Rhythmic gymnastics

The history of the origin and development of rhythmic gymnastics.

Rhythmic gymnastics is a kind of sport, performing various gymnastic and dance exercises to music without an object, as well as with an object (skipping rope, hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon).

Recently, performances without a subject have not been held at world-class competitions. In group performances, either one object is used (for example, five balls, five pairs of clubs), or two types of objects are used simultaneously (for example, hoops and balls). The winners are determined in the all-around, in individual sports and group exercises.

All exercises are accompanied by music. Previously, they performed under the piano or one instrument. Orchestral phonograms are now used. The choice of music depends on the wishes of the gymnast and the coach. Competitions are held on the gymnastics carpet measuring 13×13 meters. Classic all-around (4 exercises) Olympic discipline. In addition to the all-around, gymnasts competing in the individual championship traditionally compete for sets of awards in certain types of exercises (except for the Olympic Games).

Rhythmic gymnastics is a fairly young sport, which owes its appearance to the masters of the ballet of the famous Mariinsky Theater. In a relatively short period of its existence, this sport has won worldwide appreciation and has numerous fans around the world.

In 1913, the Higher School of the Art movement was opened at the Leningrad Institute of Physical Culture named after P.F.Lesgaft. Her first teachers were Rosa Varshavskaya, Elena Gorlova, Anastasia Nevinskaya, Alexandra Semenova-Naipak. All these teachers before joining the HSE had their own experience in teaching: “aesthetic gymnastics” by Francois Delsarte, “rhythmic gymnastics” by Emile Jacques del Croz, “dance gymnastics” by Georges Demini and “free dance” by Isadora Duncan. The fusion of all these areas of gymnastics contributed to the emergence of this elegant sport.

In the USSR, rhythmic gymnastics as a sport originated and was formed in the 1940s. Since 1984, it has been an Olympic sport. Until recently, it was exclusively a women’s sport, but since the end of the 20th century, thanks to the efforts of Japanese gymnasts, competitions between men have also been held.

In 1967, a fundamentally new team type appeared in world rhythmic gymnastics — a competition in group exercises. In the period from 1963 to 1991, the World Championships were held every two years in odd-numbered years, and in even-numbered years, from 1978 to 1992, the European Championships were held. Since 1992, the World and European Championships have been held annually.

1980 was a turning point for rhythmic gymnastics, after the completion of the Olympic Games in Moscow, the IOC Congress decided to include this sport in the Olympic Games program. The Olympic history of rhythmic gymnastics begins in 1984, when Canadian Lori Fung won the first Olympic gold in Los Angeles.

Four years later, Belarusian Marina Lobach became the Olympic champion in Seoul, Ukrainian Alexandra Tymoshenko won in Barcelona, Ukrainian Ekaterina Serebryanskaya in Atlanta, Russian Yulia Barsukova in Sydney, and Russian Alina Kabaeva in Athens. Since the Olympic Games in Atlanta, rhythmic gymnastics has been presented entirely in two sections: competitions in individual and group exercises.

The Belarusian rhythmic gymnastics school has long been one of the best in the world. Back in 1988, Belarusian grace Marina Lobach became the Olympic champion in this sport at the Seoul Games.

In the sovereign history of Belarusian sports, our “artists” have won 6 Olympic awards:
– at the XXX Olympic Games in London (2012), Lyubov Cherkashina won a bronze medal, the group exercise team won silver.
– at the XXVII Olympic Games in Sydney (2000), Yulia Raskina and the group exercise team climbed to the second step of the podium;
– at the XXIX Olympic Games in Beijing (2008), Inna Zhukova won silver, the group exercise team – bronze;

Minsk athletes who have adequately represented Belarus at competitions of various ranks.

Team of group exercise Silver medalists of the XXX Olympic Games 2012 (London) Alexandra Narkevich, Marina Goncharova, Ksenia Sankovich, Anastasia Ivankova, Alina Tumilovich, Natalia Leshchik
Olympic Games 2012, London – 2nd place group all-around.
World Championships 2010, Moscow – 2nd place group all-around, 3rd place 3 ribbons + 2 ropes.
World Championships 2009, Ise – 2nd place group all-around, 2nd place 3 ribbons + 2 ropes, 3rd place hoops.
European Championships 2012, Nizhny Novgorod – 1st place 3 ribbons + 2 ropes, 2nd place group all-around, 2nd place balls.
European Championship 2010, Bremen – 2nd place hoops, 3rd place all-around, 3rd place 3 ribbons + 2 ropes.

Information about rhythmic gymnastics sports schools in Minsk

Minsk city organization of the public organization “Belarusian Association of Rhythmic Gymnastics”

Общественная организация «Белорусская ассоциация гимнастики»