Athlete Profiles:

Hollie Neilson - "2000, 2001, 2002  World Champion"

Michelle Smith - 2003 Sr. Women's National Champion 

 

If you would like to be featured on the Athlete Profile page, please contact the ABTA Office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hollie Neilson - "2000 - 2002 World Champion"

Hollie began baton twirling at the age of four.  She started because her three older sisters had been taking baton twirling lessons since before Hollie was born.  In 1994, at the age of nine, Hollie entered in her first Freestyle competition with the help of her coaches Denise Cuthbert and Loren Dermody.  Competing in the Junior A category, she placed 2nd at the Alberta Provincial Team Trials, and at the Canadian Team Trails she placed 10th.
The following year Hollie won first place at both the Provincial and Canadian Team Trials, earning her a chance to compete at the 1995 World Champ's in Geneva, Switzerland.  Hollie placed 11th at her first world freestyle competition. Throughout the remainder of her Junior baton twirling career (1996-1999), under the coaching and choreography of Loren Dermody, Hollie continued to capture the Provincial and National Women’s Freestyle titles, as well as three gold medals at the Canadian Team Trials with her Junior Pair partner Michelle Smith.  Although Hollie made her mark in the international baton community by placing second at both the 1996 World Championships in Genova, Italy, and in 1997 at Hawaii, she did not achieve her ultimate goal until she won a gold medal in 1998 at Lyon, France.  In 1999, Hollie defended and retained her title of Junior Women’s World Freestyle Champion at Daytona Beach, where she and Michelle Smith also won the Junior Pairs competition. The new millennium heralded Hollie’s ascent to the Senior (15+) division.  It was a season filled with new challenges, including a change of coaches.  Dale White and Celina Kitzan helped Hollie to cultivate a new and exciting style, adding grace and maturity to her extraordinary twirling technique.  International judges approved of Hollie’s enhanced presentation and awarded her 1st place in the Senior Women’s Freestyle event at the 2000 World Championships in Den Bosch, Holland. Hollie has been helped by many different coaches, choreographers, and trainers throughout her career, and would like to recognize their contribution to her success.  Judy Dorland of Dancentral Studio in Red Deer, Keith MacDonald of the Red Deer Gymnastics Club, and Mark Nash of California, USA have provided Hollie with invaluable guidance and inspiration, especially through the 1999/2000 season.  No less significant is the fact that Hollie’s outstanding achievements in baton twirling were made possible by the hard work and devotion of her mother, Marilyn Neilson. This fall, Hollie moved to Edmonton to attend an athletic school which will make schedule allowances to suit her extensive training needs.  Celina Kitzan and Dale White will continue to coach Hollie through the 2000/2001 baton season.
Edmonton Journal Article About Hollie's Big Win!!

Michelle Smith - 2003 Sr. Women's National Champion

Michelle Smith is from Red Deer, Alberta where she started twirling baton at  the age of 5. Her training includes not only numerous hours in the gym, but    also regular Tap, Ballet, Jazz, Lyrical, Acrobatics and Conditioning classes to maintain and develop all aspects of her artistry. In the last ten years,       Michelle has achieved local, provincial, national and world recognition             as an athlete with unique talent and style.

In the sport of Baton Twirling, Michelle, now age 19, has won countless local, provincial, national, and international titles; some of Michelle’s more prominent accomplishments include 2 national freestyle gold medals, and 4 national pairs gold medals (with her partner, Hollie Neilson).  Her national accomplishments have given her the right to represent Canada at the World Championships as a junior athlete 4 times (in Italy, Hawaii, France and Florida) and as a senior athlete 4 times (in Holland, France, Saskatoon and Spain).  Michelle is the 2003 Canadian Baton Twirling Federation Senior Athlete of the Year.  Canada is always very proud to send Michelle, and she has always represented her country well.  At the World Baton Twirling Championships, Michelle has captured 1 bronze, 4 silver and 1 gold medal.  Michelle was also named champion of the Congressional Cup International Competition in Baltimore, M.D. in 2000.    Michelle has excelled in her dance training as well.  In addition to numerous Alberta Dance awards over the years, Michelle was awarded runner up for American Dance Award’s ‘Dancer of the Year’ in 2002.  Last year, LA Dance Force, one of the most respected dance conferences in the business, recognized her with a coveted scholarship position.  She has since trained with The Edge Dance Studio in Los Angeles, California and Harbour Dance Studios in Vancouver, BC.   Michelle’s distinct sense of style and showmanship draws the audience in and allows them a deep appreciation of her technique and artistic ability. With all of Michelle’s training and accomplishments behind her, the future is bright indeed, for this young star!

Stephanie Chow

Stephanie Chow became 13 on April 20th and attends grade 7 at Simon Fraser School where her favourite subjects are math and computers. She has a younger brother.

Twirling became part of Steph’s life when she saw some girls doing it 5 years ago. She currently competes in 2-Baton and Duet with Helen Kwan as her partner. She is thrilled with her accomplishment of 3 Gold Medals at one competition and her goal is to achieve a mark above 3.1. Her coaches are Loranne Meek and Margaret Williams with lessons at Catherine Nichols Gunn School and Beddington Community Centre. She also takes swimming lessons. Her heroines are all the great twirlers. Her future currently holds plans to become a dental hygienist and possibly visit Japan. Steph and a shopping mall are an awesome combination as shopping is her favourite thing to do, but you can also include junk food and a visit to McDonald’s on that list. Away from the twirling scene, she likes to watch movies, and listen to Power 107 with dance and pop being her favourite music.

Alyssa Dangschat

Alyssa Dangschat Freestyle World's 2003

Alyssa resides in Calgary, Alberta and attends Crescent Heights High School, grade 10.  Alyssa began baton twirling at the age of four because her older sister, Karina, was taking lessons at Belfast Elementary School with Zoe Serediuk in an after school program.  From then on Alyssa was hooked on baton. She entered her first “B” freestyle in 1999, at the age of 10, placing in the top 7.  The following year with encouragement from family and her coach, Alyssa entered “A” Freestyle.  2000, Alyssa placed in the top 7 provincially and also competed in Sr. “A” pairs with her sister placing 5th at Nationals in Winnipeg. 2002, under the coaching of Zoe Serediuk and choreography of Celina Kitzan (Neilson) Alyssa placed 5th in Provincial “A” Freestyle. In 2003, under the coaching and choreography of Loranne Meek she placed 2nd at Provincials and was a member of the Canadian contingent attending the National Championships held in Toronto, Ontario.  As well as working hard in Freestyle, Alyssa along with her team members Maureen MacKenzie and Megan Enns performed a Dance Twirl Team “Play that Funky Music” which provided a long lasting friendship, skills to work in a team and an outlet for having some “fun” with a baton routine.  “Play that Funky Music” placed 1st at Provincials and 3rd at Nationals in Toronto in 2003. In Toronto at the 2003 National Championships Alyssa placed 3rd qualifying as a member of the Canadian contingent competing in Barcelona, Spain.  At the World Baton Twirling Team Trials in Barcelona, Alyssa placed 11th overall in the Freestyle. Alyssa thanks all her coaches for the help they have given her to become the athlete she is today and the support from ABTA, Central Region, and the Crossroads Community Center in the form of funding and development of skills through camps and clinics which she has benefited from. Alyssa as well as continuing to train  as a competitive athlete is a Coach-in-Training and assists her sister, Karina in coaching for Uniquely Yours Baton Club in Calgary.

 

Amanda Boisvert

Amanda is a new member of the Royal Baton Twirling Club. She was selected as the Athlete of the Month for October. She is a very hard worker and learns incredibly fast. She carries her baton around everywhere she goes and is completely addicted to the sport.

Four days before receiving her award, she was in a car accident in which two people were killed and three were injured. Luckily, Amanda was one of the survivors. She sustained many injuries, including a broken collarbone and cracked hip. She is currently recovering from her injuries but continues to watch lessons so she won't miss out on anything! In fact, Amanda is so dedicated that she dyed her hair royal blue in order to match her club colors!!

The members of the Royal Baton Twirling Club miss you and can't wait to have you back practicing with them!! Get Well Soon Amanda!!

 

ABTA wishes you a speedy recovery Amanda!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOME