Artistry Workshops for Women’s Artistic Gymnastics
These workshops help competitive gymnasts improve the artistry and performance of their floor and beam routines (with main focus on floor). Please see detailed information below on what is covered.
Check out the highlights video below from a previous workshop.
Acro Workshop
As well as artistry workshops for gymnasts to work on their dance, I run acro workshops for dancers to work on their gymnastic skills.
Perfect for dancers looking to improve their acro skills or for gymnasts looking to get creative. We work on fitness, strength, flexibility, and skills. The skills that we’ll work on include: roll variations; handstand variations; cartwheel variations (including the spider cartwheel and round-offs); and bridge & walkover variations. Participants who are more advanced will progress onto: aerials; free front walkovers; layouts; front & back handsprings; and somersaults. As we progress, we’ll be able to find creative ways to combine some of these skills together and include some choreography in the transitions.
OPEN ARTISTRY WORKSHOP (next one TBC)
These workshops are on hold for the moment. Details included below though for future reference.
This workshop is suitable for gymnasts of level 3 and above.
Places are limited. Email info@flairgymnasticsanddance.com to enquire about booking a place or if you have any questions you’d like to ask.
Who is running the workshop? Chloe, an ex-competitive gymnast, has over 13 years of W.A.G. gymnastics coaching experience, 10 years of W.A.G. judging experience and studied dance full-time for two years, gaining a higher national diploma in dance and performance. She has run dance classes in various dance styles and has choreographed numerous floor routines, most recently for two International Development Squad gymnasts and three Olympic Start Squad gymnasts. Three gymnasts she choreographed for in 2019 placed first on floor in their level in the National Super Series Championships. Her combined experience and skill-set puts her in an ideal situation to lead an artistry workshop and share some great tips. See choreography section for more info.
Here is a choreography highlights video. More info on the workshop continued below.
What is covered?
The workshop kicks off by explaining what “artistry” actually is, why it’s important, and all the elements of artistry that judges look for when you perform your floor and beam routines. Gymnasts will be given a printed hand-out to take home that includes all these main points. Among other aspects, we will stress the importance of: extended feet and legs; holding good posture throughout the routine (shoulders down and back and head up); a performance that flows rather than a series of static positions; and ensuring our head position, eye line and facial expression are included as an important aspect of the choreography. The structure of routines will also be discussed – choice of music, changing levels up and down on the floor/ beam, change of direction, inclusion of curves/ use of space on the floor. This is all looked after by their coach but it’s good for them to understand.
Following a warm-up and stretch, we will begin with foot work to music. We emphasise the work that needs to be done through our feet so when our feet lift off the floor, they immediately point. This foot work section includes work on our relevé (up on our toes). We then progress onto some leg extension work, isolations (moving one part of our body at a time), holding our shoulders back and down, moving our arms with purpose, and the importance of lifting our heads and eye line. These are all covered through exercises to music. We will work on hitting positions with a breath in and then letting our bodies go (melting) and breathing out to emphasise how to include breathing in your choreography in order to maintain cardio fitness throughout routine.
Next, we will learn some floor sequences (i.e. some dance elements down on the floor) and do some work across the floor such as leaps and turns encouraging entering and exiting through dance (encourage flow!). We also include a “tricks” section of some cool and creative variations we can include in our routines (this is to get gymnasts to think outside of the box).
Then we are into our choreography section! We learn a floor routine in the lyrical style of dance (fluid and graceful movements that take aspects of various other dance styles such as ballet, modern, and jazz). This choreography will show gymnasts how they can perform a routine that flows from one movement into the next, including dance that leads into a skill that leads into more dance. After learning the choreography, we will then layer in a performance aspect and gymnasts will get the opportunity to perform the routine with feedback and discussion. We will close with a recap of the workshop and the key take-home points that can be applied to their own floor routines.
Cost: €75.
Please email me to book info@flairgymnasticsanddance.com
Respect of club coaches: I am extremely respectful of the hard work that club coaches do and I will required a signed permission slip from the gymnast’s coach giving them permission to attend the workshop. This workshop is intended as an added layer to the artistry work that is already done in gymnastics clubs. I do not change gymnast’s floor routine choreography in this workshop, I help them perform it to their best. I advise you speak to your coach first about attending. If they would like to have a chat with me about what is being covered or seek any further information, they can get in touch. Or if they’d prefer to have an artistry workshop during club training, I can arrange a workshop in your gymnastics club!
Highlights from previous workshop
