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The history of how baton twirling originated is very vague. The most popular guess is that baton twirling originated from the Swiss flag carriers, who would use their flags to signal messages over great distances that came to America. Later these flags were used in parades, where they were twirled to music.

Another suggestion is that it originated from Hawaiian culture. The southern minstrel dancers used canes, flaming torches, or sticks in which they twirled as part of their routine.

Another theory is that it started at dance festivals where guns, torches, knives, and sticks were twirled. This later progressed into the army, where the leader of the army would twirl the rifel during parades. Then the rifle was switched to a mace. The mace is still used today by many drum majors while leading a marching band. Later, the maces were altered for easier twirling and became batons that twirlers and majorette use today.

These three theories eventually developed into the sport of baton twirling. Twirling now involves dance movements while twirling, the mastering of choregraphy of the baton twirling routine, great showmanship, and difficult twirling skill like rolls, spins, illusions, etc.

Today there are many twirling organization like USTA (United States Twirling Assocation), NBTA (National Baton Twirling Association, TU (Twirling Unlimited), TM (Twirl Mania), DMA (Drum Majorettes of America, and many others. These baton twirling organizations offer numberous competitions for baton twirling at any skill level.

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