1.              What is a Majorette?  What is a Feature Twirler?

A Majorette is a Feature Twirler; the two are synonymous.  Both are dancers who use different props in their form of dance, such as batons, ribbons, hoops, Samoan knives, glowsticks, and fire.  Majorettes and Feature Twirlers tend to perform at the head of marching bands and parades.

2.             Do I have to know how to twirl in order to join the Majorettes?

Certainly not!  If you want to be a Majorette, read the section for Prospective Members.  If you want to get a jump start on twirling, look in your local library or bookstore for books and take lessons at a local dance studio. Iftraveling to campus is reasonable, you can schedule a meeting with the Head Majorette to learn a little bit about twirling and the Majorettes.

3.             If I can’t take summer lessons and I can’t come to Pittsburgh, how else can I prepare?

You can purchase yourbaton and play around with it or check for video clips on basic twirling moves.  Work on your posture (sit and walk straighter), do push-ups (this is important for upper-body strength), and stretch every night (maybe you don’t think you can stretch far, but just one month of stretching every night will make a big difference!). Practice smiling all the time! (Sounds ridiculous? Majorettes must always smile, even if they drop.)

4.             What if I want to twirl or dance, but I also want to play an instrument?

 In the past, dancers have also been instrumentalists.  It is possible during the football season to be both; this requires that you attend Kiltie Band and Majorette practices.  At the end of the football season, you are able to join the Kiltie Band as well, when the Kiltie Marching Band becomes a concert band.

6. "The band without pants"? What?

That's right!! The Carnegie Mellon University Kiltie Band is the one and only "band without pants"! They wear kilts--but for more information on that, you had better check out their website!