Pizzazz Star City Twirlers under the direction of Joan Duus and assisted by Marie Freeman Won Big in both the NBTA Miss Majorette of Virginia Competition held in Hampton in May and the NBTA Virginia State Championships held in Richmond in June.

Pizzazz had Winners in five of the seven categories they competed in at the Miss Majorette Competition, 3 girls qualified for the Miss Majorette of America Competition held July 20th through the 23rd at the University of Notre Dame.

Girls winning their pageants were:

Harlie Dale of Buena Vista is the Advanced Senior Miss Majorette of Virginia

Rebecca Keller of Glenver is the Intermediate Junior Pageant Winner

Meredith Smith of Roanoke is the Beginner Juvenile Pageant Winner

These three girls will compete at Notre Dame in their respective divisions for the National title.

Stephanie Meriwether of Roanoke is the Novice Pre-Teen Pageant Winner

Elizabeth Hudson of Vinton is the Novice Juvenile Pageant Winner

The Novice division does not advance to Nationals.

Runner ups in their pageant were:

Rachel Benton of Roanoke was 1st runner up in Intermediate Juvenile Pageant

Megan McConnell of Glenver was 3rd runner up in the Intermediate Senior Pageant

At the NBTA Virginia State Championships held at the Arthur Ash Center in Richmond in June Pizzazz Teams won the State Championship for the second consecutive year in every team category they competed in.

They also were awarded the prestigious “Outstanding Team of the Year” award which included a traveling plaque along with a cash prize.

Team members included:
Rachel Benton, Danielle Cormier, Harlie Dale, Elizabeth Hudson, Rebecca Keller, Megan McConnell, Stephanie Meriwether, Meredith Smith, Samantha Taylor and  Olivia Thomas

Pizzazz won the Primary Half Time Show and Pom Pon, Juvenile, Pre-Teen and Junior Dance Twirl Team events, all in the Advanced division.

Girls who placed in the top 5 of their individual events were:

Harlie Dale—Rising Freshman at Va. Tech—Won the Senior Advanced Show Twirl and was 2nd  in Advanced Rhythmic, 2-Baton, 3-Baton, Solo Twirl and Super X Strut.

Megan McConnell—Rising Freshman at JMU—Won the Senior Beginner 2-Baton, and was 3rd in Advanced Show Twirl, Intermediate Solo Twirl and Super X Strut.

Rebecca Keller—Rising Freshman at Glenver High School Won the Junior Advanced Show Twirl, Intermediate Solo Twirl & Super X Strut, and was 2nd in Beginner Two Baton and 3rd in Beginner Three Baton.

Stephanie Meriwether—Rising 6th grader at Hidden Valley Middle School—Won the Pre-teen Novice Solo Twirl and was 2nd in Super X Strut and 5th in Two Baton. She was 5th in Advanced Show Twirl.

Rebecca and Stephanie were 2nd in their Beginner Duet in the Juvenile Division

Rachel Benton—Rising 5th grader at Penn Forest Elementary School—Won the Juvenile Intermediate Solo Twirl, Super X Strut & Two Baton and was 2nd in Advanced Show Twirl

Meredith Smith a Rising 5th grader at Cave Spring Elementary School—Won the Juvenile Advanced Show Twirl and Beginner Two Baton and was 2nd in Beginner Solo Twirl and Super X Strut

Rachel and Meredith Won their Beginner Duet in the Tiny Tot Division

Elizabeth Hudson—Rising 4th grader at Morningside Elementary School–-Won the Strut Queen Competition and was 2nd in Novice Solo Twirl and Two Baton and 4th in Beginner Super X Strut

Olivia Thomas—Rising 3rd grader at Back Creed Elementary School—Was 2nd in Novice Super X Strut, 4th in Beginner Solo Twirl and 4th in Advanced Showtwirl

Danielle Cormier—Won the Pre-teen Advanced Open 3-Baton and was 3rd in Advanced Open Two Baton. She is from Jamestown N.C. and a 4 year long member of Pizzazz Star City Twirlers. Danielle is a part of the Teams that won the Virginia State Championships.

Pizzazz is accepting members for their Fall Recreational Program. Need based Scholarships are available.  For more information contact Joan Duus at: duus@cox.net or 540-537-2960

Submitted by Joan Duus