

3. Four contests on Four Saturdays February-April

4. The Junior Rose Parade in June

5. The Stites Recital in June

These events are fun and the audience always loves our twirlers. Attendance by all twirlers is key to team spirit and high quality performances.

Different from the baton routines of the Glencoe Twirl Club, the choreography of the Kelly Kadets assigns each twirler a specific "spot" in the routine Twirlers also have more complex exchanges. Therefore, it is difficult for the team if someone is absent from a performance. In addition, our experience has shown us that being absent from a team performance impacts a twirler's dedication to the sport and the team. If a twirler has too many Saturday activities and will not be able to participate in the contests, he/she might consider twirling with the Glencoe Twirlers (free) rather than making a commitment to a team and then not being able to live up to that commitment. If a twirlers knows in advance that he/she will miss a single contest, the coach should be notified in January.

If transportation is an issue, other twirling families have always been more than happy to help with rides.

In addition, the Kellys often perform for senior centers and other community events. All twirlers are strongly encouraged to participate in these as a way to spread joy throughout the community. In addition, the more often the twirlers perform, the more comfortable they feel "on stage," and their performance skills improve accordingly.

Junior Rose Parade: This is in June, and it is the culmination of our twirling year. We expect that every twirler will participate in the parade. If twirlers are pressured to march with their bands or other groups, Shanon will contact the teacher and explain the importance of participating with the Kellys.

Stites Recital: This is mid-June. All Kelly Kadets are expected to participate as "guest performers."

A parent or family member should arrive at Glencoe 15 minutes before the end of class. This way, you can admire your twirler's developing skills, get announcements of events, and support your twirler's enthusiasm for the sport.

The Kelly parents help organize and run the two December performances and two of the four winter contests. Each family is expected to help with the these in some way (costumes, decorations, setting up, cleaning up after, etc.). It's fun, and it's a good way to get to know the other people whose children are involved in the sport of baton twirling.

Each twirler needs to have a responsible adult accompanying him/her at each contest. A family may arrange for another twirling family (not Shanon or Debbie) to "adopt" the twirler for one day if necessary.

These are non-negotiable issues. As explained above, Kelly Kadet twirlers must wear black biketards, black bikeshorts & tank leotard, or black leggings and tank leotard to every class. Girls' hair must be in a slicked-back bun. Parental support of this is necessary. No jewelry is allowed. Twirlers who arrive to class without appropriate hair attire will be required to take advantage of our "practice outfit rental service" or "hair supplies rental service." These hair and attire expectations are for safety, ease of learning, and team cohesiveness.

(return to top)

Page created by: Debbie Anholt Date updated: August 15, 2007 Contact information: anholt@NOSPAM.lclark.edu (click on link, remove "NO SPAM.", and send the message)