Candy Byrd-Miller, originally from Cullman, Alabama, is a UGA graduate and long-time resident of Athens. While attending Georgia, she was an 8-time National Twirling Champion, the Feature Twirler for the Redcoat Band, Captain of the Dance Dawgs, and an Ambassador for the College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
A few years after graduating, Candy came back to UGA and served as the Redcoat Band Auxiliary Coordinator, and sat on the Miss UGA Pageant Board. She founded and coached multiple school twirl programs in the area, and after leaving UGA, opened Georgia Premier Performance, offering cheer, tumble, twirl, and dance. Since opening in 2015, Premier has amassed many state, regional, and national titles in competitive cheer and twirl.
Candy has enjoyed 40 years of twirl and dance coaching, and has developed over 30 young women helping them realize their dream of performing on the collegiate stage around the country. In addition to the many years of competing and then coaching competitive athletes in the United States, Candy also coached and performed internationally, and was hired to choreograph multiple football bowl game halftime shows. She continues to enjoy all things dance, twirl, and cheer.
She has one son, Grant Roland, who resides in West Des Moines, Iowa, and she is married to Jason Miller, also a UGA graduate. They loved being involved in all that UGA and Athens has to offer, and are members of St. James Methodist Church.
Honors and Awards
- 8-Time National and 3-Time Grand National Twirling Champion (Solo, 2-Baton, and 3-Baton)
Nationally competitive since the age of 12 - 9-Time Alabama State and South Regional Solo, Strut, 2-Baton, 3-Baton Champion
(from age 11-20) - 9-Time Miss Majorette of Alabama and Miss Majorette of the South
- Miss Alabama Teen USA 1990, (Represented AL in the nationally televised Miss Teen USA)
- Solo and Model winner and 3rd Runner -Up Miss College Majorette of America 1994
- The University of Georgia Redcoat Band Feature Twirler (scholarship position) 1992-96
- The University of Georgia Basketball Dance Team Captain
(now known as the Dance Dawgs) 1993-96 - 1st Runner Up and Talent Winner, Miss University of Georgia 1994
- Redcoat Band Liaison and instructor to Alumni for Alumni Day 1995
- Competed on, choreographed, and/or coached over 24 National Champion Teams since 1989
- George Walton Academy Mini Dawgs, 2012 Twirl Mania Tiny Tot Halftime Champions
- Coached over 35 students who became or are currently Collegiate Majorettes/Feature Twirlers (currently at 4 SEC schools and 1 ACC school)
- Selected as the Bowl Games of America Choreographer for Sugar Bowl Halftime Extravaganza 2002, 2003
- Selected as the Bowl Games of America Choreographer for Liberty Bowl Halftime Extravaganza 2002
International Ambassador
- 1990, United States Twirling Ambassador to France (at the age of 16, Candy was chosen as the U.S. Ambassador for N.B.T.A. to travel throughout France for 2 weeks, teaching clinics for kids as well as adults, and to serve as the featured performer at the European World Championships in Marseille)
- 1997, United States Twirling Ambassador to Peru (Candy was chosen by the N.B.T.A. to lead a team of 6 performers to the city of Arequipa, teaching twirling as well as performing throughout the city at various schools, dignitary events, and parades)
- 2006, on the staff that led 300 Redcoat Band members to China as the first Collegiate Marching Band to tour and perform in the country for 16 days.
Professional Experience
- 40 years teaching experience with teams and individuals since the age of 12
- Former Owner, DreamsCount Performance Company, created twirling programs at
– Prince Avenue Christian School , Athens, GA
– George Walton Academy, Monroe, GA
– Athens Academy, Athens, GA
– Cleveland Road Elementary School, Athens, GA
– John Milledge Academy, Milledgeville, GA
– Oconee Parks and Recreation
– Morgan County Parks and Recreation - Coach and Choreographer of the National Champion University of Georgia Majorettes
2003-2009 (won 4 National Titles under Candy’s direction) - Auxiliary Coordinator for the UGA Redcoat Band (Majorettes, Georgettes, and Flagline) 2003-2009
- UGA Summer Auxiliary Camp Director 2003-2009
- Miss University of Georgia Pageant Board of Directors since 2003
- Choreographer and part-time coach of the National and Open World Champion Southern Starlets Baton and Dance of Cullman, AL (17 Team National Titles)
- Choreographer and part -time coach, National Champion Royalettes, Richmond, VA 1998-2003
- Guest Instructor, Clemson University
- Guest Instructor, The University of Miami Marching Band 2012
- Guest Instructor, Appalachian State University 2005
- Choreographer, Middle Tennessee State University Majorettes 1999-2002
- Guest Instructor for numerous competitive studios, camps, and high school marching bands around the country (1992-present)
- Coached ladies who obtained twirling positions at the following schools throughout my career: University of Georgia, University of Alabama, Auburn University, University of Tennessee, Mississippi State, MTSU, University of Virginia, UA Birmingham, Troy University, Clemson University, University of North Alabama, Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, and Furman University.
- Guest Instructor, The University of Tennessee Twirling Camp 4 years in a row
- Guest Instructor, Dance Magic Camps – Southeastern US
- Guest Instructor, Heart of Dixie Camps – Alabama
- Guest Instructor, Florida All-Stars Twirling Camp – Florida
- Guest Instructor, Rising Starz Camp – Alabama