KISSIMMEE, Fla., July 23, 2010 — 2009 world mixed pair champions Kristin Allen and Michael Rodrigues, both of Livermore, Calif./West Coast Training Center, headline the field of acrobatic gymnasts who will compete in the 2010 Acrobatic Gymnastics National Championships, July 24-28, at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Fla. More than 500 of the USA’s top and up-and-coming acrobatic gymnasts are expected to perform in the junior and senior elite and Junior Olympic Levels 5-10 competition. Tickets are on sale now.
Allen and Rodrigues, who won the World Games title in 2009, captured their first world title at the recent World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships in Wroclaw, Poland. The men’s pair of Axel Osborne and Dylan Inserra of Richardson, Texas/WOGA, advanced to the finals at the World Championships and will be in Kissimmee.
To see the entire field, click here.
Both national titles and national team berths are on the line at the championships, which are co-hosted by the Central Florida Sports Commission and Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The Acrobatic Gymnastics National Championships feature competition in women’s pair, men’s pair, mixed pair, women’s group and men’s group for each level. The event kicks off with the elite level competition on July 24 at 6:30 p.m. with both junior and senior elite balance and dynamic routines, as well as junior 11-16 balance routines. On July 25, opening ceremonies start at 6:30 p.m., followed by the junior and senior elite combined routine and junior 11-16 dynamic routine. The Junior Olympic competition schedule is: July 26 – Level 5 at 9 a.m., Level 7 at 1 p.m. and Level 9 (balance) and Level 10 (balance and dynamic) at 6:30 p.m.; July 27 – Level 6 at 9 a.m., Level 8 (balance) at 1 p.m. and Level 9 (dynamic) and Level 10 (combined) at 6:30 p.m.; and July 28 – Level 6 at 9 a.m. and Level 8 (dynamic) at 1 p.m. In the Junior Olympic competition, the number of routines performed varies by level. For more information on both events, click here.
Daily all-day tickets are $26.75 per person (includes all sessions), and a five-day pass is $85. Tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster by phone at 800-745-3000; online at www.ticketmaster.com; and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Visa is the preferred method of payment.
Acrobatic gymnastics combines the beauty of dance with the strength and agility of acrobatics. Routines are choreographed to music and consist of dance, tumbling, and partner skills. At the elite level, each pair or group performs a balance, dynamic and combined routine. Pyramids and partner holds characterize the balance routine, while synchronized tumbling and intricate flight elements define the dynamic exercise. An acrobatic gymnastics pair consists of a base and a top. A women’s group is comprised of a base, middle and top partner, while a men’s group has a base, two middle partners and one top partner.
The Central Florida Sports Commission is a private, non-profit organization created to solicit and support activities, events and sports-related businesses that stimulate the local economy; construct and utilize sports facilities; enhance the area’s image worldwide; provide outstanding entertainment and participatory opportunities; and contribute to the community’s quality of life. The Sports Commission represents the counties of Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia, as well as the City of Orlando.
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