I saw the movie “A Face In The Crowd” when I was in my mid 30’s. It’s a fab movie. I was thrilled and mesmerized by the baton twirling competition scenes. Obviously Lee Remick could twirl!
So, I decided I was going to be a champion twirler in 2-3 months. I bought 2 batons, eschewed any lessons and arrogantly twirled. Yeah, right! What was I thinking? Honestly, I thought I would be better than the guy below!
Anyway, I would practice twirling and tossing in the middle of our street. Never did catch a baton. I’d run out of the way when they came down out of the sky, only to bounce on the road. One day a family, mom, dad & 2 kids came out their door when I was doing my thing. They took one look and hustled the kids back inside.
Whatever happened to baton twirling? I think it is athletic and creative, like figure skating. I’m down with both men and women twirling. Perhaps it should be an Olympic competition?
Here’s the trailer from “A Face In The Crowd”!
It’s a movie worth seeing! Hmm, wherever did I put those batons?
Graffiti Lux Art & More 
Oh lord, I laughed so much at your honesty!! ‘They took one look and hustled the kids back inside.’ Hell it minded me of the time I thought, ‘I can walk this narrow wire fence’ and ended on the ground with concussion and a slash from shoulder to wrist my mam went to her grave not knowing how I got. Hey, still pals with the girl who ran and got her by the way as I counted constellations of stars. BUT I will add, that as kids, when and where I grew up, we learned all sort, s and the grandies are sort of impressed re the juggling with 3 apples, and the roller blade figure skating. SO bet you still got things you can blitz xxxxx
Lol! We would have been a fine pair for the circus. Me… twirling FIRE BATONS & you walking the HIGH WIRE!
Big loss for the entertainment industry! xoxoxo
A As we say here… Ken..aye?? Cos we were a huge loss!!!
so funny, sorry! )) a wonderful memory
LOLOL! I look back and laugh, too!
Three weeks that shook the neighbourhood!
HAHAHAHAHA I wish I could have seen that. In the street, no less. How wonderful. So funny, Resa. I twirled. Not well, but I did it. LOLOL We would have made a great team. Great post, I can’t stop smiling.
LOL! It seemed the the middle of the street was the safest. Only parked cars might get dinged.
So, my twirling was only slightly ahead of my decision to be a Tap Dancer. Ever seen someone tripping over their own feet?
It’s not a pretty sight.
We would be a great team of… hmmm. is there such a thing as Mistake Artists?
Ohmygosh, Sorceress! You have me in tears laughing (and wanting to watch this old gem!) Man, Andy Griffith like this is a far cry from being Opie’s dad!
Happy to make anyone laugh! ⚡️💥 😂
It’s really worth watching this movie.
Although his career took a turn after this, there is still the essence of the boy/man from a small southern town in the USA.
That carried through in a way, to his Matlock series.
Oh, trust me. I shall be looking for it!
You rock, Sorceress! 🧚🏻♀️🎇
Cool! Okay… I gotta do some homework! xo
Alrighty then. Get to it!
A great memory, Resa. Not sure there is a future in baton twirling. I think being a talented (and funny) artist is better.
Okay! Although designing costumes for baton twirlers would be neat!
I’m so happy I’m funny!
Yes funny counts. I could have said something like talented and humorous but just didn’t sound right.The word funny has a spontaneous feature to it which humorous lacks. 😁
🤪🤓🙃
I can be quite mind blowing! 🤯
Yay! I always wanted to use this emoji!
Great emoji I haven’t found a way to use it but you certainly did it well. I’m sure mind blowing is fun. 😁
😀
😊
That’s hilarious. The crazy neighbor twirling in the streets. I tried it when I was a kid, It was really hard to do.
It is a difficult sport! It’s very creative, like dance. If skate boarding is an Olympic sport, so should baton twirling be one!
( will send a mail soon. I’m still swamped with the presentation)
Hi Resa, there is a similar skill to baton twirling using lightsabers. There are some folk that do lightsaber choreography (also known as Saber Spinning) and one very famous Canadian from Edmonton called the Flo Warrior that takes it to a whole new level of awesome, here is a clip of him in action:
There is no “camera trickery” in this performance, all of these moves are physically possible with practice. And that’s the key…practice, practice….and practice some more!
And as a special treat so you can have a laugh I’ll email you a link to a video of me when I began spinning sabers in 2016! (I’ll send it to the email I sent your edited dress pictures to)
Hey, that is very cool! Lots of the moves are regular baton moves, but the momentum is varied, due to weight, etc.
Excellent! I’ll check my mail!
Mama guitar. Okay, we all know by now you are wonderous , creatively brilliant. I always watched Lee Remick. She died earlyish of something bad. I think that maybe Andy of Mayberry in this clip too.
You don’t just rock, you roll, draw and design. You basically make people’s lives better.
Thank you, Cindy!
I’m going to check them out on google, see what happened! ❦❦❦
Your story is so funny, Resa! I can imagine those people rushing their kids out of the way. 🤣
But I agree with Cindy about the skills that you do have.
I don’t think I ever saw Face in the Crowd. Andy Griffith sure is a creeper about 17-year-old Lee in that scene.
Thank you, Merril!
I’m happy with what creatives I settled on.
Hmm, perhaps I should have been a pianist?
Andy plays a NOT nice guy in the movie! He plays a total creep!! It’s a great movie. However, he is a talented creep, who gathers a lot of fans. You need to watch it, knowing the time period. The second wave of Women’s Lib hadn’t happened, yet and black people did not have the vote.
Resa, this movie is startling at the power of a populist cult figure. Andy Griffith is scarily good in this role. Keith
Agree!
It’s worth watching.
I feel like right now the USA & world, to an extent, is in the hands of a populist cult figure!
Resa, definitely one of the US’ two parties has been adrift and untethered to the truth for several years as a result of its populist cult figure. And, it is so overt, but his power has been to tell his followers that his critics just don’t like him or are out to get him, so they can ignore the accusations. Keith
Both parties need fresh faces to rise out of the rubble.
Do you think Liz Cheney could beat t in a primary?
Oh, sorry that you have missed the chance of being champion, though l am sure you are doing the best job right now, as a creative artist 🎨 😉. These movies are all known for me, as they run one after another on the TV. It’s a wonderful memory for me. Thank you, dear Resa 🤗❤🙏🌹
Thank you!!!!
Even through movies, there is a lot to learn about recent history.
On the Waterfront is also such a movie! xoxo
LOL. I was a twirler too, Resa, and about as good as you were. “Run for cover” would have described my skill level well. Thanks for the laughs and the clips. Fun.
XOXO Welcome!
I watched A Face in the Crowd , it was disturbing but Griffith did a great job. I used to be able to twirl baton pretty good. But not for a long time. Great post Meece xoxoxo
A ha ha haaaaaa…….. my natural instincts after throwing that baton would be …run!!!!!! I do love that you tried though, and I can actually imagine you do twirling like Lee!
But wait, you do hold a baton… your magic art wand and you do wonders with it!
Happy Sunday, dahling!!!!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
I’ve just re-followed…. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve had to re-follow friends! What is WP up to?
I remember twirling my sister’s baton. It did actually lead to me being able to flip a baseball bat that way, usually after I struck out. But it still counts! 😉
Hahaha!
I’ve heard of Flippin’ the Bird, but not Flippin’ the Bat.
I used to model it after Mickey Rivers, who was a centerfielder for the Yankees. He would do that and I thought it was the coolest thing.
So you ended up pretty cool!
You still twirl the bat?
Nope, I would hurt myself now, LOL
Resa I wuld want to watch a video of you “playing ” with the batons in the street ! This would deserve a mural ! 🙂
Love ❤
Michel
Hahaha!
Fab comment, Michel! xoxoxo
🙂
OMG I couldn’t even image the carnage if you were a baton twirler. I love you dearly and you have talent to spare but you’re not exactly the most co-ordinated person I’ve known….or at all. Just sayin ❤ ❤ Fab post tho 😉
Whaat? Carnage?
You mean Carnegie, as in Carnegie Hall?
I’d perform there! 😉😉😉😉😉
Helmets handed out upon arrival! xoxo
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Golden memories like these are well worth keeping forever and and a day.
They easily remind us of times that were simpler when there seemed to be
much less to concern ourselves with and smiles and laughs were everywhere!
thanks for some wonderful moments Resa
Eddie!
How wonderful that you found this post. It’s a bit of an anomaly for this blog, but I did change the by-line to Graffiti Lux Art & More. This would be in the more part.
Lol! I had visions of twirling twin “fire batons”.
You are right! Golden memories are worth keeping. As a matter of fact, I think Golden memories keep themselves in our hearts and minds. That’s why they are worth more than gold.
So happy to see you!
happy to be hear Resa! enjoy every moment
Thank you for bringing back the memory of me with my sparkly baton, twirling it as a girl – I’d completely forgotten about it until now! xxoo
My pleasure!!! 😀 xoxo