Introduction

The appearance of Gymnastics Rhythmic dates to the end of the 19th century, when a new trend blossomed in Gymnastics, through ideas that developed on the expression of movement and the development of rhythm. This movement was promoted by Noverre, Delsarte, Bode and Jacques Dalcroze. Major celebrities, the most prominent of whom was Isadora Duncan, overcame outdated dogmas and created new forms of movement, developing art through sport.
As a competitive discipline, Gymnastics Rhythmic began in the former Soviet Union in the 1940s. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) recognised the new discipline in 1961, while the first World Championship for individual contestants was staged in Budapest in 1963. The Groups were introduced in the competition schedule in 1967, at the World Championships held in Copenhagen.

Gymnastics Rhythmic was introduced as an official Olympic discipline in the programme of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, while the first group competition was introduced 12 years later, in 1996, at the Atlanta Olympic Games.

Gymnastics Rhythmic is performed exclusively by women and is a combination of gymnastics and dance. The gymnasts perform choreographed movements with musical accompaniment using hand apparatus such as Rope, Hoop, Ball, Clubs and a Ribbon.

Understanding Rhythmic Gymnastics

The competition hall must be at least 8 to 10m high, so that no problems are created when the apparatus are tossed into the air. Gymnasts compete on a 13 x 13m mat that is placed on a special wooden underlay, with 0.50-meter wide security borders around it.

General characteristics of the apparatus

Rope
The rope is made of hemp or other synthetic material, while its length is matched to the height of the gymnast. The basic group of exercises is jumps/leaps, skips, and hops through the rope.

Hoop
The hoop is made of wood or plastic, it has a diameter of 80 - 90cm, and weighs at least 300g. The gymnasts' technical skills are judged by the body twirls, the rolls, tossing of the hoop (figure eights and handling of the hoop), in combination with body exercises, twists and turns, the jumps, pivots, and general balance and flexibility.

Ball
The ball is 18 - 20cm in diameter and weighs at least 400g. The fundamental groups of body movement for ball pertain to flexibility. They include technical elements such as throws and catches, bouncing and rolling over the body or on the floor.

Clubs
Clubs are made of wood or plastic, weigh a minimum of 150g each and are 40 - 50cm long. The two clubs are considered as one apparatus. It is one of the most difficult apparatus in Rhythmic Gymnastics. The most characteristic exercises with clubs are rotations and mills, small circles, and various throws and catches.

Ribbon
The ribbon consists of the baton stick and satin cloth. The stick, from which gymnasts hold the ribbon, is plastic, while the length of the satin ribbon is 6m. Snakes, spirals, throws and catches, as well as small tosses, make the ribbon one of the most impressive apparatus.

Clothing

Gymnasts wear leotards of any colour that can also cover the legs and/or can be accompanied by a short skirt of the same or different colour.

Special leather shoes without heels are used, increasing the athletes' effectiveness in their spinning movements.

The Sport

It is a sport discipline performed exclusively by women as individuals or in groups. Gymnasts always compete to the accompaniment of music, in routines with: Rope, Hoop, Ball, Clubs and Ribbons. The International Federation's Technical Committee of Rhythmic Gymnastics selects the apparatus in which athletes will compete every two years.

In individual exercises, gymnasts always compete in four out of the five apparatus, which are selected by the Technical Committee of Rhythmic Gymnastics. In group events, each group consists of six gymnasts, five of which compete in two routines (one routine includes two different apparatus and another one with one apparatus).

The duration of the routines is 1'15''- 1'30'' for individual exercises and 2' 15'' - 2' 30'' for group exercises.

Judges

Evaluation in Rhythmic Gymnastics is based on the regulations of the International Gymnastics Federation.
The Jury is comprised of two groups of judges:
Jury A:  Judges, who evaluate the composition; they are separated into two sub-groups:
A1: Technical value (TV) - evaluation of the number and the degree of difficulty
A2: Artistic Value (AV) - evaluation of the music accompanying the routine and the choreography.

Jury B: Judges, who evaluate the execution, the technical faults, (mistakes in technique -apparatus technique, technique of body movements, harmonisation of music and motion) and add up the total number of mistakes.

Scoring

The final score is formulated by adding the three separate scores, that is A1 + A2 + B = Final Score

A1: highest score, 10.00 points
A2: highest score, 10.00 points
B: highest score, 10.00 points
Final Score: 30.00 points