History of Acrobatic Gymnastics
Acrobatic gymnastics is becoming better known as an individual sport. While often confused with artistic gymnastics, acrobatic gymnastics is a unique sport with a unique history.
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Definition
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According to USA Gymnastics, the head of USA Acrobatic Gymnastics, the sport is the "combined beauty of dance and acrobatics." It uses gymnastics moves to enhance a routine that is full of balances and synchronization.
Acrobatic Gymnastics
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The sport has multiple competition styles. This includes two men, two women, mixed pairs, women's groups and men's groups. Each pairing requires three routines: Balance, Dynamic (also known as Tempo) and Combined.
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Origins
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Acrobatic gymnastics started in ancient times as a combination of balancing and skills to show off the human body or to simply perform a task or ritual. This is traced back to the ancient Greek times. According to Hickok Sports, this can be traced back through paintings on murals to 2000 BC.
Early HIstory
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Acrobatic gymnastics as we know it today originated in the Soviet Union in the 1930s. The sport didn't begin to gain traction in the United States until it began in the 1970s with the start of the United States Sports Acrobatics Federation (USSAF).
Competitive Merge
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The sport began to grow, and grew into two separate organizations: the USSAF, and the United States Sports Acrobatics (USSA). In 2002, the USSA merged with USA Gymnastics to create the head of USA Acrobatic Gymnastics.
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