CULLMAN, Ala. – One of Cullman County’s own, Kyra Bales, a 2023 Hanceville High School graduate, is preparing to strut her stuff and showcase her skills as they’re broadcast to the world when the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Marching Mocs participate in the London’s New Year’s Day Parade.
Speaking of how her majorette career began, Bales fondly recalled her mother’s push. “I started twirling at age 4 because my mom wanted me to be a part of something that could help with my shyness, so she put me into baton classes and I fell in love immediately!” she said.
Twirling through school was Bales’ plan. When it came time to research which college fit her needs, she scrutinized the specifics of each campus and compared them against her checklist. After evaluating the pros and cons of schools all across the nation, Bales chose the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, falling in love with the school culture and eventually the majorette line.
“I have always wanted to twirl in college, but I never really had a specific place in mind. When it came time to choose schools, I would specifically look at what met my twirling criteria, but this wasn’t the way to go. Eventually, I found UTC, which checked all my boxes for what I wanted in a school, and it has become such a special place in my heart. I know for sure I made the right decision,” said Bales. “Not long after I made the UTC majorette line it was announced that we would be traveling to London for the New Year’s Day Parade.”
The Cullman native had traveled within the States with family and friends, of course, but the experience UTC afforded her was the ticket to her very first trip out of the country.
Bales gushed as she spoke of the cultural differences between north Alabama and the U.K. “It’s way more bustling and busy of a city with such a wide variety of people,” she said. “The architecture is like nothing I’ve seen before.”
The Marching Mocs will be performing throughout the historic streets of Westminster, the parade billed as “The World’s Greatest Street Spectacular,” on Jan. 1, 2024. London’s New Year’s Day Parade starts at 7 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Local PBS channels will be broadcasting the event live, as well as replays on Monday at 11 p.m. and Tuesday at 2 p.m.
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