That’s THREE BATONS.
THREE.
And the way she picks up the second and third batons is absolutely seamless. Inspiring, really.
If they’d been on fire, I probably would’ve leapt to my feet in a fit of uncontrollable weeping.
Well played, Miss Iowa.
Top 5 Miss America Moments – #5
11 January 2012 by
My life is richer having watched this.
Thank you, friend.
I LOVE the song choice, too!
Love this soph!! Showed mamma. She was hysterical. You know she used to twirl :)
I had to back up the video twice to see when and how she picked up the third baton! Can’t wait to see the next four great moments you pick, Sophie!
I would have clobbered myself in the head, you know.
I didn’t see where she picked up the third baton either!
I feel sorry for whoever had to follow that…
You ask to see Miss Iowa twirl three batons while they’re on fire?
Here you go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDpJJyrqkMI
(The video is from the Bill Reilly Talent Sprouts competition at the 2004 Iowa State Fair … a few years before she competed in Miss America. You would like the Talent Sprouts.)
Correcting myself (have to get my Iowa facts straight) …
It’s Bill Riley, not Reilly. And the Sprouts are the 2-12 division, the Talent Search is for older kids. I am sorry to have confused the two.
Diana Reed was a Golden Girl (featured twirler) for the University of Iowa Marching Band … one of three who have represented Iowa at Miss America (a fourth represented Indiana).
This is probably more than you wanted to know.
You are awesome for tracking this down for us.
OH MY WORD!
DAAAAAANNNNNNNG. Girl can twirl.
Third baton is at 1:30 on the video. SKILLLLLLLLZ.
I won’t be stopping the beat all day today, you can rest assuredly in that.
Twirling is a lost art. Growing up in the panhandle of Texas, twirlers were so cool. Once a year, the twirlers would twirl with fire. The Friday night lights would go out. There would be a collective hush. Then . The twirling would began. It was great if they caught the field on fire. Good times.
oh my stars and garters – I want to do that !
I am spending a week with my 23 year old daughter. Last night we laid on the bed and watched all of the contestant videos. We decided about 75% of them need hand coaching. What to do, oh what to do, with my hands?? We were in hysterics but based on the videos we love Tennessee and Arkansas. My daughter about peed her pants at the 1988 video you posted. That was the year she was born and I had to give her a little mini tutorial on White Rain Hair Spray.
I am not normally a big fan of the baton but this girl totally rocked it. We’re excited for Saturday!
This represents hundreds of hours in the backyard. Hundreds. Rock on, Miss I!
mmmm… but can she chew gum and twirl those three batons? Then I’d be impressed. :) Seriously, my daughter grew cut her teeth on the Miss America pageant, and went on to compete in Miss Alabama for two years. Eye opening experience – for both of us – but taught her many social skills and gave her grace under fire. (not to mention sorely needed scholarship cash)
oops – forget the ‘grew’ in that prior post.. poor editing on my part.
Amazing talent! ! ! I never twirled but I have to admire that girl! ! ! The speed! The accuracy!! Thank you for sharing this with us!
I assume you’ve watched the Miss America individual videos for this year? I’m curious for your take on Miss Kentucky’s.
http://missamerica.org/videocontest/
I know she’s probably making fun of the whole pageant stereotypes, butI’m not sure this is the time or place.
It has disturbed me greatly.
The Kentucky State pageant really should invest in a contestant coach. Nuff said.
That made me squeal a little.
Wow!! That girl has talent!! And I, also, would love your thoughts on Miss Kentucky.
Oh, Miss America, how I love thee!
Looking forward to the rest of the countdown!
Oh and I HAVE to know….did she win a talent prelim? (Do notice my familiarity with the pageant lingo. It comes from decades of critiquing nearly-perfect contestants!)
She did win the talent preliminary and finished in the top 10, but was eliminated from the competition right before she would have been able to perform her routine during the broadcast.
Have a friend who twirled @ AU. Love her stories about marching. Hope we always have majorettes in the South!
Everybody has to watch the clip where she twirls 3! batons on fire !!!!!
AMAZING! LOVE IT!
So, OH MY GOODNESS, guess what? Miss Wisconsin (you know how I am originally a northern belle from America’s Dairyland) has won the preliminary talent competition! Even better, she is from my very own hometown and she also graduated from the same college. I am soooooooo excited!
Wow. I’m normally not a huge twirler fan, but this girl can DANCE and TWIRL! Loved the clip with the fire batons, too. Thanks, y’all, for enriching my life! :)
Oh, and thank you Sarah; I just went to the website and got a preview of Miss Hawaii and her jump rope.
Okay I am so serious. I screamed when I saw you picked this one because my Daddy owns a recording studio in North Carolina and they do TONS of pageant contestant’s music and they did this song! (Yes, that was a run on sentence but I’m excited.) That’s my friend Lauren and him singing! This was one of my favorites ever! They have recorded tracks for probably hundreds of contestants and have had many winners. We love to watch it to see how many we got in the top 10! :)
Love, love, love it!!!!!!
Ok, add me to your list of tens. Just found you through Pioneer Woman. You had me at “Well played, Miss Iowa”.
Reminiscent of Suzanne Sugarbaker….