COACH AMBER LENA
Back ground info:
Amber M. Lena, (formally "Strnad") born and raised along the longest man-made beach in the United States: The beautiful & historic Mississippi Gulf Coast.
A 10 year student of Neal Brown's Mississippi All-Stars Baton Twirling Corp./Team; I started twirling in 4th grade.
We Preformed at the Knoxville, TN Worlds Fair in 1982.
This is one of the photos taken by a newspaper journalist before we left for the Knoxville World's Fair. We had the honor of LEADING the Opening Ceremonies Parade!!!
It's all in the article below. There were 14 of us. We were selected on the basis of our individual winning achievements in competitions.
We raised money for our trip by having a car wash and selling candy!
It was a real family affair. Brothers and sisters helped wash cars and sell candy. Most of the families went and made it their family vacation for that year and when the Fair was over traveled to other parts of Tennessee to vacation.
The article below was printed before we left for the World's Fair...............
As a Corp and Several Dance Twirl teams won many State and Regional from 1981 to 1987. My mom always put everything in the paper. I have a great scrap book collection thanks to her! We were all listed in the "Who's Who in Baton Twirling" during those years. Which, to qualify to be listed, meant that all of us had also won many state and regional titles for individual events as well. We went to at least 2-3 contest per month, which were usually 2 day events.
We also performed at many annual local Coast events and parades. We did about 4-6 Mardi Gras parades along the Coast each year, and one in Slidell, Louisiana each. We performed at the malls, for Christmas, St. Patricks Day, Back to School.....you name it!
I became a Feature Twirler in Jr. High and continued through High School & College. (I learned how to played the flute in 7th grade (it was a requirement to play an instrument if you wanted to twirl with the band on the football field!)
I love the next picture of us in a Home Coming Parade. It's cool to see how together we were: notice our heads, arms, knees and feet are all in the same exact same position! Who ever took this picture hit it right on the mark!
The black and white photo underneath it was taken during a halftime show. Needless to say, all eyes were on the Twirlers during any half time game. We usually did 3 songs. We all entered the field with the same routine, did a routine together, and for the 3rd song, we spread ourselves across the field and each did our own 1,2 & 3 baton routines.
We pretty much were the hit of half time!
While in High School, I was selected as a dancer for the Mississippi Lion's All-State Band 2 years in a row and got to travel to Taiwan & Hawaii and compete in the International Lion's Club Parades. This is one of the top honors you can get in a band program. There are 2 separate tryouts. When you see your name on the list for call backs at the 1st tryout, it's a relief and then it's time to celebrate! We were truly lucky to have these experiences to travel and meet so many different people. None of us will ever forget it!
We would practice for one week at a Jr. College (12-14 hour days) and then the next week, we would travel to where ever the Lions Convention was being held and march in the International Parade (in which, the bands from different countries and states competed. Mississippi was known for the most wins. We would also do concert performances at different Lions Club Convention Meetings and Events. It was funny the year we went to Taiwan. The photographers went nuts over the tall blond haired blue eyed girls and they always had their cameras in our faces!!!! We looked so different from them I guess. They were fascinated. We learned their language and even sang a song in their language for them! The best part was getting to stop in Hawaii for a week, performing at Pearl Harbor and laying on all the different beaches!!!! (We plan on taking the kids there in a few years for vacation!!!!)
I also competed in the America's Jr. Miss Scholarship Pageant program.
This was my favorite Solo Costume from my Jr. year in '86.
I went to College at U.S.M (University of Southern Mississippi).
I majored in Graphic Art and Fashion & Visual Merchandising.
While in college, I learned how to coordinate a Fashion Shows and how to do run way modeling. (Just a little different than the modeling you do in baton, but from having done pageants and modeling at baton contests, I was ahead of the game in my class. Another great thing that arose from my experience as a twirler!)
I had to do a photographic portfolio for class and than began
modeling for many major Department stores. My favorite kind of shows were Bridal Shows. I got to wear all those fabulous designer gowns, veils, jewelry and shoes! It was a blast! ( I loved having the people from the department stores do my hair and make up also!)
I didn't get paid for doing these shows, but I loved it and the experience was great.
I married my husband, Hank, in 1992. . .
We were married on the Gulf Coast and had a traditional
"Southern Wedding".
After living in New Orleans for 4 years, we moved to Colorado in January of 2000. A great way to start the "New Millennuim" !
After a year of searching for baton in Colorado, I took over a group in Parker called the The Parker Dolls. We performed at many local events such as parades and Christmas Mall Performances in addition to all local contests.
In the fall of 2002, I started a class in Highland's Ranch. The Highlands Ranch High-Steppers were a Dance Twirl team of 13 girls.
I have now teach a Dance Twirl Team called the The Pink Panthers.
We participate at 4 U.S.T.A ("United States Twirling Association") contests and 2 N.B.T.A ("National Baton Twirling Association") contests per year.
May '06 was the first year DMA held a contest in Colorado and Jan. of '07 Twirltacular/AAU came to Colorado for the first time! It was lots of hard work to get these organizations to our state, and we hope they will return on a regular basis from now on.
I also teach private lessons for new twirlers. When I feel that a new twirler has reached a high enough level to be on the team, then they become a PINK PANTHER!
We practice the basics of baton twirling, (including body work) Marching and Modeling for competitions and performances throughout the year. Students range in age from 5 to 15. Abilities range from Novice (have never twirled before), Beginner and intermediate students.
Many of the advanced twirlers spend the summer traveling around the country competing at U.S.T.A & N.B.T.A Nationals, and A.Y.O.P ("America's Youth on Parade"---a National competition for Twirlers, Drummers and Cheerleaders and Collegiate Twirlers).
I have 2 children, Hayden 10, and Haley, 6.
(And, yes, she is a little beginner twirler!)
I look forward to introducing more young girls & their families to the Sport of Baton Twirling!
