Yesterday marked the one hundredth anniversary of the first performance of Stravinsky's Rites of Spring, choreographed by Nijinsky. It caused a riot. Here is a production from the Marinsky Theatre, St Petersburg. Now watch the famous floor routine by 1988 Olympian, 1989 World all around bronze medallist Olga Strazheva, set to an extract of the same music, drawing on Nijinsky's choreography. I remember the impact this made on first viewing at the Stuttgart World Championships. It is impressive for more than the difficulty of the tumbling, the line of the leaps or the accuracy of the spins. It is a whole routine from start to finish; every single movement carries consistent visual sense. There are no transitions. Clearly derivative, the routine is a prominent example of the sport's links to dance and of Soviet Russia's philosophy of sport as culture. It provides an exclamation mark to their creative sporting tradition that at times elevated gymnastics to an...
Reporting and analysing Russian gymnastics since 2010. Includes original and exclusive interviews with leading coaches and gymnasts, and historical issues dating back to the Soviet Union. The first blog to report extensively on the sport using Russian language sources. I read, I argue, and I have opinions. Be warned.