“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it” - Lou Holtz

Mrs. Hollie Shields Higgins

Hollie Shields Higgins was raised by parents, Mike and Jackie Shields, in Hueytown, Alabama. Hollie’s twirling career began at age eleven, with the influence of her aunt, Nell Malone, who was a majorette in high school. Hollie was a member of the Pittman Junior High School majorette squad for two years, and then went on to be selected as a majorette for Hueytown High School for the next four years, being named captain her senior year.

Hollie recognizes God and her father, Mike, as being the one’s responsible for her twirling success. With her unwavering faith in the Lord and her father’s voice in her mind repeating, “You can do anything you put your mind to,” Hollie became the Beginner State and Regional Solo and Super X Strut Champion. She then won the right to represent the state of Alabama at the national level after being named Beginner Teenage Miss Majorette of Alabama. Hollie’s hard work and dedication rewarded when she was titled as Beginner Teenage Miss Majorette of America at the national competition, held at Notre Dame University a few, short months later.

Hollie began her teaching career at the age of 18, as the owner of Struttin’ Show-offs. She was named as the first choreographer for the U.A.B. Majorettes at only 21 years of age. Hollie has gained much experience with teaching group classes at over twenty different schools. She has also been responsible for choreographing both majorette and dance team field show material for over 30 different high schools and colleges. Hollie’s competition soloists and teams have won state, regional, and national titles. Through twirling instructions with Struttin’ Show-offs, more than 100 high school majorettes and over 20 collegiate majorettes have be produced over the years.

With a total of 23 years of twirling experience, Hollie has dedicated 16 of those exclusively to providing baton twirling instruction to those young women interested in learning the skill. She is skilled in choreographing routines for majorettes, feature twirlers, dancers, and other various units commonly used to enhance marching band performances. Hollie also provides audition routines for majorettes at the high school and collegiate level. She is qualified in choreographing routines for both groups and soloists who twirl at the competition level. Hollie is currently 33 years old and happily married with two wonderful sons.

Mrs. Dana Hawkins Gsell

Dana Hawkins Gsell, daughter of Gene and Retta Hawkins, grew up in Bessemer, Alabama. Dana began her twirling career at the age of six, and has been twirling for these past eighteen years with Mrs. Hollie Higgins and Struttin’ Show-offs. Dana participated in competitive baton twirling on the state, regional, and national levels for nine years and won numerous awards and titles. Some of the titles won at the Advanced level include: 1997 and 1999 Junior Miss Majorette of the South, 2000 Alabama State Strut Champion, 2001 Miss Majorette of Alabama, and 2002 Alabama State Solo Champion, ranked 6th in World in the One-Baton Solo division and ranked in the Top 10 in World in the Two-Baton division. Dana twirled as a member of the competition teams for Struttin’ Show-offs until the end of her high school career.

Dana graduated from McAdory High School in 2002. While at McAdory, she was a majorette from 1998-1999 and served as the school’s first feature twirler from 1999-2002. She was also the majorette captain from 2001-2002.

Upon graduation, Dana went on to be selected as a Crimsonette at the University of Alabama for five consecutive years. During these five years as a Crimsonette, she was chosen as a member of the Leadership Team, and also was featured periodically during Million Dollar Band half-time performances. Dana graduated from the University in the May 2007, with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Human Environmental Sciences.

Dana has gained much teaching experience over the years. She has served on the teaching staff for Struttin’ Show-offs for the past nine years, instructing group class and individual lessons. Dana has worked with many junior and high school majorette lines in the area, including: Riverchase Middle, McAdory, Shelby County, BB Comer, Bryant, Pelham, Pleasant Grove, Vestavia, and Spain Park. She also served as instructor to many clinics and camps such as: the Crimson Cutie clinics (held by the University of Alabama Crimsonettes), Half-Time USA camps (held by Jack and Shirley Deveeney), and a camp held at Grambling University in Louisiana. Dana is qualified in choreographing junior high/high school/college level majorette audition routines and half-time shows, as well as routines for groups and individuals to carry to twirling competitions.