Rhythmic Gymnastics with Mary Fuzesi

One of my very close personal friends is Mary Fuzesi.

I went to Canadian National Rhythmic Gymnastics School with her at Seneca College in 8th grade in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Mary, if you aren’t aware, went to the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, as well as a number of international competitions around the world.

Here is a video of her Hoop routine (AA WC 1991):

I just love her – she’s the sweetest Read more

Dancers Are Serious Athletes – And They Have Needs…

For those of you who have never participated in a ballet class, you have no idea!

I was a rhythmic gymnast and Canadian hopeful back in the day. I even lived away at Gymnastics school in Toronto, and guess what…We did ballet EVERYDAY (and Jazz a few days/week)!

This, by far, was the most difficult and strenuous part of our all-day practices, but probably one of the most important…The sheer strength and endurance it takes, not to mention serious concentration, is off the charts, if you want to be good at it! Phew!

One of my favorite days would be when the Gym Suit lady would come to sell new Leotards and other gear like our special Gymnastics Slippers we needed for working on the carpet, Dance Shoes and Ballet Shoes, and other Gear like our apparatus…Not only did we get a short break, but there’s nothing like dawning a brand new outfit…not just any outfit…but one that has been made specifically for our gymnastic and dancing purposes! They may have been a little pricey from that lady, but it was well worth it, and much cheaper and better quality than you would have found retail.

There are times when you are having a really tough day in training and you look down at your new suit and get a bit of cheer…It may sound funny, but it’s so true!

I remember how hard it was to track down all of the Gear and Leotards you needed…What a Pain!!! They never had everything you needed in one place at one time, and if they did, the price sent you right back out the door empty-handed, since it could get costly replacing your gear and leotards as often as they were needed.

We didn’t have the internet then, and that certainly would have made life a lot easier. Today, dancers have access to what they need and I Stumbled (add me as a friend on Stumble Upon) an amazing place where you can find all of your dancing needs in a one-stop-shop!

The website, Read more

A Brief History of Gymnastics

By Denise Villani

Gymnastics is a graceful and artistic sport that requires a combination of strength, balance, agility, and muscle coordination, usually performed on specialized apparatus. Gymnasts perform sequences of movements requiring flexibility, endurance, and kinesthetic awareness, such as handsprings, handstands, split leaps, aerials and cartwheels.

Gymnastics as we know it dates back to ancient Greece. The early Greeks practiced gymnastics to prepare for war. Activities like jumping, running, discus throwing, wrestling, and boxing helped develop the muscles needed for hand-to-hand combat. Additional fitness practices used by the ancient Greeks included methods for mounting and dismounting a horses and a variety of circus performance skills.

Gymnastics became a central component of ancient Greek education and was mandatory for all students. Gymnasia, buildings with open-air courts where the training took place, evolved into schools where Read more