Choreography Fundamentals

Course Description

Unlock the potential of your gymnasts with our dynamic Choreography Course—designed to elevate your coaching skills and transform routines into artistic masterpieces. Whether you’re coaching beginners or elite athletes, this workshop provides invaluable tools to help your gymnasts shine on beam and floor.

Through a full day of expert-led instruction and hands-on activities, you’ll gain actionable insights into:

• Choreography Fundamentals: Learn how to craft routines that balance technical precision with creativity and personal expression.
• Judging Criteria Mastery: Discover what judges look for and how to optimise routines to maximise scores.
• Artistry and Performance Quality: Teach your gymnasts to captivate with seamless transitions, dynamic rhythms, and expressive musicality.
• Practical Application: Create routines tailored to your gymnasts’ strengths and receive personalised feedback to ensure your new skills are immediately applicable.

This workshop is packed with proven techniques, real-world exercises, and expert advice—ensuring you leave with the confidence and skills to enhance your gymnasts’ artistry and performance.

Duration
Our Choreography course is a full-day in-person program that involves ongoing assessment throughout the duration of the course.

Pre-Requisites
Course Attendees Must:

• Be at least 14 years old
• Hold either Club Coach or Freelance Coach membership.
• Provide a minimum of one gymnast per club.

• Choreography Fundamentals
  • Core elements of choreography: creativity, confidence, and personal style.
  • Structuring routines to enhance performance.

• Judging Criteria
  • Understanding what judges look for on beam and floor.
  • Key factors: variety of elements, changes in level, direction, rhythm, and tempo.
  • FIG choreography rules and common deductions.

• Performance Quality
  • Distinguishing between “what” gymnasts perform and “how” they perform.
  • Enhancing artistic expression and emotional impact.

• Creative Movements and Transitions
  • Incorporating seamless transitions to add artistry.
  • Strategies to teach gymnasts creative and complementary movements.

• Expression and Musicality
  • Importance of interpreting music expressively.
  • Techniques for matching movements to the rhythm and mood of music.

• Reducing Deductions
  • Common choreography mistakes and how to avoid them.
  • Achieving clean, precise movements to minimise penalties.

• Creating Practice Plans
  • Integrating choreography lessons into regular training.
  • Developing feedback strategies to improve artistic elements.

Beam and Floor Skills:

1. Core Elements of Routines
   • Incorporating variety: a rich selection of skills across beam and floor.
   • Teaching changes in level (e.g., low to high movements).
   • Emphasising directional changes (forward, backward, and sideways).
   • Integrating changes in rhythm and tempo to maintain interest.
2. Creative Movements and Transitions
   • Developing smooth transitions between skills for cohesive routines.
   • Adding creative, complementary movements to enhance artistry.
   • Encouraging innovative choreography ideas that suit individual gymnasts.
3. Expression and Musicality
   • Teaching gymnasts to interpret music expressively.
   • Using musical rhythm to synchronise and enhance choreography.
   • Helping gymnasts connect emotionally with their routines.
4. Judging Criteria Awareness
   • Understanding FIG rules and guidelines for floor and beam routines.
   • Identifying common choreography deductions and how to avoid them.
   • Training gymnasts to meet judging expectations for artistic execution.
5. Performance Quality
   • Guiding gymnasts on the importance of how they perform (emotional and visual impact).
   • Strengthening confidence to enhance stage presence.