Skip to main content

Leaps of faith

Image
By
I love to see a leap performed boldly and with finesse.  The flying type of leap that defies gravity.  Toe point and line come into it, but amplitude is what a leap is really all about; every muscle stretched to its optimum, grace balanced with energy and power, an invisible process of weightlessness propelled not only by the legs but also by the abdomen and, it sometimes seems, the sheer spirit of the gymnast. Ballet understands the forces of gravity and how strength is converted to elegance; a leap is not a bounce, something we all too often see in today's power gymnastics.  A leap hovers mid air.  Landing seems implausible. The gymnast is flighty, airborne.

A leap seems simple but is actually incredibly complex, drawing on countless hours of practice and body preparation.  Its execution is a matter of huge skill and courage.   Only the best can make such leaps of faith with artistry.  Coming down to land on the narrow beam, the gymnast often launches herself once more into inconceivable flight.  

Compare the pictures below to those of some legends of the sport : Mostepanova, Ilienko.  You won't be disappointed.  Bondareva, and especially Melnikova, are true to the Russian classical tradition.  Mustafina and Tutkhalyan embrace a more athletic genre; Tutkhalyan is a new style of gymnast for the Russians, at once strong and balletic; I see echoes of Mukhamedov as she explodes off the beam; in Mustafina's dynamic, supple and almighty work are shadows of the great Tourischeva.  In more ways than one.

Maria Bondareva, classic lines, but she was beam spotting at the moment this shot was taken 


Angelina Melnikova's trajectory in this leap gives an impression of flight, power and speed


Daria Skrypnik



The powerful Seda Tutkhalyan

Maria Kharenkova

My favourite leap from Mustafina - power, agility, classical line and amplitude.  A photographers dream.


Ludmilla Tourischeva - amplitude, in the Russian tradition













Labels:

Comments

  1. Anonymous15 May 2014 at 12:52

    Oh ... Melnikova is just gorgeous

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gláucia Sousa15 May 2014 at 21:53

      All team is gorgeous. Angelina, Maria Bondareva, Seda Tutkhllyan, Maria Kharenkova, Alla,.... I think you will have a big surprise in Olympic Games.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Who needs difficulty? Portraits of a young gymnast - Ivan Stretovich

By
These pictures of young Ivan Stretovich, taken by Elena Mikhailova at last week's European Gymnastics Championships, are available in a gallery at the Russian Gymnastics Federation website.  I wanted to share a sequence of them with you. Stretovich turns 16 in October, and comes from Novosibirsk in Siberia, where he is coached at the Dynamo club by B Konvissar.  This young gymnast emerged at April's Russian Championships, where he took gold or silver medals in every event final except for vault.  In Montpelier, he contributed to the Russian team's silver medal. But pictures speak louder than words, and medals aren't all that matters.  Stretovich's start values (in qualifying 5 (F), 5.1 (PH), 4.8 (SR), 5.4 (V), 5.1 (PB) and 4.9 (HB) leave some room for development, but the special quality of his work is even rarer than a double twisting double back somersault.  That quality is the ability to elevate the simple to a pitch of perfection, and to make the diff...
5 comments
Read more

Nelli Kim - 'Russian gymnastics has closed in on itself' - Lupita translates

By
Lupita has translated this ITAR-TASS interview with Nelli Kim.  It's controversial, to say the least. Ed's note : much of the initial response to this interview - both here and in the wider gymternet -  has focussed on the detail of Kim's words and especially her comments about Viktoria Komova, and smiling.  But I think these have to be taken in context, and not too literally. Don't forget that just a day ago Andrei Rodionenko complained bitterly about the judging in Antwerp, calling Kim's behaviour 'aggressive'. Kim is responding to this here, and to the wider current context of Russian gymnastics.  What she is essentially saying to the Russian coach is 'get your own house in order, produce confident, disciplined, well trained gymnasts - stop complaining, do your job, and I will do mine.'   She goes about saying this in a somewhat long winded way and says some things along the way that seem contradictory, unfair, inappropriate even for th...
30 comments
Read more

Decoding Dmitri Andreev’s Coaching Values.

By
When a new head coach takes on one of the most influential roles in artistic gymnastics, it is natural to ask what values and principles guide their leadership. In Dmitri Andreev’s case, most of what we know comes not from personal essays or political statements, but from interviews, press conferences, and official announcements related to his work in the sport.   Understanding his values means paying attention to how he talks about athletes, coaching, leadership, and the future of Russian gymnastics. Several consistent themes emerge from his public comments. Collective Effort Over Individual Glory Andreev regularly presents gymnastics as a collective endeavour rather than a platform for individual achievement. When discussing his appointment as head coach, he emphasised the importance of bringing together athletes, coaches, and support staff to work towards shared goals. He also described leadership in terms of responsibility rather than authority. This suggests a value system cen...
Post a Comment
Read more

RRG Archive - scroll by date, from 2024 to 2010

Show more