Rhythmic gymnastics is an event in the Olympic Games. Rhythmic gymnastics was developed by the ideas of Jean-Georges Noverre, Francois Delsarte, and Rudolf Bode who believed one should dance to express something. Rhythmic gymnastics competitions began in the 40’s in the Soviet Union.
Rhythmic gymnastics uses the elements of ballet, gymnastics, dance, and apparatus manipulation. The judges will asses the leaps, balances, pirouettes, apparatus handling, and the execution. The whole routine must cover the entire floor and must contain a combination of jumps, leaps, pivots, and flexibility movements.
Olympic rhythmic gymnastics is only for female competitors. In some competitions, individuals or teams of five can team-up and manipulate two things or apparatus: clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon, and rope. However, an individual may only use on apparatus. One member can exchange an apparatus to a fellow member through the whole routine. One team member may or can manipulate two apparatuses throughout the whole routine.
Similar Sports
- Aesthetic Group Gymnastics — a team sport where a large group of gymnasts perform coordinated continuous movements
- Baton Twirling — a metal rod called a baton, is manipulated, while simultaneously making coordinated dance moves.
- Acrobatic Gymnastics — team of gymnasts work together to perform acrobatic moves in combination with dance moves.
- Sport Aerobics — the objective is to perform high-intensity gymnastic moves in sync with background music. Also called Aerobic Gymnastics.
- Winter Guard — an indoor sport of the color guard discipline in which teams perform several routines using supporting equipment to recorded background music.
- Cheerleading — a dubious sport in which groups of cheerleaders do routines that are subjectively assessed.
- Calisthenics — a competitive team sport in which athletes perform elements of rhythmic gymnastics and ballet.
- Artistic Gymnastics — an Olympic sport where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, such as the Vault, Floor (men and women), Pommel Horse, Rings, Parallel Bars, High Bar (men), and Uneven Bars, Balance Beam (women).
Related Pages
- Rhythmic gymnastics at the Olympic Games
- More about the Sport of Gymnastics
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports