An exclusively feminine discipline, rhythmic sports gymnastics is halfway between art and sport. Its remote origins are difficult to define. Let us simply remember that it was already practised in the last century under the guise of group gymnastics with a trace of elementary choreography. In the course of time, its structures were developed, refined and oriented towards an unique and exclusive form of sports competition.

Time brought experimental competitions which were mostly held in Eastern Europe. The FIG then noticed a deeper interest in this new discipline, modern gymnastics, as the gymnasts themselves referred to RSG at the time.

In 1963, Budapest organised an international tournament. A year later (!), the Budapest tournament was officially declared the 1st RSG World Championship. Ludmila Savinkova (URS) made her first appearance in History and became, almost in spite of herself, the first world champion of the speciality. In 1975, the RSG Technical Committee was created (formerly sub-commission of the women's committee). In August 1984, Canadian Lory Fung was the first gymnast in the History of RSG to take an Olympic title (Los Angeles). At the Centenary Games in Atlanta (1996), a Spanish group was the first in this speciality to achieve this premier historical Olympic title.

Today, rhythmic sports gymnastics is witnessing a spectacularly rapid development with young people and an impressive echo from the media and the public. The reasons for this growing success are simple. RSG puts expressive young women on stage, artists who are exhausted simultaneously by the technical handling of the apparatus as well as the perfect mastery of body expression. At impact, in front of the public, the sensation is doubled.

RSG is the image of the stars who compose it, beautiful and fierce!

The Hall

For official FIG events, the hall must have a minimum ceiling height of 8 metres. The floor of 13 x 13 metres must be surrounded by a safety area one metre wide. Flexible and stable at the same time, this floor must be capable of absorbing the energy stemming from the movements, as well as any unexpected shocks. Its covering should not be such as to result in skin damage from rubbing.

All exercises have musical accompaniment. The music and the gymnast should form one integrated whole, avoiding random musical arrangements.

The Rope

The rope may be of hemp or any synthetic material. Its length is proportionate to the height of the gymnast. It has knots rather than handles at its ends.

The technical figures may be made with the rope either taut or loose, with one or both hands, with or without change of hand. The relationship between the apparatus and the gymnast is more explosive than in the other cases. The rope often appears as a serpent-like attacker seizing and winding around the gymnast. But suppleness and agility, tinged with elegance, always win out in the end.

The Hoop

This is made of wood or plastic, with an inside diameter of 80 to 90cm and a weight of at least 300 grams. It must be rigid, of non-bending material.

The hoop defines a space. This space is used to the utmost by the gymnast, who moves within the circle formed. Handling the hoop requires frequent changes of grip, and the main requirement is good movement coordination. The shape of the hoop favours rolls, passages, rotations and walkovers.

The Ball

This is made of rubber or plastic, with a diameter of 18 to 20cm and a weight of at least 400 grams.

The ball is the only apparatus for which no grip is allowed. This means that a more sensuous relationships between the body and the apparatus is required. The ball moves in perfect harmony with the body. Spectacular throws with control and precision in the catches are dynamic elements.

The Clubs

These are made of wood or plastic, with a length of 40 to 50cm and a weight of at least 150 grams each.

Slight of hand! The gymnast uses the clubs to execute mills, rolls, twists, throws and as many asymmetric figures as possible, combining them with the many figures featured in non-apparatus gymnastics. Exercises with the clubs require a highly developed sense of rhythm, maximum psychomotor coordination and precision up to watchmaking standards. The clubs are particularly suited to ambidextrous gymnasts.

The Ribbon

The stick (diameter 1cm, length of 50cm to 60cm) is usually made of wood, bamboo, plastic or fibreglass. The ribbon is most often of satin, or a non-starched derivative. Its weight must not be more than 35 grams, its width 4 to 6cm and its length not more than 6 metres.

The ribbon is long and light and may be thrown in all directions. Its function is to create designs in space. Its flights through the air make images and shapes of every kind. Figures of many different sizes are executed at varying rhythms. Snakes, spirals and throws are the essentials of the ribbon’s flight.