Twirling
Twirling or rod turning is a form of juggling developed in the USA in which a metal rod, called bâton (French: rod) or staff , is turned in the hand and the gymnastic performance is accompanied by music .
The sport of twirling, as it is practiced worldwide today, has its roots in the appearances of the majorettes at the turn of the century. The majorette dance developed from these appearances at parades and processions. From this, today's twirling sport emerged in the USA during the 1970s.
The baton
The baton consists of a 12 mm thick metal rod with two hard rubber ends. The length of the rod is individually adapted to each athlete.
Disciplines
In Germany, a distinction is made between the following disciplines:
- Category A (for participation in international championships): Solo Freestyle, Solo 1-Baton, Solo 2-Baton, Artistice twirl, Duo, Team and Group for juniors up to 17 years and seniors from 18 years
- Category B (at national level): Dance Twirl, Mini-Freestyle, Mini-Duo, Mini-Team.
Organizations
Twirling sport is represented in Germany by two organizations, the German Twirling Sports Association (DTSV) as a professional association of the German Dance Sports Association (DTV) and the National Baton Twirling Association Germany. Baton Twirling, the international name of the sport, is represented throughout Europe by the Confédération Européenne de Twirling Bâton and the National Baton Twirling Association Europe. The worldwide agency is the World Twirling Federation. Twirling is a recognized, non-Olympic sport in Germany through its representation in DTV.
Modes
There are three modes in twirling sport:
- Hurling : The baton is thrown into the air and caught again in different places, various turns or acrobatic exercises such as wheel, arched canal or rollover are performed between dropping and catching.
- Rolling : The baton does not usually leave the body when rolling. Rather, it slides on the arms or on the neck.
- Contact material : Between the individual slingshot and rolling exercises, the baton is caught with small "flips" (a small drop no more than head height) at various points and incorporated into the dance.
