majorette

A majorette is a dancer, male or female doing choreographed dance or movement, primarily baton twirling associated with marching bands during parades. Majorettes can also twirl knives, fire knives, flags, light-up batons, and fire batons. They do illusions, cartwheels, and flips, and sometimes twirl up to four batons at a time. Majorettes are often confused with cheerleaders; baton twirling is more closely related to rhythmic gymnastics rather than cheerleading.