Baton Twirling Association Cymru - BTAC

WHAT DOES NATIONALS SUCCESS LOOK LIKE TO YOU? 🏆

Of course, everyone loves stepping onto that podium.

But success doesn't always come with a medal.

❤️ Performing better than last time.
✨ Landing the skill you've struggled with.
💪 Getting through your routine without giving up.
🌟 Overcoming competition nerves.
🎯 Achieving a personal best.
😊 Simply walking off the floor knowing you gave everything.

Every athlete competing this Saturday will arrive with a different goal.

Your competition is your journey.
Whatever happens on Saturday, be proud of how far you've come.

🏆❤️💚 IT’S NATIONALS WEEK! 💚❤️🏆

THE COUNTDOWN IS ALMOST OVER…

After months of training, preparation, determination and hard work, BTAC Welsh National Championships week has officially arrived! 🔥

📅 Saturday 5 September 2026
📍 Canolfan Carwyn

Across our BTAC clubs, athletes will be putting those final touches to their routines this week…

✨ Skills being polished
🎵 Routines getting their final run-throughs
💪 Last-minute corrections being made
👗 Costumes getting competition-ready
❤️ Coaches giving those final words of encouragement
😬 And we're sure there are already a few Nationals butterflies appearing!

But this week isn't about trying to change everything.

It's about trusting the work you've already done.

Every practice.

Every correction.

Every drop where you picked that baton straight back up.

Every skill that wouldn't work… until suddenly it did.

Every moment has brought you to THIS WEEK. ❤️

🏆 Some athletes will be chasing Welsh National titles.

🌟 Some will be aiming for a personal best.

❤️ Some will experience their very first Welsh Nationals.

And for some, the weekend will also bring the opportunity to take another step towards the incredible honour of representing Wales internationally.

Whatever your goal on Saturday, step onto that floor knowing you've earned your place there.

Believe in yourself.

Support your teammates.

Be proud of your progress.

And most importantly…

🔥 ENJOY YOUR MOMENT! 🔥

The floor is nearly ready.

The athletes are nearly ready.

And we definitely are…

❤️💚 WELCOME TO WELSH NATIONALS WEEK! 💚❤️

👇 CLUBS & ATHLETES — give yourselves a shout-out below if we'll be seeing you on Saturday!

🏆❤️💚 ONE WEEK TO GO! 💚❤️🏆
7 DAYS.

That's all that stands between us and the…
🔥 BTAC WELSH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2026! 🔥

📅 Saturday 5th September 2026

This time next week, athletes from across our BTAC community will be stepping onto the Nationals floor and putting all those weeks and months of hard work into action. ✨

The final training sessions are happening.
🎵 Routines are being polished.
🎯 Those last little corrections are being made.
✨ Costumes are getting competition-ready.
💪 Skills are getting one final push.
😬 And we're sure those Nationals butterflies are beginning to appear!

For some athletes, next Saturday will be about chasing a Welsh National title. 🏆
For others, it will be about achieving a personal goal, improving on their last performance or finally landing that skill they've worked so hard for.

And for some…

❤️ It will be their very first Welsh Nationals.
Whatever your goal, remember how much work you've already put in to get this far.

Enjoy these final few training sessions.

Believe in yourself.

Support your teammates.

And when your name is called next Saturday…

🔥 STEP ONTO THAT FLOOR AND GIVE IT EVERYTHING! 🔥

The countdown is well and truly ON.
7 DAYS TO GO! ⏳

❤️💚 WHO'S READY FOR WELSH NATIONALS?! 💚❤️

Celtique Twirlers
TwirlCats
Calon Twirlers
TwirlFusion
DNL - Dancelicious No Limits
Stacey-Louise Bottomley
Nia Davies

🏆 BTAC OPEN COMPETITION – WE’RE HEADING NORTH! 🏆

We are delighted to announce our BTAC Open Competition, taking place in Holyhead, North Wales this November! ❤️💚

📅 Saturday 21 November 2026
📍 Holyhead Leisure Centre, Kingsland Road Kingsland, Holyhead, LL65 2YE

🌟 OPEN TO ALL CLUBS & SUITABLE FOR ALL ABILITIES! 🌟

As we continue preparing towards the IBTF World Technical Baton Twirling Championship 2027 in Liverpool, we are excited to be hosting our first competition in North Wales.

The competition will include:

🏆 A full suite of Majorette events
✨ A selection of Twirling events
🌟 Opportunities for all abilities
❤️ A friendly and supportive competition atmosphere
🏅 A chance to compete, progress, make memories and HAVE FUN!

Whether you're an experienced competitor or continuing to build your competition experience, we'd love to welcome you to Holyhead.

📣 ENTRIES CLOSE – 31 OCTOBER 2026

📖 Need the rulebook or further competition information?

💬 Direct message us and we'll be happy to help.

Train • Develop • Succeed • Together

Please share with your clubs, coaches, athletes and twirling friends and help us make our first North Wales competition one to remember! 🏆✨

❤️💚 DNL - Dancelicious No Limits – Meet Our Clubs

Club: DNL Dance Studio, previously known as Dancelicious

Established: 2007

Venue: DNL Studio, 1 Bryn Lane, Pontllanfraith, NP12 2PG

DNL is a multi-discipline dance school and member of BTAC Cymru.

DNL has a strong history within Pom, alongside its involvement in baton twirling.

🏆 Home to Welsh National Champions.

DNL teams have competed at BTAC competitions in Wales and represented the school at World.and European competitions.

🌍 Competed internationally for three consecutive years, including:

🇳🇱 Eindhoven, Netherlands 2022 - World Championships

🇧🇬 Plovdiv, Bulgaria 2023 – European Championships, where DNL's Senior Team won Bronze 🥉

🇳🇱 Eindhoven, Netherlands 2024 - European Championships

Sam has been BTAC Wales Pom Coach since 2019 (now Pom Director)

Sam is also a dance educator, choreographer, competition organiser and adjudicator.

DNL has its own dedicated dance studio in Pontllanfraith.

DNL has qualified coaches who teach a range of styles, including Pom, Cheerdance, Hip-Hop/Street, Lyrical, Acro Dance, Latin, Ballroom, Fitness, Line Dance and Baton Twirling.

The school works with dancers from preschool age through to adults.

DNL focuses on creating opportunities for dancers to learn, develop, perform, compete, build confidence and be part of a team.

Baton twirling is currently available through private tuition.

Looking ahead, DNL hopes to introduce a new beginner baton class, giving more children the opportunity to discover baton twirling and become part of the BTAC community. ❤️💚

❤️💚 MEET OUR BTAC CLUBS 💚❤️
💎 HOLYHEAD SAPPHIRES 💎

📍 Holyhead, North Wales

Our journey around the clubs that make up the BTAC community continues, and this time we're heading to North Wales to meet a troupe with an incredible history…

✨ Holyhead Sapphires! ✨
And they're heading into a very special year

🎉 34 YEARS TOGETHER AS A TROUPE! 🎉

For more than three decades, Holyhead Sapphires has provided opportunities for generations of athletes to train, perform, compete, build friendships and become part of something special. ❤️

At the heart of the troupe is founder and Principal, Nia Davies, who is incredibly proud of the team that works alongside her.
💎 ONE TROUPE – A WHOLE TEAM BEHIND IT

Nia is supported by Vice Principal Kim, together with the troupe's dedicated co-trainers, who all play an important role in supporting and developing the team's dancers.

But as every successful club knows, what happens away from the competition floor is just as important.

👏 A huge part of Holyhead Sapphires is their fantastic network of supporters and house mothers.

From fundraising and organising events to supporting families and helping ensure dancers can attend competitions throughout the season, they work together behind the scenes to keep the troupe moving forward.
It's that combination of…

❤️ Athletes
💎 Coaches & trainers
🤝 Parents & families
🎟️ Fundraisers
👏 Supporters
✨ Volunteers
…that creates the community behind Holyhead Sapphires.

After almost 34 years, that's something very special to celebrate! 💎❤️

🏠 WHERE DO THEY TRAIN?
📍 Boston Hall, Holyhead
📅 Tuesdays & Wednesdays
⏰ 4:00pm – 9:00pm

💌 WANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOLYHEAD SAPPHIRES?

Whether you're interested in getting involved or would simply like to find out more about the troupe:

📞 Contact Nia – 07729 214005
💎❤️ HOLYHEAD SAPPHIRES ❤️💎

34 years of teamwork, commitment, friendships and memories — with many more still to come

❤️💚 ONE SPORT. ONE COMMUNITY. ONE WALES. 💚❤️

💙WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT BATON TWIRLING?

Baton twirling is so much more than learning routines and competing for medals… ✨

It’s about confidence, friendships, teamwork, determination and being part of something special. ❤️

With our BTAC Welsh National Championships getting closer, we want to hear from our twirling community!

💬 What do YOU love most about baton twirling?

Is it…
✨ Learning new skills
🏆 Competing
👯 The friendships
💪 Challenging yourself
🎵 Performing
🏴 Representing your club or Wales
❤️ Or simply being part of the twirling family?

👇 Tell us in the comments!
And parents — we’d love to hear from you too! What has baton twirling given your athlete that makes you proud?

Building skills • Confidence • Friendships •

❤️💚 MEET THE TEAM BEHIND TEAM WALES 💚❤️

🌟 JOANNA CATHERSIDES 🌟
ACRO COACH • PERSONAL TRAINER • SPORTS THERAPIST

As we continue introducing the people working behind the scenes at Team Wales, today we're highlighting someone whose roles are incredibly important to the physical development and preparation of our athletes…

❤️💚 Meet Joanna Cathersides!

Joanna is a vital part of Team Wales, supporting our athletes as our:

🤸 Acro Coach
💪 Team Wales Personal Trainer
🩺 Sports Therapist

Baton twirling is an incredibly demanding sport.

Behind the routines, costumes and performances, athletes need strength, flexibility, coordination, balance, endurance and body control — particularly as the technical demands of routines continue to develop.

That's why the work that happens alongside baton training is so important.

🤸 ACRO DEVELOPMENT

As acrobatic skills become increasingly incorporated into twirling, developing them correctly is essential.

Joanna helps athletes work on their acro ability, body control, strength and technique — giving them the foundations they need to develop these skills progressively and confidently.

💪 STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

International routines demand stamina.

Athletes need the strength to control their movements and the endurance to maintain their performance from the first count of the routine to the last.

As Team Wales Personal Trainer, Joanna helps our athletes understand that becoming a stronger twirler isn't only about spending more hours with a baton in their hands.

Physical conditioning is an important part of becoming a well-rounded athlete.

🩺 SPORTS THERAPY & ATHLETE WELLBEING

Training and competing at a high level also means looking after the athlete behind the performance.

Having sports therapy knowledge within the Team Wales support structure is incredibly valuable in helping our athletes understand good movement, physical preparation, recovery and the demands that training and competition place on their bodies.

Because developing athletes isn't simply about what they can achieve today.

It's about helping them build strong foundations that allow them to continue developing for the future. ❤️

🌟 ONE ATHLETE – A WHOLE TEAM BEHIND THEM

Our coaches develop routines and technical baton skills.

But alongside them are people helping our athletes become stronger, more physically prepared and more confident performers.

That's why Joanna's combination of roles is such a valuable part of the Team Wales setup.

❤️💚 Thank you, Joanna, for the knowledge, time and support you give to our Welsh athletes.

When Team Wales steps onto an international floor, there is an entire team of people behind those performances.

And we're proud to introduce you to them.

TEAM WALES

Technical Development • Strength • Conditioning • Athlete Wellbeing • International Preparation

❤️💚 MEET OUR BTAC CLUBS 💚❤️

✨ Calon Twirlers ✨
📍 St Clears, Carmarthenshire

Next in our Meet Our BTAC Clubs series is the last of our newer clubs — and another fantastic example of baton twirling continuing to grow across Carmarthenshire.

❤️✨ Meet Calon Twirlers! ✨❤️

Founded in November 2025, Calon Twirlers has already grown into a team full of energy, friendship, determination and plenty of sparkle! 💖

Every Thursday, their training sessions are filled with music, laughter, learning new skills and athletes challenging themselves — all while cheering one another on.

From that very first nervous twirl to the moment when a tricky new skill finally clicks, every achievement matters and every bit of progress is celebrated. 🌟

Because Calon is about much more than learning to twirl a baton.

❤️ MORE THAN JUST A TEAM

Every athlete brings their own personality and talents, but when they come together, they're part of one Calon family.

Of course, there's plenty of hard work…

There are wobbles…

There are dropped batons… 😂

There are those skills that seem impossible at first…

But most importantly, there's fun, friendship, encouragement and a whole lot of twirling! ✨

And that's exactly what being part of a baton twirling club should be about.

🏠 WHERE DO THEY TRAIN?

📍 St Clears Leisure Centre
📅 Every Thursday
⏰ 5:30pm – 6:30pm

💌 INTERESTED IN CALON TWIRLERS?

📧 Email: [email protected]
📱 Or message Calon Twirlers on Facebook.

❤️ CALON TWIRLERS

Founded November 2025.

✨ Growing together. Shining together. ✨

🐉 ONE SPORT. ONE COMMUNITY. ONE WALES.