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Rhythmic gymnastics is an event in the Olympic Games. Rhythmic gymnastics was developed by the ideas of Jean-Georges Noverre, Francois Delsarte, and Rudolf Bode who believed one should dance to express something. Rhythmic gymnastics competitions began in the 40’s in the Soviet Union.

rhythmic gymnastics is predominently for female competitors

Rhythmic gymnastics uses the elements of ballet, gymnastics, dance, and apparatus manipulation. The judges will assess the leaps, balances, pirouettes, apparatus handling, and the execution. The whole routine must cover the entire floor and must contain a combination of jumps, leaps, pivots, and flexibility movements.

Olympic rhythmic gymnastics is only for female competitors. In some competitions, individuals or teams of five can team-up and manipulate two things or apparatus: clubs, hoop, ball, ribbon, and rope. However, an individual may only use on apparatus. 

Rhythmic Gymnastics at the World Games

Rhythmic Gymnastics is one of the disciplines in Gymnastics at the World Games. It made its debut at the 2001 Akita World Games. Subsequently, it featured at the 2005 Duisburg World Games, the 2009 Kaohsiung World Games, the 2013 Cali World Games, the 2017 Wroclaw World Games, and the 2022 Birmingham World Games. 

Rhythmic Gymnastics didn't make it to the 2025 Chengdu World Games. The major Gymnastics disciplines at the 2025 World Games were Acrobatic Gymnastics, Aerobic Gymnastics, Parkour Gymnastics, and Trampoline Gymnastics.

Similar Sports

• Aesthetic Group Gymnastics — a team sport where a large group of gymnasts perform coordinated continuous movements
• Baton Twirling — a metal rod called a baton, is manipulated, while simultaneously making coordinated dance moves.
• Acrobatic Gymnastics — team of gymnasts work together to perform acrobatic moves in combination with dance moves.
• Sport Aerobics — the objective is to perform high-intensity gymnastic moves in sync with background music. Also called Aerobic Gymnastics.
• Winter Guard — an indoor sport of the color guard discipline in which teams perform several routines using supporting equipment to recorded background music.
• Cheerleading — a dubious sport in which groups of cheerleaders do routines that are subjectively assessed.
• Calisthenics — a competitive team sport in which athletes perform elements of rhythmic gymnastics and ballet.
• Artistic Gymnastics — an Olympic sport where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, such as the Vault, Floor (men and women), Pommel Horse, Rings, Parallel Bars, High Bar (men), and Uneven Bars, Balance Beam (women).

Related Pages

• Rhythmic gymnastics at the Olympic Games
• More about the Sport of Gymnastics
• Dance and Dance-Related Sports
• Complete list of sports
• The Encyclopedia of Sports — a list of every sport from around the world.

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