EVENTS

Rhythmic gymnastics is made up of several events.  Each event includes a choreographed routine, which the gymnasts perform on a forty-one square foot mat.  There are team events, which are synchronized, but the members of the team also compete individually.

PARTICIPANTS

Unlike artistic gymnastics and trampoline gymnastics, only women are eligible to compete in rhythmic gymnastics.  The women on a rhythmic gymnastics team work together and with their coaches to come up with a synchronized routine.  For the individual rhythmic events, a gymnast will work with her coach to choreograph a personalized routine.

JUDGES

A panel of six or seven experienced judges is carefully selected, through a screening and elimination process.  Like all types of gymnastic judges, they are interviewed to test their knowledge of the sport, so that they are able to judge fairly and reasonably. 

JUDGING

The judging in rhythmic gymnastics is very similar to that of artistic gymnastics.  For the individual events, the six or seven judges score the gymnast by beginning with the total possible points for their routine, and subtracting points for any mistakes made.  These judges are given a written explanation of the routine, so that the scoring can be accurate.  

ROUTINES

Instead of using the apparatuses that are used by artistic gymnasts, rhythmic gymnasts use balls, ropes, ribbons, hoops, and clubs (known as hand-held apparatuses) in their routines.  Instead of the routines being made an arranged set of tricks, the rhythmic routine would be choreographed and performed to music.  In some ways, rhythmic gymnastics combines gymnastics and dance.  

HISTORY

The Greeks used rhythmic-type gymnastics to keep their soldiers fit.  Training for these soldiers included rope climbing and jumping.  During the Middle Ages, acrobats performed tumbling and juggling acts for the peoples' entertainment.  They would sometimes string a rope between two trees and "swing by the hands, touching at nothing".