ABOUT US

The Baton & Dance Company is a small "specialty studio" that teaches the fine art of Baton Twirling, the discipline of Dance and the strength and flexibility of Acrobatics. Since 1989 we have been producing some of the top twirlers at the provincial, national and international levels of the sport. We are also certified to teach the Acrobatics Arts Syllabus.

Our Mission is to build each child’s self esteem and to provide an opportunity to develop sound technical skills in the sport of Baton Twirling, Dance and Acrobatics. All students are given the opportunity to participate equally - developing skills at their own level and performing and/or competing in a fun, safe, and certified environment.

Our Team

MISS ELLE (Loranne Meek) is the founder, owner/director, and head choreographer of The Baton & Dance Company. A former elite athlete, she was the 1983 and 1985 Grand National 2-Baton Champion and a member of the 1986 World Silver Medalist Batons West team.

As a CBTF Level 3 and NCCP II Certified Coach, Miss Elle has trained numerous national champions and world competitors, including medalists at the World Baton Twirling Championships and several IBTF Nation Cups. Her teams have represented Canada internationally, and she has taught athletes around the world—from Switzerland to Japan to the Pan Pacific Athlete’s Clinic.

Loranne has served in key leadership roles, including Competition Director for the 2007 WBTF International Cup, and is also a Certified Acrobatic Arts Examiner and CBTF Judge.

Her professional dance career includes co-directing the dance troupe DANCE TECH, choreographing and performing for major events and concerts, and collaborating on music videos and fashion shows across Canada.

MISS LINDSAYstarted her athletic and artistic journey at the age of 3 under the coaching of Miss Elle, right here at the Baton & Dance Company. She dedicated many years to baton and became a National Solo, 2 baton and Freestyle Champion by the age of 9. After dedicating 10 years to the sport, she was sadly moved to small town in Saskatchewan where Baton did not exist but her passion for the sport remained. She continued her competitive dance journey up until 2002, when she started teaching professionally after moving back to Calgary, AB in 1999. Later she went on to open Dare 2 Dream Art Centre of Alberta, which stood strong for 5 years in NW Calgary, welcoming all artistic beings and providing them with a safe, all inclusive space to immerse themselves in the world of art be it, Dance, Music, Theatre, Acrobatics and Fine Arts.

Miss Lindsay has studied and taught across Canada and around the globe in many places, such as, Hong Kong, The Joffrey School of Ballet in New York City, Goa and Mumbai, India, LA, The Broadway Dance Centre and many more. Over the years she has trained many athletes who have gone on to work with Dance & Theater companies in Vancouver, London, Toronto and New York. Miss Lindsay and many of her students have been awarded for their ability to pair unique choreography & technical training together to create visual works of art and have been asked to dance and choreograph for performances at Disney Land, Disney World, the Canadian Premier of the Hannah Montana Movie, the Stampede parade and many more fun events!

For the past 32 years Miss Lindsay has dedicated her life to the art of dance and holds teaching certifications for Ballet, Jazz and Tap with the CDTA as well as having been through her RAD and Checcetti examinations for Ballet and Pointe. Teaching everything from Bollywood to Contemporary to Musical Theatre and everything in between, Miss Lindsay combines her love of dance with her passion for working with children to provide them with the very best training in a comfortable, healthy and positive environment. She is so very excited to be back in the gym and to have been given the opportunity to return home, beside Miss Elle, to help train these amazing twirlers!

MISS CAROLYN

Carolyn (Day) participated in baton twirling for 18 years. Hard work and dedication brought her numerous North American and international titles and recognition.

During her athletic career, she achieved: Canadian Grand National Championship titles in 2-Baton (1987, 1988), Medley (1988), Solo Dance (1989); CBTF Sr. Women's Athlete of the Year (1990, 1991); representing Canada at the WBTF World Championships from 1986-1991: 1986 Batons West Team Silver Medal (with Miss Elle), 1989 Sr. Women's Silver medalist, 1991 Sr. Women's Bronze medalist, and 1990 Sr. Women's Gold medal and World Championship title in San Antonio, TX.

Carolyn was honoured to work with a coaching team that included Annette Odello (Concord, CA) and Loranne Meek.

Outside of baton, Carolyn is a marketing and communications professional with an affinity for fitness and a certified group fitness instructor (Alberta Fitness).

Since the beginning, Carolyn has been friends with, coached by, and twirled alongside Miss Elle and is excited to contribute her creativity, experience, and passion to the Baton and Dance Company.

MISS MORGAN

Morgan grew up dancing at DanScott studio in the northwest area of Calgary from the age of two. Dancing all through high school on a competitive team, Morgan went on to have many achievements in competitions and conventions. She won 1st overall score at Millennium Dance Competition and, having the opportunity to travel to Europe and dance with an international dance group. She has also had multiple teaching opportunities throughout her athletic career at her studio in Calgary. Morgan has always been an Acro and Jazz fanatic; her passion translating to determination in the classroom resulting in always excelling at both in competitions. She understands the best skills are created by hard work in practice.

Outside of dance, Morgan is a student at Mount Royal University and is currently studying Business. Following the completion of her business degree, Morgan looks forward to continuing her education by obtaining her masters in psychology. In her free time, Morgan plans on pursuing her love for travel. Having recently spent 3 months backpacking Europe, she aspires to do much more traveling in the future. Morgan hopes to see all the world has and learn from the many different cultures and places around the world.

MISS HAYLEY

I started twirling when I was 8 after seeing a flyer at my brother’s hockey camp. I was hooked after my very first class, I started twirling with Southside but it was taken over by Miss L after two years, and she quickly became a second mom to me.

I have competed at both national and international competitions and have placed in the top 10 at all 3 international competitions I competed in, and placed first at nationals twice in my career.

I have met some of my best friends because of this sport and it has truly made me who I am today. After 15 years I decided it was time to retire and move on, but I never stayed too far away, and I am so excited to coach and be a part of someone else's baton journey!