They've dusted off their batons, perfected their routine and now they're ready to march into the hearts of May 24th spectators.

Twenty-one retired majorettes have joined forces to become the Ex Artillery Elites, a special troupe created to honour two local majorette legends in next Wednesday's Bermuda Heritage Day Parade.

"Everyone is a former majorette,'' said Elite organiser Linda Augustus. "We have ten majorettes, seven pom-pom girls and four hula-hoop twirlers which will all be followed by a band.'' The Elites are all between the ages of 40 and 57, in fact the minimum age to join the group was 40.

"We are doing it to honour the local founders of majorettes,'' noted fellow Elite organiser Heather Lightbourne-Bean. "All the girls performed under the direction of Erma Butterfield and Barbara Horton.

"The group has been assembled specifically for this parade.'' It was at last year's Heritage Day Parade that the pair decided to come out of retirement and share their twirling talent with the rest of the Island.

"We came up with the idea last May 24th,'' recalled Miss. Augustus. "We were talking about how the majorettes didn't do what we use to do and how they really didn't lift their legs up.

"This year's theme for the parade is `Past, Present and Future', so its perfect!'' The pair said they had no trouble coxing their pals into dusting off their marching shoes and sporting majorette outfits for the annual parade.

"It wasn't hard to pull everyone out of retirement,'' said Miss. Augustus.

"Everyone is excited and they aren't the least bit worried about wearing the costumes.'' And it will not only be the Elites' routine that will take spectators for a stroll down memory lane, the group's uniforms (complete with pleated skirts and military-style jackets) will hark back to days-gone-by.

"In those days the shoes for the uniforms were sneakers covered with white oil cloth,'' recalled Mrs. Lightbourne-Bean. "The batons were sticks made by George Trott who had a carpenter shop on North Shore. The hats were made of cardboard and covered with crepe paper.'' "For the parade we will be wearing costumes like the old original uniforms -- pleated skirts and military jackets,'' added Miss. Augustus. "It will be a trip down memory lane for many people.'' The pair, who both performed under the direction of the legendary majorette instructors, said both honourees will witness the Ex Artillery Elite's twirling prowess in the May 24th parade.

"We will have Erma in a wheel chair, but she will only do the Front Street leg of the parade,'' explained Miss. Augustus. "Barbara will be flown home for it and will ride in an open car.'' To practice their moves and perfect their routine, the ladies have been rehearsing Wednesday evenings in the parking lot of the Transportation Control Department.

"We started rehearsing in March,'' noted Mrs. Lightbourne-Bean. "We haven't had much practice but we're sharp, it's something you never forget.

"They were strict teachers so everyone knows what they are doing. Back then, if you didn't lift your legs, you didn't march in the parade.'' Miss. Augustus added: "We hope to inspire the younger ones. If they had to perform to the standards we did a lot of them would not be marching in the parade today.'' And there will be no tape-recorded music for these high-stepping ladies. The Elites will follow tradition and march to the beats of drummers courtesy of the Coral Anders Drum and Bugle Band.

"A lot of the band members are up there in age too,'' laughed Miss. Augustus.

"It should be a lot of fun for all of us -- a real stroll, or should I say march, down memory lane!'' Photos by Ras Mykkal and Arthur Bean An elite group: The Ex Artillery Elites, (top left) comprised entirely of former majorette, plan to march their way into spectators' hearts at the Heritage Day Parade. Meanwhile wire benderer Winston Daniels and designer Neville Aming,(left and above), both from Trinidad, show off their handiwork.

The pair are part of a team of designers who have been coming to Bermuda for the last 25 years to make the Bermuda Day Parade even more of a colourful occasion.