DALLAS, Texas, June 25, 2009 – USA Gymnastics hosted the inaugural international USA Gymnastics for All Challenge at the Fort Worth Convention Center in conjunction with the American Sokol International Sport and Cultural Festival. In this new competition, gymnastics groups perform theatrical style gymnastics displays that are evaluated by a panel of experts on such factors as technical difficulty, choreography, musicality basic technique, interaction and collaboration, creativity, originality, and overall impression. Each group is then awarded the designation of either Gold, Silver, or Bronze. At the conclusion of the competition, the experts meet one more time in order to name their selection of one performance to be named “Best of Groups.”

The experts’ selection for 2009 was Biron Gymnastics Showteam from Houston, Texas. This group has performed around the USA as well as in previous World Gymnaestradas, a world-wide event hosted by the International Gymnastics Federation every four years. At the 2003 World Gymnaestrada in Lisbon, Portugal, the Biron Gymnastics Showteam was selected to perform in the prestigious FIG Gala. In presenting this year’s Best of Show Trophy, the evaluation panel noted that the Biron group displayed excellence in every category.

Following are the ratings for all of the performing groups in this year’s USA Gymnastics for All Challenge:

GOLD rating

  • Biron Gymnastics Showteam, Houston, Texas
  • Karlslunde Gymnastics, Karlslunde, Denmark
  • Westbend Dance and Tumbling Troupe, Westbend, Wis.

SILVER rating

  • Encore Gymnastics, Concord, Calif.
  • Mix of Mexican Private Clubs, Mexico City, Mexico
  • Sprunggruppe Gymnastics, Bürstadt, Germany
  • Skyview Gymdancers, Mt. Ariy, Md.
  • Westport Weston YMCA, Westport, CT

BRONZE rating

  • Alpha Rhythmic Gymnastics, Edumondton, Alberta, Canada
  • Exelta Gymnastics, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada

 


Karlslunde Gymnastics, Karlslunde, Denmark


Westbend Dance and Tumbling Troupe, Westbend, Wis.