Balanced atop a pair of unicycles, the two women raced forward, their shirts flapping behind. They slowed, grasped each other’s hands and spun in a circle. Coming to an abrupt stop, they bounced up and down on the cycles then rolled away before gracefully stepping to the ground.
Twin sisters Drs. Kredenna and Katina Beverly were putting on quite the show.
And their audience was rapt, a group of youngsters, ages 5 to 12, waiting to take a spin on these one-wheel wonders.
Some of the dozen or so girls and boys knew what they were doing. They are veteran members of the sisters’ Unicycling Society of Louisiana.
Others were eager to climb aboard for the first time.
Attending the quarterly meeting of the Unicycling Society of Louisiana are, from left, left, Dr. Katina Beverly; Joseph Sylvester, 11; Jo'Quan Sylvester, 10; Johlyn Williams, 11; Corrine Clark, 7; Katherine Johnson, 9; Kye Stevens, 8; Sydney Benton, 5; Marleigh Woodfork, 7; Quinlan Motley, 7; Kadence Clark, 9; Kadie Sumbler, 9; Lena Richardson, 9; Daphnie Sumbler, 8; and Dr. Kredenna Beverly.
The newcomers were there because their parents had heard about the demonstration and wanted their kids to try something new.
Teresa Benton, a former college soccer player, brought her 5-year-old daughter, Sydney, to help her conquer her fears and learn a new skill.
And the learning started right away, including how to think about a new challenge so it seems less daunting.
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When asked if she was scared of falling, Sydney replied, “We don’t call it falling, we call it dis … dis …” her voice trailed off. “Dis-mounting,” her mom patiently helped.
It’s that kind of subtle insight — turning small failures into teachable moments — that elevates unicycling to an activity worth learning and passing along say the Baton Rouge-born Beverly sisters, lifelong unicycle riders and hosts of the recent demonstration.
They sponsor the local unicycling society, a modest group with a lofty goal: teaching kids how to ride and “to embrace their differences and unique personal attributes to be productive citizens in the world.”
Dr. Katina Beverly, left, and Dr. Kredenna Beverly put on a show for youngsters attending their unicycle riding class.
The group's website, unicyclela.org, brings together parents and kids around unicycling with tips, instruction and resources.
The recent demonstration on a Friday afternoon was held in the parking lot of Twinkling Smiles, where Dr. Kredenna Beverly practices pediatric dentistry. Her twin, Dr. Katina Beverly, also is a pediatric dentist who practices in Monroe and Oakdale.
Some of the horses in Carrie Fuller's barn were donated to her because they got old; others she rescued before they were slaughtered.
The sisters first hopped on a unicycle when they were third graders at Melrose Elementary School.
Always the teacher, their dad bought them one at Capitol Cyclery and challenged them to learn how to ride it.
They did.
The duo went on to entertain their classmates at Scotlandville Magnet High and then at Southern University. The Beverlys now each have two daughters who are also unicycle riders.
“I want my children to grow up and be open to new experiences and to learning new skills,” Kredenna Beverly said.
Members of the Unicycling Society of Louisiana, from left, Corrine Clark, 7; Kadence Clark, 9; Lena Richardson, 9; and Daphnie Sumbler, 8, show off their riding skills at the group's meeting.
Over the years, the Beverly sisters have assembled a collection of nearly 40 unicycles and their many variants.
There are direct-drive and chain-driven models, unicycles with saddles and some without. There’s the giraffe — a daunting contraption three wheels tall.
Their collection also includes a pair of whimsical penny-farthings, modern versions of those early bikes with the distinctive giant wheel up front and a tiny one in the rear made popular in Victorian England.
Kids who attend the group’s quarterly gatherings and demonstrations get to try out the different unicycles from the sisters’ collection. Cost for a beginner's unicycle starts at about $50.
Eight-year-old Kye Stevens said he liked riding the unicycle, even though it didn't have any handlebars. That, however, was no impediment thanks to careful instruction and guiding hands of support.
Eight-year-old Daphnie Sumbler rides a modern version of a penny-farthing, made popular in Victorian England.
Like several other parents there, Charles and Kasan Hansberry brought Kye to the demo for the experience of learning something different.
“We want our children to become well-rounded individuals,” said Dr. Kasan Hansberry, who also happens to be a dentist.
Unicycling can become a family hobby.
Lena Richardson, 9, is the Beverly sisters’ niece, and the daughter of Richelle Beverly. They live in Kalamazoo, Michigan, but were in Baton Rouge for spring break on the day of the demo. Lena was excited to show her more experienced unicycling cousins what she’d learned. For weeks she’d been practicing alone at home, which is kind of her thing, she offered.
“I’m very brave. I started out by leaning on the garage wall and going along the wall until I learned how to balance myself,” she said.
The unicycle can't match the comfort and efficiency of a bicycle, but thanks to a few life-long riders like the Beverly sisters, the unicycle continues to ride along in Louisiana, almost 200 years after the first one wobbled down an American street.
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Cycle of life: Baton Rouge sisters introducing a new generation to the wonders of unicycling - The Advocate
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