New solo twirlers look forward
to challenge
By Nicole Arias
Staff
Writer
While practicing
for last year's Golden Girl, Girl-In-Black, and Silver Twins audition,
Kim Benson, a junior in the School of Nursing, broke her nose. After
auditioning, Benson got the nickname "Kermit" for her bruised, green
face.
Benson's audition
this year went much better — she was selected for one of the positions.
Of the nine twirlers
who auditioned for the four solo positions, Krista Woodward, a junior
in the School of Management, and Benson were chosen to be the Silver
Twins. Robyn Andrews, a junior in the School of Technology, was chosen
to be the Girl-In-Black; and Erin Ansfield, a sophomore in the School
of Management, was chosen to be the Golden Girl.
The twirlers performed
feats such as tossing a baton 20 feet in the air, cart wheeling, and
catching it.
The audition, in
which each twirler performed a two-minute routine, was followed by individual
interviews with the judges panel. Alisha Kuckartz, a judge and the adviser
for the Purdue Auxilaries, said the winners were selected because of
their confidence, choreography and uniqueness.
Bill Kissinger,
one of the judges and the director of the marching band, said, "We want
people who can convey something to the 53rd row and bring attention
to themselves as twirlers."
The four twirlers
are most looking forward to the first home football game with Notre
Dame.
"There'll be like,
70,000 people in Ross-Ade Stadium and everyone will be singing 'Hail
Purdue,'" Andrews said. "Wow, I'm getting teary-eyed just thinking about
it."
Benson said that
when it happens she'll have to ask herself whether it was a dream.
But twirling isn't
always a pleasant dream.
Andrews sprained
her ankle during a twirling line practice last semester. Andrews performed
with her injury, despite the cost — she was on crutches for a week.
"The baton flips
around fast and it isn't exactly the softest thing in the world," Benson
said with a chuckle as the four twirlers began comparing bruises on
their arms and legs.
The twirlers agreed
that after a while, they just think, "Oh, how did that get there?"
"We learn to be
tough," Andrews said.
Besides bruises,
the performers have had to endure and overcome rejection. All of this
year's winners have auditioned previously for these positions and have
not been selected.
In Woodward's freshman
year, she was cut from the twirling line.
"It was a difficult
decision to audition again my sophomore year. It was constant work to
have such a very big goal and it was a challenge to keep it going."
The twirlers are
looking forward to tackling the new challenges that await them in their
solo positions, as they are now responsible for their individual choreography
and costumes.
Since the Golden
Girl position began 47 years ago, one challenge has remained constant.
After the twirlers'
first day in their new positions, they said their greatest obstacle
was trying not to get run over by the band while practicing the pre-game
routine.
"Yeah, we almost
got squashed," Benson said.
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