Rhythmic gymnastics
189053
225817712
2008-07-15T15:24:39Z
Onorem
622881
Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/Time for action|Time for action]] ([[User talk:Time for action|talk]]) to last version by SieBot
[[Image:Rhythmicgymgroup.jpg|thumb|200px|Rhythmic gymnasts from Greece in the 2000 Sydney Olympics]]
'''Rhythmic gymnastics''' is a sport in which single competitors or pairs, trios or even more (generally five) manipulate one or two apparatuses: [[Rope (rhythmic gymnastics)|Rope]], [[Hoop (rhythmic gymnastics)|Hoop]], [[Ball (rhythmic gymnastics)|Ball]], [[Clubs (rhythmic gymnastics)|Clubs]] and [[Ribbon (rhythmic gymnastics)|Ribbon]]. Rhythmic Gymnastics is a sport that combines elements of [[ballet]], [[gymnastics]], theatrical [[dance]], and apparatus manipulation. The victor is the participant who earns the most points, as awarded by a panel of judges, for leaps, balances, pivots, flexibility, apparatus handling, and artistic effect.
The sport's governing body, the [[Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique]] (FIG), changed the [http://cop2005.nucurve.com/ Code of Points] in 2001, 2003 and 2005 to emphasize technical elements and reduce the subjectivity of judging. Before 2001, judging was on a scale of 10 like that of [[Artistic Gymnastics]]. It was changed to a 30-point scale in 2003 and in 2005 was changed to 20. There are three values adding up to be the final points—technical, artistic and execution.
International competitions are split between Juniors, under sixteen by their year of birth; and Seniors, for girls 16 and over again by their year of birth. Gymnasts typically start training at a very young age and those at their peak are typically in their late teens or early twenties. The largest events in the sport are the [[Olympic Games]], World Championships, and Grand-Prix Tournaments.
==History==
[[Image:Rhythmic gymnasts posing.jpg|thumb|200px|A group of women gymnasts]]
Rhythmic gymnastics grew out of the ideas of I.G. Noverre (1722–1810), Francois Delsart (1811–1871), and R. Bode (1881), who all believed in movement expression, where one used dance to express oneself and exercise various body parts. [[Peter Henry Ling]] further developed this idea in his 19th-century [[Sweden|Swedish]] system of free exercise, which promoted "aesthetic gymnastics", in which students expressed their feelings and emotions through bodily movement. This idea was extended by [[Catharine Beecher]], who founded the [[Western Female Institute]] in [[Ohio]], United States, in 1837. In Beecher's gymnastics program, called '''grace without dancing''', the young women exercised to music, moving from simple [[calisthenics]] to more strenuous activities. During the 1880s, [[Emil Dalcroze]] of [[Switzerland]] developed [[eurhythmics]], a form of physical training for [[musician]]s and dancers. [[George Demeny]] of [[France]] created exercises to music that were designed to promote grace of movement, muscular flexibility, and good posture. All of these styles were combined around 1900 into the Swedish school of rhythmic gymnastics, which would later add dance elements from [[Finland]]. Around this time, [[Ernest Idla]] of [[Estonia]] established a degree of difficulty for each movement. In 1929, Henrich Medau founded The Medau School in Berlin to train gymnasts in "modern gymnastics", and to develop the use of the apparatus.
Rhythmic gymnastics as a sport began in the 1940s in the [[Soviet Union]]. It was there that for the first time, the spirit of sports was combined with the sensuous art of [[classical ballet]]. (To [[Isadora Duncan]], we credit the famous rebellion against the [[dogma]] of classical ballet and the shift toward the creation of a new discipline that would blend [[art]] and [[sport]].)
The FIG recognized this discipline in 1961, first as ''modern gymnastics'', then as ''rhythmic sportive gymnastics'', and finally as ''rhythmic gymnastics''. The first World Championships for individual gymnasts took place in 1963 in [[Budapest]], [[Hungary]]. Groups were introduced at the same level in 1967 in [[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]]. Rhythmic gymnastics was added to the [[1984 Summer Olympics]] in [[Los Angeles]], with an Individual All Around competition. However, many federations from the [[Eastern Europe]]an countries were forced to [[boycott]]. The Canadian [[Lori Fung]] was the first rhythmic gymnast to earn an Olympic gold medal. The Group competition was added to the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
==Men's rhythmic gymnastics==
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport largely performed by women and girls, but a growing number of men participate in a few countries. Athletes are judged on some of the same physical abilities and skills as their female counterparts such as hand/body-eye co-ordination, but tumbling, strength, power, and martial arts skills are the main focus, as opposed to flexibility and dance of women's rhythmic gymnastics. The sport has a growing number of participants, competing solo and on a team, and is most popular in Asia, especially in Japan where high school and university teams compete fiercely. As of 2002, there were 1000 men's rhythmic gymnasts in Japan.
Men's rhythmic gymnastics is related to both Men's [[Artistic Gymnastics]] and [[Wushu (sport)|Wushu]] [[martial arts]]. It emerged in [[Japan]] from stick gymnastics. Stick gymastics have been taught and performed for many years with the aim of improving physical strength and health.
The technical rules for the Japanese version of men's rhythmic gymnastics came around 1970s. For individuals, only four apparatus are used: the double rings, the stick, the rope, and the clubs. Groups do not use any apparatus. The Japanese version includes tumbling performed on a spring floor. Points are awarded based a 10-point scale that measures the level of difficulty of the tumbling and apparatus handling.
On November 27-29 2003, Japan hosted the Men's RG World Championship. This first championship drew five countries from two continents: [[Japan]], [[Canada]], [[Korea]], [[Malaysia]], and the [[United States]].
The 2005 World Championship included Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Korea, Russia, and USA.
==See also==
* [[List of gymnasts]]
==In popular culture==
*The [[manga]] and [[anime]] ''[[Hikari no Densetsu]]'' focuses on the main character trying to become a national rhythmic gymnastics champion.
*In the [[Super Sentai]] series ''[[Dai Sentai Goggle V]]'' (''Goggle V: Great Squadron''), rhythmic gymnastics were half of the motif of the heroes (the other half was [[gemstone]]s).
*[[Kimberly Hart]]'s secondary weapon in ''[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]'' episode #66 ''Bloom of Doom'' was a pink rhythmic gymnastics ribbon.
*''[[Ranma ½]]'' features a story arc involving "Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics".
*In the 2003 movie ''[[Old School]]'', [[Will Ferrell]]'s character Frank Ricard uses rhythmic gymnastic (the ribbon) in an attempt to save his [[Fraternities and sororities|fraternity]] from closure.
*In the [[manga]] and [[anime]] "[[Negima!: Magister Negi Magi]]", the character Makie Sasaki is a member of the school's Rhythmic Gymnastics Team.
*In the [[manga]] and [[anime]] "[[Kamikaze Kaitō Jeanne]]", the main character - Maron Kusakabe - and her friend Miyako are rhythmic gymnasts.
*In the show ''[[Lizzie McGuire]]'', the first season episode "I've Got Rhythmic", features the main character becoming a rhythmic [[gymnast]] in an attempt to find her calling. At the end of the story, though she is gifted as a rhythmic athlete, she decides she no longer wants to continue in the sport.
*In the show ''[[Grey's Anatomy]]'' a patient performs rhythmic gymnastics as her talent in a pageant.
==External links==
{{commonscat}}
* [http://www.fig-gymnastics.com Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique] in English/en Français
* [http://rsg.net Rhythmic Gymnastics] in English/auf Deutsch
* [http://www.rhythmic.co.il/?lang=eng The Art of Gymnastics - The Israeli site of Rhythmic Gimnastic (English)]
* [http://eliterg.com/eliterg/menrg/ Men's Rhythmic gymnastics] information from [http://eliterg.com/ EliteRG.com]
* [http://gymnastics.about.com/od/rhythmicgymnastics/Rhythmic_Gymnastics.htm More on rhythmic gymnastics]
{{World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships}}
[[Category:Rhythmic gymnastics|*]]
[[Category:Olympic sports]]
[[ar:جمباز إيقاعي]]
[[bs:Ritmička gimnastika]]
[[cs:Moderní gymnastika]]
[[da:Rytmisk gymnastik]]
[[de:Rhythmische Sportgymnastik]]
[[es:Gimnasia rítmica]]
[[fr:Gymnastique rythmique]]
[[hr:Ritmička gimnastika]]
[[it:Ginnastica ritmica]]
[[he:התעמלות אמנותית]]
[[hu:Ritmikus gimnasztika]]
[[ms:Gimnastik irama]]
[[nl:Ritmische gymnastiek]]
[[ja:新体操]]
[[no:Rytmisk gymnastikk]]
[[pl:Gimnastyka artystyczna]]
[[pt:Ginástica rítmica]]
[[ru:Художественная гимнастика]]
[[sl:Ritmična gimnastika]]
[[fi:Rytminen voimistelu]]
[[sv:Rytmisk gymnastik]]
[[zh:艺术体操]]