Blue Mountain Baton Twirling opens in Penn Forest Township
TIFFANI VELEZ/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS Bernadette Gottlieb on the bars at Blue Mountain Baton Twirling. The school, which opened earlier this month in Penn Forest Township, offers a variety of classes, from twirling to gymnastics to voice and theater.
Most American families have their children involved in a variety of school or community sports. Penn Forest Township parents are no different.
From football to cheerleading, Jim Thorpe parents are shuffling their little ones two and from practices and games any weeknight of the year. However, a new sport has just emerged on our local scene and promises a new and exciting challenge for local children and teens.
Blue Mountain Baton Twirling celebrated its grand opening on Friday, Nov. 6. Owner Jeff Gottlieb has enlisted the expert aide of his wife, Mary, to create a team of well-qualified and highly experienced team of educators.
One of their lead teachers, Tara Sellini, a former Miss Carbon County, will be teaching not only baton twirling but also theater and possibly forming a community youth theater. She will also be instructing children in vocal lessons, offering piano and modeling instruction as well.
Adults will be offered lessons in Zumba (a Latin Dance aerobic) and kick boxing in the evenings. Lessons will be, both, during the week and on the weekends.
Mary Gottleib was an award-winning twirler herself, until a car accident ended her career several years ago.
The family moved to Carbon County in 2000 and was looking for a school to instruct their daughters in the sport. They found nothing, and so, began their own school. In the past, the Gottlieb children, have gone to national and international competitions and are frequently seen in local St. Patrick's Day and other holiday parades.
Their daughter, Bernadette Gottlieb, has been chosen as a student ambassador to England and France this coming summer. The Gottliebs are exited for the many opportunities their new school will provide the community.
Blue Mountain Baton Twirling is located in the Carefree Plaza on Route 903 in Penn Forest Township, between Jim Thorpe and Albrightsville, across the street from Pocono Whitewater. For more information call (570) 977-1505, or visit the Web site at www.bluemountainbatontwirling.com.
