Artistry - Part I
Some of the criteria may not be new. However, I thought it would be helpful for people to see the criteria defined and how it translates into severity of deductions. This segment is more focused on beam, with another segment focusing on floor exercise and musicality to come.
A. Insufficient Amplitude of Movements
The description was modified from Insufficient Amplitude (Maximum Elongation of the Movements) to Insufficient Amplitude of Movements because elongation is only part of amplitude of movements.
B. Poor Body Posture
Body posture is defined by the following criteria:
- Head UP or neutral
- Shoulders DOWN
- Ribcage OUT in front of the stomach
- Stomach IN
The deduction criteria is as follows:
- If all are satisfied or one is missing -> Good / Acceptable, No Deduction
- If 2 of the 4 are missing -> Not Good Enough, 0.1
- If 3 of the 4 are missing -> Poor / Weak, 0.2
C. Amplitude
Defined as movement with elongation, power, strength, accents, large movements and steps
D. Releve
- Poor work in releve is not an overall / whole routine deduction. If the gymnast shows poor releve at any point of a routine, the 0.1 deduction is applied.
- The presentation placed a particular emphasis on the need to show good releve in turns that are not elements (e.g. transitions like the 1/2 turns done either on one foot or two feet at the end of the beam to change direction)
- Good releve was defined as when a straight line can be drawn between the shin and the foot
E. Rhythm and Tempo
- Rhythm is described as variation of fast and slower movements throughout the beam routine
- Tempo is described as the speed at which the routine is performed
G. Exercise as a Series of Disconnected Elements and Movements (Lack of Fluency)
- Judges should be looking for stops(shorter than 2 seconds) in the routine.
- Lack of fluency is also when there are unnecessary stops (e.g. gymnast waits a few counts after landing before moving into choreography or the next element)
H. Rhythm and Tempo Deductions
- Three criteria of variation in rhythm, good tempo, and fluency must be demonstrated.
- If 1 of the 3 is missing -> Not Good Enough, 0.1
- If at least 2 of the 3 are missing -> Poor / Weak, 0.2
I. Gymnast Examples
- Good Speed / Tempo, but Without Variation if Rhythm -> Catalina Ponor, 2012 Olympics
- Slow Tempo, but Without Variation in Rhythm -> Vasiliki Millousi, 2018 World Championships
- Good Tempo and Good Rhythm -> Peng Peng Lee, 2018 NCAA routine
- Lack of Fluency -> Wang Yan, 2016 Olympics
J. Complexity of Movements
Defined as large movements involving many body parts, levels, and movements that stand out as difficult and unique
Examples of Complex Movements are:
- Fast Coordinative Arm Movements - Erika Pinxten 2023 World Championships
- Choreography Touching Floor, for which you can see gymnast needs to train to perform well
- Movements with different part of the body or different joints arms/trunk or legs including changes of directions and or levels (Example: the opening of Allyse Ishino's 2004 floor exercise)
- Steps in large moving patterns in combination with moving body parts executed in a creative way with direction changes, body waves, etc. (Examples: Floor Exercise from Yvonne Tousek 2000 Olympics, Ellie Black 2022 World Championships, and Ariella Kaeslin 2019 World Championships)
- It was noted that Kaeslin's shows a high degree of complexity in the beginning of the routine and less complex at end of the routine, but still demonstrates sufficient complexity to avoid a deduction.)
Examples of Insufficient Complex Movements are:
- Solveig Berg - 2017 World Championships
- Zhao Yaqin - 2023 World Championships, choreography between double tuck and Memmel turn (Insufficient because no combination of different body parts, only few movements, no change of level and no direction changes, no large moving pattern. The slide also made a point to state that the choreography is beautiful and well executed, but lacks complexity needed to avoid a deduction)
K. Poor Expressive Engagement According to Style of the Music
Expressive engagement is evaluated based on:
- Facial Expression (Four expressions of Angry, Fear, Happy, or Sad)
- Body Language
- Movement and Music are in harmony with style and energy of the music
Deductions:
- If 1 of the 3 is missing -> 0.1
- If 2 of the 3 is missing -> 0.2
- If all are missing -> 0.3
Example of Insufficient Facial Expression, but Good Body Language and Movement:
- Cintia Rodriguez 2019 World Championships
Example of GoodFacial Expression, With Good Body Language and Movement:
- Eythora Thorsdottir 2016 Olympics
