Deloris Carter started twirling in Tampa, FL at Hillsborough High School and attended the University of Tampa. She moved to Eustis, FL in 1955 and started teaching twirling. Through the years she taught twirling in Eustis, Umatilla, Mt. Dora, Tavares, and Leesburg. She started the Show Dolls competition twirling group and numerous other locally named twirling groups that later took on the name of Dee’s Dolls. Majorettes came from surrounding counties to join her competition group the Show Dolls.

By the age of two, her daughter Dee Ann was twirling and competing. In seventh grade she started teaching baton along with her mother. Dee Ann taught twirling for over 53 years in Umatilla, Eustis, Mt. Dora, and Tavares to the Dee’s Dolls and Show Dolls.

These twirling groups won many state championships for the National Baton Twirling Association (NBTA) and Drum Majorettes of America (DMA). Numerous students continued on to be college majorettes. Her daughter, April-Ann, also grew up twirling and started teaching the Dee’s Dolls in middle school. Dee Ann or Deloris directed Central Florida Baton Camp for over twenty-five years and All Florida Drill Team Camp for over ten years.

In 2007 Deloris and Dee Ann retired from teaching twirling. In 2010, at age 80, Deloris Carter was honored for the 52 years she had taught twirling to over 3,000 girls in Lake County. Former Dee’s Dolls, Show Dolls, Tampa majorettes, and even teachers from across the state who had taught at Central Florida Baton Camp attended the reunion. Do you recognize any of the faces in the reunion pictures below?

In 2014, Dee Ann Wilson restarted the Dee’s Dolls twirling group. Since her granddaughter was now old enough to be the fourth generation to take twirling she decided it was time to let the fun begin all over again. Dee’s Dolls experienced group continues to win numerous awards at twirling competitions across the state.  You can look for the Dee’s Dolls in local parades and shows throughout Lake County.