a couple of girls on my team have won the pageant here in minnesota to compete at nationals but there has been a little controvercy on what to put on the sashes.
i guess my question is which way is correct in your minds
Intermediate Junior Miss Majorette of Minnesota
or Intermediate Junior Minnesota Pageant winner
is the miss majorette of minnesota title used just for advanced girls even if the catagory is in front of it
thanks for your help
mntwirler

Yes the "Miss Majorette" is strictly for advanced contestants. However, most do not follow this rule. I think it is unfair to call yourself a "Miss Majorette" when the girls are only in beginner/intermediate. So technically, the title should be Junior Minnesota Pageant Winner.

I agree.....ONLY Adv winners are true Miss Majorettes.
I enforce it with my studio and students but many don't.
It says it right in the rules of NBTA.

To avoid issues about what to put on the sash I have it right in my studio handbook the "proper" way to display your title.

Thank you for posting this in your studio. It is very important for parents, coaches, and studio owners to enforce this rule. We have had a several Beginner/Intermediate pageant winners return from AYOP and put articles in the paper and ride in parades as MISS MAJORETTE OF AMERICA. This hurts advanced twirlers, and keeps several athletes from wanting to move forward. In one case a band director made his selection of feature twirler based on AYOP results... this ended up giving a Beginner Miss Majorette of America the position over a girl who made top 20 in Grand Nationals every year.

We had this discussion with my daughter's coach last year when my daughter won her title. It does not look uniform when some girls have "pageant winner" and others have the Miss Majorette title. We were happy with being a pageant winner and able to compete at AYOP.
That is not good that a beginner pageant winner should be picked instead of an advanced girl. They should base it on the audition skills and how they perform.

thanks for your help
i too agree that the girls should put pageant winner on their sashes
and thanks for telling me it is an NBTA rule

After reading these posts it seems that the current rule is out dated. If using the title Miss Majorette on a banner it is such a big deal, then why even allow a Nov. Beg. and Int. pageants to be held? Is it because the nov, beg and int contestants pay for the venue? Nobody wants to undermine the work and accomplishments of the advanced twirler who wins the actual Miss Maj title. So what about a the Royalty title winner? Is it ok to use the wording Miss Majorette on that banner? "Beginner Pageant Winner"? When I told my daughter what her banner was suppose to say she said she felt her hard work to win her pageant was not acknowleged. I understand as common sense would say that if you use the proper age and division and title (as in state or region) it would be ok to say "2008 Sr. Int. Miss Majorette of Alaska" on a banner. Many people think that the NBTA should change with the times. Maybe the NBTA will change the title rule when they add the Elite division or the 20+ age group.

The NBTA rules state that advanced royalty will be "recognized as Miss Majorette Royalty" in the "National Miss Majorette of America Pageant." While "first-place Beginner or Intermediate contestants qualify for National Beginner/Intermediate pageants." The rules distinguish between advanced, which is "miss majorette" and beginner/intermediate which is not. Isn't qualification for the National Beginner Pageant recognition of a twirler's hard work and determination?

The truth in advertising policy is as much for the general public and their perception of achievements, as it is for the twirling world to appreciate success. Twirlers recognize that someone with jackets and cases who are "beginner miss majorette of ___" haven't reached the highest level. So isn't it just the general public who is potentially fooled?

I'd hate for a beginner winner to convince a band director that she's a champion, and potentially damage the director's perception of a good twirler and jeopardize the chances for future twirlers who might be advanced champions. (this is just a scenario and certainly some beginner twirlers could put on a better "show" than some advanced twirlers)

Or, what if the Intermediate "Miss Majorette of ___" goes on to win the "Intermediate Miss Majorette of America" -- fantastic...all in twirling realize that is an accomplishment to be proud of. Then, a few years later, wow, she makes top ten in the advanced Miss Majorette of America. But friends say, "but didn't you win it a few years ago?" Hmmm, in my mind making top 10 in the advanced division IS better than winning the intermediate division -- it's harder. But the joy is spoiled somewhat because somehow the wow factor has been lost on friends (aka, the general public).

Personally I don't see the need for NBTA to change the title of the beginner and intermediate pageants to beg/int miss majorette. These events were added after the original to give twirlers a taste of the advanced event.

divamom,

I respectfully disagree. Your daughter has worked hard (no doubt if she's winning pageant at any level). According to NBTA, the beginner and intermediate pageants are preparatory events for the Advanced Miss Majorette competition. I respect the reasoning behind this rule because it takes even more dedication and training to put together a winning advanced solo, strut, and modeling and deliver these routines at the required times.

Thanks for your explanations and insight. I know the NBTA will not change the pageant title names, no more than they will add age groups or divisions. It is what it is. Take it or leave it.

Let me give you a perfect example of how the general public can be and is often fooled when incorrect titles are used. We are from a small town where everybody knows everybody. Several years ago, when my daughter did individual competition, she was also a member of a large twirling team with many girls her same age My daughter was an advanced twirler and won the Junior Miss Majorette title for our state. Two of her fellow teammates were also in the junior division, one in beginner and one in intermediate. They both won their respective pageants at the state competition also. This was great, but became a problem when both the beginner and intermediate pageant winners had jackets, t-shirts, baton bags, etc. made up to say Miss Majorette of our state. They also put it in the newspaper that way!! They were not the true Miss Majorette, my daughter was!! Needless to say, there was much confusion and people asking, "How can there be so many winners in one division?" and "Everyone who competes, must get to be a winner!" Everyone should be proud of their wins at any level, but being dishonest and advertising titles incorrectly is distructive to the image that the general public has of twirling.

Few things in twirling burn me up as much as misused titles. I've mentioned this story on here before, but this is the perfect forum for it again. I was at a competition last year when a young girl walked past me carrying a baton case that read WORLD OPEN SOLO CHAMP. When I read that, I couldn't wait to see her twirl, even though I didn't recognize her from AYOP. Imagine my shock when this little girl lined up for the Novice 7-9 group. To me, a novice winner at AYOP is not the WORLD OPEN SOLO CHAMP. The girl should be proud, and I would see no problem with a case that read NAT'L NOVICE SOLO WINNER. It's ludicrous for a novice twirler to be equated with Anslee Cartee, Kylie Cates, or Savannah Miller.

Hi,
Please refresh for me the correct way titles should look. If you won : example: Intermidate 7-9 Mid Atlantic or North Atlantic ....how should it read?
Or...the same as above but beginner 7-9?
How about state titles for Solo and Strut for Beg. or Int. 7-9?
Regional Solo or strut 7-9?
Thanks!!!

I know there has been much discussion about the proper use of titles on the discussion board. I also just read a letter in the recent Drum Major from a judge/contest director regarding "title misrepresentation". While I agree with her letter, I am perplexed as to why NBTA does not do more to enforce the rule.

Drum Major is a NBTA publication and they will print pictures with a title that is misrepresented. For example, a picture that states ______ is the 2008 Intermediate Miss Majorette of _______ is often published in Drum Major. NBTA/Drum Major could simply change the caption to _______ is ____ 's 2008 Intermediate Pageant Winner. This would serve as a model for the correct use of titles for all the readers. A more extreme measure would even be to have a policy that they do NOT print pictures that have inaccurate representation of titles.

I am also surprised at the number of contest directors that give banners to the intermediate and beginner pageant winners that say "Juvenile Beginner Miss Majorette of ____ ". Again, it would be nice for the contest directors to be aware of the rules and apply them correctly in having sashes made and to model the proper use of titles.

Maybe NBTA could implement a new policy that does not allow any of the girls to wear sashes that do not have the correct title on them for the awards ceremony. Of course, NBTA would have to make that publicly known well in advance, but I bet you would see a lot more girls walking around with banners that have the correct title on them.

I was just wondering, I was on a twirling website from a group that had posted their student as the Miss Majorette of our State and yet she is a DMA winner. Does anyone know if DMA uses the same titles? This is confusing since there would be two Miss Majorettes from the same state but from different organizations. I thought the Miss Majorette is exclusive of only NBTA? Does anyone know for sure.

Hi,
Actually DMA does use the same title of Miss Majorette.
Here is their website. www.dmatwirl.org
If you go to their website and click on the results of their contests you will see how they use the title. Hope that helps!

DMA words their national titles differently (Majorette Queen of America, Senior Majorette Queen, etc.). But we have been to the state contest several times and the advanced titles are Miss Majorette (Jr., Little, Wee, etc depending on the age group). My daughter won the DMA intermediate state title last weekend and her banner says State Princess, not Int. Miss Majorette. So even in DMA, the Miss Majorette title is reserved for advanced.

At Miss Maj of Michigan there was an announcement from the contest director that Novice, beg., int. are not to use the Miss maj title it is only for adv. Shirts, banners ect. need to say pageant winner not miss maj.

One of my friends won beginner miss majorette of the southeast two years ago and competed in the pageant at AYOP and even though she was in beginner her banner said miss majorette of the southeast. Is this the correct title or should it be beginner southeast pageant winner? she won at southeast regionals again this year too so what should the sash say?

Should Miss Majorette Royalty (adv. contestant who placed in the top 3) have banners?

yes. My friend has gone as royalty and always has a sash, which says royalty on it. (Miss Malorette of FL royalty)

I think it depends on the girl. My daughter said if she didn't win the title she would not wear a banner even when she did qualify. She just felt that she only wanted to wear a banner if she actually won, this made her goal of winning more meaningful to her. She has had to wait four years since her last win and not royalty but she was so excited that she could get a banner this year. I think it just depends on the kid but there is nothing wrong with it.

My daughter just won the Adv. MM of Southeast, and we were wondering about a banner. Do they wear them in the pageant like the beg and inter. girls do? We just moved into advanced and have never had a chance to watch the adv. awards at nationals just the beg and inter. pajeants. I want her to have one if they get to wear them. Thanks, Kim

Congratulations to your daughter!! They do wear the banners during the awards and she should have one. To win the advanced pageant and have the actual title is a big accomplishment.

We did the beginner pageant last year and hoping to do the intermediate one this year and I got my daughter a banner - saying pageant winner of course and it is a wonderful experience to come out wearing the sash for the national contest. Some of the beginner/intermediate girls also wear their sashes on Tues after the competition.

Hey,
One of our students won the Intermediate Miss Majorette title... I understand the rule, of course, but the banner she received and the trophy says Miss Majorette of Florida.. Obviously, this is confusing and doesn't necessaraly want to pay for a new banner for AYOP but it will say the Miss Majorette title on it for intermediate.

If the rule is suggested...shouldn't the pageant directors of the states get it right?

Jen

I also won the Intermediate Florida pageant (in 13-15) and my sash says "Junior Miss Florida Pageant" but im making a whole rhinestoned out one thats going to say int. 13-15 Florida Pageant winner 2008 with my name on the back but thats weird that hers would say that