Personal Experience with the Joyful Twirlers

My name is Maddie, and I was a member of the Joyful Twirlers for over ten years. It was an amazing experience that played a large role in who I am. The organization is an uplifting community that helps girls grow not only in their twirling skills, but also in their confidence and faith. Through Joyful Twirlers, I personally was able to gain long-lasting friendships, a greater confidence in myself, and had experiences that helped me to get outside my comfort zone.

Throughout my time as a Joyful Twirler, I was able to meet so many amazing girls who were also from the Pittsburgh area. I joined the troupe when I was in kindergarten and grew up through the program. Every Monday I would get to go twirling and see all my friends. As I grew up in the program, I eventually became a junior coach and bonded with one of the younger twirlers. That friendship has lasted throughout my time on the program and has been a blessing. I am very blessed with the opportunity to gain amazing friendships and mentors through the Joyful Twirlers. 

The Joyful Twirlers helped me to grow in my confidence, not only in myself but in my faith. Through learning the skills and performing them, I gained confidence in my skills. This ultimately helped me to be more comfortable trying skills that put me outside my comfort zone. The same applies to my faith. I am not one to go around talking about my faith, but being in the parades illustrated to me how spreading the word is more than just words, but also actions. I carry myself differently and in a more intentional manner.

During my time as a Joyful Twirler, I had the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone every time I performed. Performing on a stage took me a while to get used to it, but eventually I got a little more used to it. Throughout all the different performances, it helped me to learn more about making mistakes and picking myself back up. It taught me a lot about trial and error and to not give up. 

If you are interested in knowing more about Joyful Twirlers, you can reach the co-directors Gina and Loretta at joyfulwirlers.com.