'They’ve always danced together and they grew up together': Women reunite to form majorettes troupe on Yorkshire coast

The 10 members of East Coast Majorettes are now all grown up but jumped at the chance to dance together again.

Julie Kirkham, the troupe’s secretary and mum of one of the members, said: “They’ve always danced together and they grew up together.

“It’s a reunion team.”

Most of the girls met when they were six or seven, and danced together in the same group right through to their teens.

They stopped when they hit 16 to concentrate on studying, exams, college and sixth form.

But now that they have all left school and are still living in Bridlington, the women decided it was time to get their dancing shoes on and batons out once more.

The Yorkshire Carnival Association have given East Coast Majorettes the the go-ahead to compete in the contests that it oversees and their first competition will be in April in Blackpool in the senior dance section.

Julie said the women were looking forward to seeing members of the other troupes who they used to compete with as many made friends when they used to take part as young children.

“It’s nice, as a parent, to watch them and see how they have a good giggle,” she added.

“It’s about the friendship.”

East Coast Majorettes are currently looking for help with funding so that they can pay for uniforms, batons, shoes and competition fees.

The group has already secured a performance slot at the first Bridlington Pride later this year and is looking for other events to perform at.

The Lords Feoffees and Assistants of the Manor of Bridlington have donated £500 to pay for batons and troupe training jackets, while Allsigns The Signmakers are donating the embroidery and prints on the majorettes’ jackets.

Anyone who can help with sponsorship, donations or wants the majorettes to dance at their event can email them at [email protected]