Field of dreams: Five of Kim Robertson's students to twirl in Iron Bowl

Nov. 29—Kim Robertson first stepped foot on the University of Alabama campus as a "naïve" and "green" rising freshman with hopes of making the Crimsonettes — the University of Alabama marching band's majorette squad.

"We drove to Tuscaloosa the morning of auditions. We stopped at Shoney's for breakfast and I changed into my costume in the restroom. I just didn't realize how big of a deal it was at the time," Robertson said.

By the end of that day in 1983, Robertson had earned a spot on the 14-member squad. Inspired by her four years as a Crimsonette, Robertson opened a twirling studio that has impacted hundreds of girls.

Under the guidance of Robertson, who opened Kim's Star Twirlers in Priceville in 2001, and her daughter Paige Robertson Parker, a Crimsonette from 2015 to 2018, 41 girls, including 14 Crimsonettes, have twirled at the collegiate level.

During the Iron Bowl on Saturday, five of Robertson's former students will perform — Faith Burgess for Auburn's 14-member majorette team, and Maddie Weatherby, Tessa Holmes, Brylee Bishop and Katie Chittam for Alabama's 28-member majorette team. Three of Robertson's students — Skyler Thompson, Ella Grace Putnam and Addi Walker — also twirl with the University of North Alabama's 11-member line.

"It makes me very proud to see my girls out on the field. They have worked so hard," Robertson said. "I am so happy to have had some sort of role in them achieving their dream. It reminds me of how I was able to achieve my dream."

Robertson's journey into the world of baton twirling started at the age of 12 at the insistence of her mother.

"I really didn't want to start baton. I was very shy. My mom put me in twirling because she felt it would give me confidence and help build my self-esteem. Every week, she would drive me an hour each way to my lesson, which I took from a Crimsonette," Robertson said. "Now she says she has no idea what she was creating at the time."

By the time she started twirling with the Cleveland High School marching band in Cleveland, Alabama, Robertson had developed a love for the sport.

"Twirling gave me a place to fit in and grow. I really discovered who I was through the baton," Robertson said. "I went to my first Alabama game when I was a junior in high school. Watching the girls twirl, I was very intimidated because they seemed so sophisticated and glamorous. At the same time, I was like, wow, I want to do that. I want to be one of them. When I earned a spot on the line and received my T-shirt, it was such a special feeling."

Robertson's favorite games include the kickoff classic in 1986 when Alabama faced Ohio State at the Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the LSU games and the Iron Bowl, which, at the time, was played at Legion Field in Birmingham.

"At Legion Field, the crowd was split 50-50. It was the biggest rivalry with the most hype. The team was not very good when I was there so winning the Iron Bowl was always huge," Robertson said.

After graduating from the University of Alabama, Robertson returned to her hometown with no real plan for the future.

"I had taught baton some in high school and college so I decided to teach a little at home," Robertson said. "I started teaching at my parents' house in their carport."

Robertson soon outgrew the carport and rented out a space at a recreation center in Oneota. In 2001, Robertson brought her skills to Morgan County when she moved to Priceville.

"Paige was in kindergarten and some of the other parents asked me to teach," Robertson said. "I started with eight little girls in my garage and it just grew and grew and grew."

Robertson established Priceville High School's majorette line — "The first year we had just two girls," she said — started a line at the junior high and served as the choreographer for the majorettes at Priceville High and Hartselle High.

During the first 15 years of teaching, Robertson occasionally had students twirl at the collegiate level. That changed when Robertson's daughter made the Crimsonettes in 2015.

"My students looked at Paige and thought, 'I know her, if she can do that, I can, too.' It motivated and inspired the girls to want to twirl in college," Robertson said.

One of those girls was Chloe Holladay, a former Crimsonette and, currently, the only majorette performing for an NFL team. Holladay credited Robertson and Parker for preparing her to become a Crimsonette.

"With Paige and Ms. Kim both being Crimsonettes, I was brought up in that atmosphere. They knew what I wanted and pushed me to achieve that," Holladay said in a 2023 interview with The Decatur Daily.

In September, when Holladay stepped into the Tennessee Titans' Nissan Stadium, she became the first twirler to perform at an NFL game since 2002.

"We are very proud of Chloe. Who would have thought? It's very exciting to see the hard work and determination she has put into making her dream become a goal," Robertson said.

Along with Alabama, Auburn and UNA, Robertson's students have twirled for the University of Alabama in Birmingham and Troy.

The presence of Kim's Star Twirlers' students on the collegiate level continues to grow thanks, again, to Parker, Robertson said. Three years ago, Parker started teaching with her mother in Priceville.

"Once the girls hit eighth grade, Paige becomes their coach. She expanded our competition team, which allows the girls to further their skills as individuals and as a team. She also choreographs the audition routines for our college girls. She starts choreographing their routine the summer before they audition so they have almost a full year to work on it. We also work with them on their interview skills," Robertson said.

In October, Robertson and Parker, as former Crimsonettes, joined Weatherby, Holmes, Chittam and Bishop at Bryant-Denny Stadium for an alumni performance.

"To be able to take the field with our students was very moving. We both had tears in our eyes. We are so proud of all of our girls," Robertson said. "I tell the parents of my students that not all the girls will go on to be a junior high or high school or collegiate majorette, but we will instill in them confidence and self esteem and help them believe in themselves. That is how we are making a difference in their lives."

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