Majorettes

My hairdresser's niece is a majorette.

It was huge where I grew up in Essex in the 70's/80's. I never got the hang of it but my younger sister was in a group.

I remember her practising her solo routines for competitions and then during the summer was attending carnival parades with marching bands all over Essex and Kent. ( Marching bands were a big thing too)

They were a thing when I was little, there was a village gala and they used to march from one end of the village to the other where the school field was (it’s now a housing estate). All the different groups did it I remember our majorettes, Coffee & Cream majorettes and the ones from the nearby villages. This was a small mining community.

It’s quite prevalent here (major city) but you never see them march, we normally see them at the leisure centre for competitions.

Majorettes were a big thing in France in the 80s as well

protestants? Sounds like an orange order march!

it was very much a thing when I was a child (80's, NW) and i hadn't seen or heard of it for years until a video randomly popped up on my facebook feed a couple of weeks ago. Lots of pompoms and strutting about on tip toes.

OMG I was a majorette in the late 70’s! South west. I can remember the carnivals and the Lords Mayor Parade for the Queens jubilee!!

I did majorettes from about the age of 5 until 15 in 2005ish. Absolutely loved it! Best memories growing up 🫶 We were north West based and every Sunday we'd get on the double decker bus and go to somewhere in north Wales to a competition. Rhyl, tir prince, always a fun packed sunday 🤩 loved every moment of it and even now, i wish I had a baton to twirl 😅

Yes my parents would always make me use the crook lock on my car as a teen - as it was quite old and they were worried someone would steal it for joy riding!

I was in a very large group South Coast mid/late 70’s. We had three different troupes mostly divided by age. When we marched / twirled together at local carnivals etc it was quite a sight! My Mum was one of the designated seamstresses- lots of braid involved! We were all about the marching, I think it changed more into cheerleading / acrobatics in more recent years

I grew up in Stoke, they were called “troops” (or possibly “troupes” - I never saw it written down). They were at every public event in the 80’s. Always thought they were weird, sort of mechanical-looking, and I couldn’t see the appeal at all.

My cousin was in a majorette band - drums, kazoo and glockenspiels with lots of baton twirlers. Her band went to the world championships (in the Isle of Man from memeory) and she won a massive trophy. It was a huge thing in the 1970s. Our local troupe was in a Cliff Richard movie (in his hey day).

Commonly known as crook locks (east london). I have seen quite a few about - especially on big 4x4s

My cousin has a baton. Not one of us could understand how to do a decent baton twirl. I had a friend I met at uni who grew up just outside Glasgow who was part of a group that competed - there were flag waters, marchers and I am assuming pipers. Anyone know what that was?

Most definitely,my dad has one!

They're definitely becoming a thing again since digital car keys are so rubbish!

Oh that's brilliant 🤣😂 I'm stunned my parents didn't sign me up,I went on and on about it ALL the time,it would've shut me up if nothing else. We had them in my town ffs 😢

I grew up in a town in the north west and it was very much this — ballet of your parents were (or aspired to be) middle class; majorettes if not. I was quite fascinated by the baton-twirling and couldn’t imagine how they got to doing it that fast!

They were a massive thing in my home town in Co Durham, my prettier, thinner, cousin competed. Their uniform wasn't trousers though, it was a skirt, white kneesocks over american tan tights. I'm sure we used to call them Jazz Bands though, not majorettes .

Steering wheel locks are back in! Seems to be the only thing which stops land rovers getting stolen!

NE Scotland and I did it in the 80s. I loved it. Did shows. Mum used to make my dresses and hats!

I actually can’t remember why or when I stopped.

Me too. Except that I had a garden cane, a dusty bin on my head and a pair of my mum’s American tan tights with white ankle socks over the top. Thanks goodness there is no photographic evidence.

Never had them anywhere near me... but this has reminded me of Catherine Tate's Bunty character, who was from the North East from memory!

I always wanted to be a Majorette. The baton twirling & the uniforms 😍!
The city I grew up in had a Lord Mayor's Day parade every summer and the Majorettes would always be part of the parade marching along, throwing their spinning batons in the air and generally looking awesome!
From what I understand, you had to be athletic, well coordinated, pretty & know the right people to get in to the training (so I never stood a chance!). I'm assuming its popularity was superseded by Cheerleading.