I've uploaded a video showing the title winning combined performance of the Portugese trio at the 2005 World Acrobatic Championships....
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
VIDEO: Portugese Womens Trio Worlds 20005
A Perfect Balance: Emma Strachan
A Perfect Balance.
Emma Strachan has been crowned British Champion more than once in her career, three times in fact. For this talented Sports Acrobat, life isn’t just about training anymore. We talked camper vans, coaching and becoming a ‘proper adult.
As I walked into the gym where Emma trains I was instantly struck by the up-beat Latino vibes of the music filling the room. The other gymnasts in compete awe of her talent. Emma is subconsciously showing off her natural skill for the sport and the personal flare which she adds to all of her routines. With the grace of her dancing, pure strength and the perfect synchronisation of their balance and tempo elements, Emma and her partner are able to create a perfect cocktail of gymnastics, which the judges love.
This time it is only a practice and as the music stops Emma and Ellie, her extremely supple and equally talented partner instantly look at their coach for a reaction, before running over for advice on how to be even better.
In the 10 minutes they spend talking to their coach Neil, Emma is completely focused on what he is telling her, absorbing all she can to add that little extra pizzazz to her performance. As they walk off together, grab their water bottles and sit down for one of what Emma calls her trade mark
‘pep talks’ she noticed me watching and ran over to great me.
The first thing she asked was if I thought her routine was ‘alright’, not in an ego massaging way but purely for more critical feedback. It is not long before she completely changes the subject to her new kitten and is keen to show me pictures of it clawing her brand new cream sofas!
“I love Mo, she’s my baby but she is wreaking my new sofas and my all guests go home with gaping holes in their hands- I suppose she thinks she’s our guard cat!”
After 20 years of living with her Mum she decided to move out last year into her own flat and now 18 months down the line she is buying a house with long term boyfriend Anthony. Both Emma and Anthony have a passion for sports and Volkswagen campervans
“Sometimes I take a weekend off training to be with Anthony, we love going away in the van to the seaside, it nice to have a break now and then, it keeps you interested in the sport”
Things suddenly moving up a gear in Emma’s personal life caused her to consider quitting the sport. She made the decision to leave last year, but lasted two weeks and went back to train. The downfall to this change of heart was that in this space of time she sold the majority of her leotards and had to spend a small fortune on new ones.
“It was so upsetting to leave, I thought it would give me extra time, but I missed training so I decided to go back, and had to laugh when I remembered I had sold all my leotards!”
Her attitude to her gymnastics career hasn’t always been this laid back, Emma herself admits that just two years ago she wouldn’t not have taken any time off and was so submerged she could not focus on anything else, not even her A-levels.
“You can get so involved in your training you forget about everything else, now I have all the experience behind me I can switch off and enjoy other parts of my life, and maybe I’ll become a proper adult soon”
The former British Champion started gymnastics at the age of four, and has achieved a huge amount in this time. She has won competitions at club, regional, national and even at an international level, travelling for a competition in Poland. Her previous club CHANCE has a reputation for having a strong squad and Emma and her former partner Jessica Perry proved this by snatching the title for the first time six years ago.
In 2002 she moved to Stafford Gymnastics club, paired up with Ellie, and started the process again. This time her ties to the club are not just as a gymnast but also as a valued member of the coaching team
“Coaching is great, I can pass my knowledge on to other gymnasts, I can help Ellie loads. It is rewarding to see gymnasts work their way up into the squads”
Like many other gymnasts it is comforting for Emma to know she can stay involved in the sport long after she stops competing, but Emma has no intention of stopping anytime soon.
“I know I’m getting old for a gymnast, bit of a granny! But I’m not done just yet, as long as I’m still doing well and enjoying the training I will carry on. I have a lot more competing and winning inside of me yet”
Since writing the article Emma has moved to South Staffs Gymnastics Club, joined forces with talent top, Chloe and determined Middle, Carly. The trio recently won bronze at Grade 4 trio at the British Championships. They are sure to have more success in the near future too.
Emma Strachan has been crowned British Champion more than once in her career, three times in fact. For this talented Sports Acrobat, life isn’t just about training anymore. We talked camper vans, coaching and becoming a ‘proper adult.
As I walked into the gym where Emma trains I was instantly struck by the up-beat Latino vibes of the music filling the room. The other gymnasts in compete awe of her talent. Emma is subconsciously showing off her natural skill for the sport and the personal flare which she adds to all of her routines. With the grace of her dancing, pure strength and the perfect synchronisation of their balance and tempo elements, Emma and her partner are able to create a perfect cocktail of gymnastics, which the judges love.
This time it is only a practice and as the music stops Emma and Ellie, her extremely supple and equally talented partner instantly look at their coach for a reaction, before running over for advice on how to be even better.
In the 10 minutes they spend talking to their coach Neil, Emma is completely focused on what he is telling her, absorbing all she can to add that little extra pizzazz to her performance. As they walk off together, grab their water bottles and sit down for one of what Emma calls her trade mark
‘pep talks’ she noticed me watching and ran over to great me.
The first thing she asked was if I thought her routine was ‘alright’, not in an ego massaging way but purely for more critical feedback. It is not long before she completely changes the subject to her new kitten and is keen to show me pictures of it clawing her brand new cream sofas!
“I love Mo, she’s my baby but she is wreaking my new sofas and my all guests go home with gaping holes in their hands- I suppose she thinks she’s our guard cat!”
After 20 years of living with her Mum she decided to move out last year into her own flat and now 18 months down the line she is buying a house with long term boyfriend Anthony. Both Emma and Anthony have a passion for sports and Volkswagen campervans
“Sometimes I take a weekend off training to be with Anthony, we love going away in the van to the seaside, it nice to have a break now and then, it keeps you interested in the sport”
Things suddenly moving up a gear in Emma’s personal life caused her to consider quitting the sport. She made the decision to leave last year, but lasted two weeks and went back to train. The downfall to this change of heart was that in this space of time she sold the majority of her leotards and had to spend a small fortune on new ones.
“It was so upsetting to leave, I thought it would give me extra time, but I missed training so I decided to go back, and had to laugh when I remembered I had sold all my leotards!”
Her attitude to her gymnastics career hasn’t always been this laid back, Emma herself admits that just two years ago she wouldn’t not have taken any time off and was so submerged she could not focus on anything else, not even her A-levels.
“You can get so involved in your training you forget about everything else, now I have all the experience behind me I can switch off and enjoy other parts of my life, and maybe I’ll become a proper adult soon”
The former British Champion started gymnastics at the age of four, and has achieved a huge amount in this time. She has won competitions at club, regional, national and even at an international level, travelling for a competition in Poland. Her previous club CHANCE has a reputation for having a strong squad and Emma and her former partner Jessica Perry proved this by snatching the title for the first time six years ago.
In 2002 she moved to Stafford Gymnastics club, paired up with Ellie, and started the process again. This time her ties to the club are not just as a gymnast but also as a valued member of the coaching team
“Coaching is great, I can pass my knowledge on to other gymnasts, I can help Ellie loads. It is rewarding to see gymnasts work their way up into the squads”
Like many other gymnasts it is comforting for Emma to know she can stay involved in the sport long after she stops competing, but Emma has no intention of stopping anytime soon.
“I know I’m getting old for a gymnast, bit of a granny! But I’m not done just yet, as long as I’m still doing well and enjoying the training I will carry on. I have a lot more competing and winning inside of me yet”
Since writing the article Emma has moved to South Staffs Gymnastics Club, joined forces with talent top, Chloe and determined Middle, Carly. The trio recently won bronze at Grade 4 trio at the British Championships. They are sure to have more success in the near future too.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Music....
We all know how hard it is to find, the perfect and original pieces of music for acro routines. There are the favorites of NDP gymnasts- Mission Impossible etc etc...You've all heard them performed over and over again. Each competition seems to have its favorites, recently Chicago-Esq. 'jazz' music and more unquie beats are the most popular at both regional and national competitons.
What is important is that the style of the music is varied and allows creative choreography. It must also suit the gymnasts, there is nothing worse than seeing gymnasts on the floor, dancing uncomfatably to music they hate. With a huge 10 points now avalible for artistry its is more important than ever to find the perfect piece of music.
Here is a selection of my faves that you can download for free, they are all cut to 2.30mins ready to be choregraphed:
Latino- Would You? (mp3)
South American Jazz (mp3)
Aladdin (mp3)
Woo Woo Song (mp3)
Japanese Elegance (mp3)
They will be availble to download later this week.
What is important is that the style of the music is varied and allows creative choreography. It must also suit the gymnasts, there is nothing worse than seeing gymnasts on the floor, dancing uncomfatably to music they hate. With a huge 10 points now avalible for artistry its is more important than ever to find the perfect piece of music.
Here is a selection of my faves that you can download for free, they are all cut to 2.30mins ready to be choregraphed:
Latino- Would You? (mp3)
South American Jazz (mp3)
Aladdin (mp3)
Woo Woo Song (mp3)
Japanese Elegance (mp3)
They will be availble to download later this week.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Gymnast Profile: Chelsie Cooke
Name: Chelsie CookeAge: 14
Club: Stafford Acrobatic Gymnastics Club
Disapline(s): Womens Groups (Grade 2) and Womens Pairs (Grade 2)
Chelsie started gymnastics at just three years old, and has continued to progress and develop into a graceful and commited acrobatic gymnast over the last 10 years.
Cooke trains four times a week at Stafford Acrobatic Gymnastics Club, and is coached by a number of experienced coaches, including Ex-National Champion, Emma Strachan.
Disapline(s): Womens Groups (Grade 2) and Womens Pairs (Grade 2)
Chelsie started gymnastics at just three years old, and has continued to progress and develop into a graceful and commited acrobatic gymnast over the last 10 years.
Cooke trains four times a week at Stafford Acrobatic Gymnastics Club, and is coached by a number of experienced coaches, including Ex-National Champion, Emma Strachan.
She has worked with various partners during her career. First, as a top in a womens pair, then taking a step up, she became the top of a grade three womens group with Sarah Robertson and Katie Jepson. Building her confidence and skills. When her bases moved away to university, Chelsie became a top of a mixed pair, with Matthew Rowley. With Matthew she has great sucess, reaching national finals and performing a flawless, beautifully choeographed routine to impress the judges.
Her best sucesses have come now she has made the move to a base of both a womens group and womens pair. Winning 1st place in various competitons, and reaching the 2006 National Finals, where the stunning trio won a bronze medal. The trio is made up of Jenny, 15, Chelsie, also 14 and Emily aged 9.
With a promising future in acrobatic gymnastics, Chelsie and her trio are on the way to more medal winning performances.
Chelsie's Current Medal Table:
Gold: 5
Silver: 3
Gymnast Profile: Jessica Perry
Name: Jessica Perry
Club: South Staffs Gymnastics Club
Age: 17
Disaplines: Open Womens Groups and Womens Pairs (Grade 2)
Club: South Staffs Gymnastics Club
Age: 17
Disaplines: Open Womens Groups and Womens Pairs (Grade 2)
Jessica started her gymnastics career aged just five years old at her local lesuire centre where she joined Penkridge Gymnastics Club. By the age of six her talents had be noticed by her coach, and she was asked to join Cheslyn Hay Gymastics Club, and quickly began to improve.
Her rise through the ranks of British Acrobatics was metrioric. In 1998 Jess and her partner then, Emma Strachan won the title of West Midlands Champions, only to be crowned British Champions the following year.
By now, Cheslyn Hay had joined forces with Nortan Caynes Gym Club to form, CHANCE. Jess and Emma continued to work together untill 2000, when the successful pair were split up in a club change around. From then Jess began to work with Amy Marsdon, and an even more dynamic partnership was born. The girls finished in silver medal possition in that years British, and went on to secure a place on the Great Britain Squad to represent the country in Poland , where they finished in a respectable fifth place.
In 2001 Perry moved to Stafford Acrobatic Gymnastics Club, became a base and worked with various combinations of partnerships, across womens pairs and trios, collecting medals on the way. Her best success whilst at Stafford was with Hannah Mellor in womens pairs, where the two took the title of West Mids Champions and took forth place at the National Finals.
2004 saw a new club and new partnerships for Jessica, she moved to South Staffs Gymnastics Club and teamed up with Claire Rutter and Onnah Brunskill (picture below) to form a talented and graceful open trio. The three girls won the title of West Midlands Champions at Grade 4 trio, and finished inside the top ten at the finals. Jess and Onnah (picture left) also work in pairs, and this year won gold in the West Midlands Qualifiers, and went on to finish in third place at the National Finals.
Looking to the future Jess has high ambitions to regain a place in the Great Britian squad, this time as the base of her trio and with the quality and consistancy of her gymnastic career so far, there is no doubting that she'll be able to manage it.
Striking A Balance
Gymnastics can be an extremely rewarding and exciting sport, every young girl who walks in to a gym for the first time gets a taste of success, and dreams of the Olympics or World Championships whirl around her head. The hard work and dedication to achive these dreams are only realised once the training begins.
Striking a balance is an investigative article looking into the dangers of elite gymnastics, highlighting issues such as eating disorders, injuries and the pressure the sport can carry. It looks at acrobatic and artistic gymnastics. Interviews with gymnasts from across the sport provide an insight in to the world of elite gymnastics.
The article is avalible to download here: Striking A Balance
Striking A Balance is Copyright of Sarah Robertson 2006 (c)
Striking a balance is an investigative article looking into the dangers of elite gymnastics, highlighting issues such as eating disorders, injuries and the pressure the sport can carry. It looks at acrobatic and artistic gymnastics. Interviews with gymnasts from across the sport provide an insight in to the world of elite gymnastics.
The article is avalible to download here: Striking A Balance
Striking A Balance is Copyright of Sarah Robertson 2006 (c)
GB Selections for World Championships 2006
British Gymnastics have announced the Acrobatic Gymnastics teams to represent Great Britain at the 20th World Championships and 4th International Age Group Championships in Coimbra, Portugal from 11-19th June and 19-25th June...The Teams are as follows:
World Championships Team
Women’s Pairs- Amy Crow, Julie Cameron from Wakefield
Men’s Pairs- Mark Fyson, Christopher Jones from Deerness Valley
Rees Durbidge, Edward Upcott from Spelthorne
Mixed Pairs- Robert Tregoning, Alex Grayson from Deerness Valley
Women’s Groups- Leanne Turner, Emily Collins, Victoria Lamkin from Spelthorne
Erin Jameson, Claire-Louise Thompson, Grace Blacklock from Harrow
Men’s Groups- Christopher McGreevy, Mark Pool, Alex Uttley, Jack Atherton from Wakefield
Adam Denny, Adam Smith, Adam Dobbs, Andrew Price from Bromley Valley
Coaches -
Matei Todorov Technical Director
Stuart Thompson Deerness Valley
Neil Griffiths Spelthorne
Vladimir Makarchenko Wakefield
Barbara McDuff Bromley Valley
International Age Groups Team (12-19 years)
Women’s Pairs- Deborah Owen, Kelly Mannion from Harrow
Men’s Pairs- Liam Durbidge, Jonathan Stranks from Spelthorne
Luke Rooney, Richard Hurst from Deerness Valley
Mixed Pairs- Christian Beecher, Katie Axten from Spelthorne
Lee Colley, Sarah Cameron from Wakefield
Women’s Groups- Katherine Smith, Ciara McGrath, Jessica Dangerfield from Harrow
Natasha Johnston, Emma Storey, Amber Webster from Wakefield
Men’s Groups - Adam McAssey, Adam Buckingham, Jamie Cowler, Sam Sturt Spelthorne
International Age Groups Team (11-16 years)
Women’s Pairs- Casey Morrison, Ellie Cooper from Spelthorne
Men’s Pair- Dorian Walker, Stephen Raine from Deerness Valley
Mixed Pair- Douglas Fordyce, Shelly Evans from King Edmund
Women’s Group- Amy Buckingham, Paris Lever, Roisin Evans from Spelthorne
Coaches (International Age Group Teams)
Matei Todorov Technical Director
Karl Wharton Deerness Valley
Neil Griffiths Spelthorne
Vladimir Makarchenko Wakefield
Natasha Maxwell Harrow
More details can be found on the Official British Gymnastics Website
World Championships Team
Women’s Pairs- Amy Crow, Julie Cameron from Wakefield
Men’s Pairs- Mark Fyson, Christopher Jones from Deerness Valley
Rees Durbidge, Edward Upcott from Spelthorne
Mixed Pairs- Robert Tregoning, Alex Grayson from Deerness Valley
Women’s Groups- Leanne Turner, Emily Collins, Victoria Lamkin from Spelthorne
Erin Jameson, Claire-Louise Thompson, Grace Blacklock from Harrow
Men’s Groups- Christopher McGreevy, Mark Pool, Alex Uttley, Jack Atherton from Wakefield
Adam Denny, Adam Smith, Adam Dobbs, Andrew Price from Bromley Valley
Coaches -
Matei Todorov Technical Director
Stuart Thompson Deerness Valley
Neil Griffiths Spelthorne
Vladimir Makarchenko Wakefield
Barbara McDuff Bromley Valley
International Age Groups Team (12-19 years)
Women’s Pairs- Deborah Owen, Kelly Mannion from Harrow
Men’s Pairs- Liam Durbidge, Jonathan Stranks from Spelthorne
Luke Rooney, Richard Hurst from Deerness Valley
Mixed Pairs- Christian Beecher, Katie Axten from Spelthorne
Lee Colley, Sarah Cameron from Wakefield
Women’s Groups- Katherine Smith, Ciara McGrath, Jessica Dangerfield from Harrow
Natasha Johnston, Emma Storey, Amber Webster from Wakefield
Men’s Groups - Adam McAssey, Adam Buckingham, Jamie Cowler, Sam Sturt Spelthorne
International Age Groups Team (11-16 years)
Women’s Pairs- Casey Morrison, Ellie Cooper from Spelthorne
Men’s Pair- Dorian Walker, Stephen Raine from Deerness Valley
Mixed Pair- Douglas Fordyce, Shelly Evans from King Edmund
Women’s Group- Amy Buckingham, Paris Lever, Roisin Evans from Spelthorne
Coaches (International Age Group Teams)
Matei Todorov Technical Director
Karl Wharton Deerness Valley
Neil Griffiths Spelthorne
Vladimir Makarchenko Wakefield
Natasha Maxwell Harrow
More details can be found on the Official British Gymnastics Website
What is Acro?
Acrobatic Gymnastics (formally Sports Acrobatics) is a dynamic combination of dance, acrobatics and gymnastics skills. The routines are performed is various forms with 5 possible disaplines; Womens Pairs, Mens Pairs, Mixed Pairs, Womens Groups (trios) and Mens Groups. (mens fours). The routines are performed to instrumental music and last two and a half minutes.
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 gymnasts that display strength and balance. Tops are generally younger and have great flexibility and agility. Middles are often required to show a combination of all attributes.
A world class acrobatic gymnast would have to show an amazing combination of agility, balance, strength and grace to be the best.
Image: Jess, Claire and Onnah WG South Staffs
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 gymnasts that display strength and balance. Tops are generally younger and have great flexibility and agility. Middles are often required to show a combination of all attributes.A world class acrobatic gymnast would have to show an amazing combination of agility, balance, strength and grace to be the best.
Image: Jess, Claire and Onnah WG South Staffs
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