Greater Louisville Sports Commission
401 West Main Street, Suite 2200
Louisville , KY 40202
502-587-7767

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Louisville To Host 2005 Acrobatic Gymnastics National Championships

INDIANAPOLIS - Louisville 's expanding sports community will be introduced to the newest discipline of gymnastics in July when the 2005 Acrobatic Gymnastics National Championships visit the Kentucky International Convention Center , July 22-28.

With nearly 600 athletes competing across five days, the 2005 Acrobatic Gymnastics National Championships are expected to be the largest in the budding sport's history. Top athletes will vie for national titles in the Men's Pairs, Women's Pairs, Mixed Pairs, Women's Groups (3) and Men's Groups (4) categories.

"Acrobatic gymnastics is such a unique discipline of gymnastics, requiring incredible strength, flexibility, core body control and balance," said Carisa Laughon, Sr. Director of Acrobatic Gymnastics for USA Gymnastics. "This event is unlike any other ever hosted in Louisville , and really opens your eyes as to the amazing athleticism of the athletes. Louisville 's sports fans can expect to see a thrilling competition among some of the world's best acrobatic gymnasts."

"We are really pleased that USAG has shown their confidence in the Louisville community and GLSC by awarding us the chance to host their national championship event, especially on such short notice. This is a very different kind of event, a discipline within the sport of gymnastics that will provide Louisvillians a unique opportunity to see some truly great athletes performing some amazing athletic feats set to music. It is a beautiful blend of dance, acrobatics and gymnastics, well worth seeing," states Greater Louisville Sports Commission Executive Director Andy Jugan.

Though Acrobatic Gymnastics has been competed at the world level since the 1970s, the sport only became a part of USA Gymnastics in 2002. Arthur Davis and Shenea Booth became the first U.S. Acro world champions in the mixed pairs event at the 2002 Worlds, and then became the first Acro athletes to repeat as world champions for the United States in 2004. The U.S. Women's Trio of Samantha Schabow, Danielle Heider and Jennifer daSilva won the bronze medal in the women's trio event in 2004, marking the first U.S. medal in women's trio at a World Championships.

Competition at the 2005 Acrobatic Gymnastics National Championships takes place in daily sessions from July 24-28. General admission tickets will be available at the door. More information is available at www.usa-gymnastics.org/acro/.

Sports Acrobatics combines the beauty of dance with the strength and agility of acrobatics. Gymnastics skills add excitement to the exercises, while intense acrobatic balances show grace, strength and flexibility. Routines are choreographed to music and consist of dance, tumbling, and partner skills. At the elite level, each pair or group performs a Balance, Dynamic and Combined routine. Pyramids and partner holds characterize the Balance routine, while synchronized tumbling and intricate flight elements define the Dynamic exercise. Finally, the Combined exercise unites elements of Balance and Dynamic.

Based in Indianapolis , USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for the sport of gymnastics in the United States . Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. For more information about USA Gymnastics and its programs, access USA Gymnastics online at www.usa-gymnastics.org.

- USA Gymnastics -

What is Acrobatic Gymnastics?

Acrobatic Gymnastics is an ancient activity that emphasizes the combined beauty of dance and acrobatics. Gymnastics skills add excitement to the exercises. Acrobatic balances show grace, strength and flexibility. Choreography and synchronization add flare and creativity to each exercise.

Acrobatic Gymnastics favors body control in various positions, both on the ground and in the air. For this reason, the sport is included in the training program of pilots, cosmonauts and parachutists.

Acrobatic Gymnastics is fun for athletes of any age and athletic ability. This sport is a partner sport requiring athletes of all ages, shapes, and sizes.

Acrobatics is practiced and competed as Men's Pairs, Women's Pairs, Mixed Pairs, Women's Groups (3) or Men's Groups (4). Athletes progress through recreational levels (1-3) to compulsory Ievels (4-7), then to optional levels (8-elite).

Pairs are made up of a base and a top. Women's groups are comprised of a base, a middle, and a top partner and men's groups have a base, two middle and one top partner. Bases are generally older athletes that display strength and balance. Tops are generally younger athletes and display flexibility and agility. Middles are often required to show a combination of all attributes.

Acrobatic Gymnastics draws its basic elements that shape the sport's physical expression from the same source as other gymnastics disciplines. Choreography, agility, balance, strength, grace and the use of apparatus create the difference between one gymnastics discipline and another.

About Acrobatic Gymnastics

HISTORY

The roots of Acrobatic Gymnastics can be traced back to ancient Greece . Modern-day Acrobatic Gymnastics began in the Soviet Union in the 1930's, and emerged in the United States in the 1970's with the acrobats on Muscle Beach , California . The first national organization, United States Sports Acrobatics Federation (USSAF), was founded in 1975 to be followed by a change to the United States Sports Acrobatics (USSA) in the 1990's. USSA merged with USA Gymnastics in 2002, making it the fifth discipline, and the connection between acrobatic gymnastics and artistic gymnastics continues to grow today. The United States was first represented in Moscow in 1974 by tumblers only. Representation at World Championships has been on the rise ever since. In fact, the United States won its first gold medal at a World Championships in Riesa , Germany , in 2002.

STRUCTURE

There are five disciplines in acrobatic gymnastics: women's pair, men's pair, mixed pair, women's group (3), and men's group (4). Each pair/group performs routines featuring gymnastics tumbling skills, partner balances, and dynamic skills. Balance skills highlight the athletes' strength and flexibility through pyramids and static positions of the top. Dynamic skills involve somersaulting and twisting with landings on the floor or catches by a base partner. Routines are performed on the same 40' x 40' spring floor that the artistic gymnasts use to perform floor exercise routines.

Athletes of varying heights, weights, and body types are needed for sports acrobatics. Smaller, more flexible athletes are needed for the top or "flyer" positions, while taller and stronger athletes are ideal for base positions.

ROUTINES

Each elite pair group performs three routines: balance, dynamic, and combined. All exercises are choreographed and performed to music.

BALANCE EXERCISE

A balance routine consists of static balance elements, intricate pyramids, transitions between balance holds, and individual elements of flexibility, balance, and dance. In a balance routine, a pair group is required to perform a minimum of six balance elements and four individual elements. Pair group tops are typically in handstand, arched handstand, planche, or straddle hold positions, and are supported by one or two hands of a partner. Some balance elements require the top to balance on a partner's head, torso, or foot.

DYNAMIC EXERCISE

Dynamic routines include skills with partner throws and pitches to catches by the partner(s) or landings on the floor. Also included in dynamic routines are individual tumbling skills. Pair groups must perform six elements with flight and four individual elements, two of which must be a salto. An advanced example of a dynamic skill is a salto with full twist performed from the hands of a partner back to the hands of a partner. Tops may be thrown into the air and perform double and triple saltos, some with twists, and land on the floor.

COMBINED EXERCISE

A combined routine is just as it sounds, a combination of balance and dynamic skills in one routine. Three balance elements and three dynamic elements are required in the combined exercise. Again, pair groups also are required to perform individual skills.

SCORING

The FIG determines the rules that govern acrobatic gymnastics internationally. At major international competitions, two judging panels, consisting of a Chair of Judges' Panel, two difficulty judges, three to four technical execution judges, and three to four artistic judges, are present. The Chair of the Judges' Panel organizes and supervises the work of the judges on the panel. The responsibilities of the difficulty judges include calculating the proposed difficulty of the competitors' exercises from the illustrated tariff sheets turned in before the competition. During the competition the difficulty judges ensure that the proposed difficulty was completed in the routine and take deductions as necessary. The execution judges evaluate the exercises for technical faults, while the artistic judges evaluate the performances on use of floor and space, variety of elements, choreography and musical interpretation, as well as performance and impact.

The final score for an exercise is the sum of the difficulty score for the routine, the average of the artistic scores and the average of the execution scores. The difficulty value of elements performed in an exercise is converted into a difficulty score, with 10.0 being the maximum difficulty score. Penalty marks for not meeting partner height requirements, time faults, and tariff sheet violations, are deducted from the difficulty score. The artistic mark is based out of a 10.0 and the execution mark starts from a 10.0. A perfect score for a pair group is a 30.0.

EQUIPMENT

• Floor Exercise Mat
  • Length: 12m (40ft)
  • Width: 12m (40ft)

Brian Eaton , USA Gymnastics, 317-829-5656, beaton@usa-gymnastics.org

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