08/20/2026
The Face Behind LOTA š¤
If we havenāt officially met yet, Iām Raina Dodson ā founder and instructor of Lake Oconee Twirl Academy!
Baton twirling has been a part of my life for more than 15 years. Over the years, Iāve competed and earned multiple state titles, twirled as a collegiate majorette at Georgia Southern University, performed at UGA sporting events, and even choreographed talent routines for the Miss Georgia Pageant.
With 8+ years of teaching experience, working with young twirlers has been one of the greatest privileges and most rewarding parts of the sport. Thereās something so special about watching a child pick up a baton for the first time and seeing their confidence grow as they master something new. That love for teaching and the girls I get to work with ultimately inspired me to create Lake Oconee Twirl Academy.
My vision for LOTA is to bring high-quality baton instruction and new opportunities to our area where girls can start with their first baton and grow as far as they want to take it ā whether that means performances, competition, becoming a majorette, or one day twirling at the collegiate level.
LOTA is just getting started, and Iām so excited to watch our girls grow, fall in love with the sport, and see where it takes them. š¤
Learn more about LOTA: www.lakeoconeetwirlacademy.com
