On Judging of Individual Elements in Acrobatic Gymnastics
by R.A. Criley
Editor's Note: This document was written when IFSA dissolved and merged with the FIG.
Individual elements help to set the theme and tempo of the performance. When chosen toset off the performers' strengths, they can have a positive impact on the audience and judges. On the other hand, when the elements are included perfunctorily, because they are required,even the best pair (or group) elements do not show to their best advantage.
A large part of the artistry of acrobatic gymnastics is expressed through the choreography, tumbling, and other individual elements. As judges, we can help to direct the beauty of this sport by rewarding well-done individual elements and by penalizing poorly-done ones. The Technical committee of the FIG has done more than enough to increase the difficulty requirements of the sport; now, the judges must call for greater artistry by encouraging and rewarding exercises which reflect this character.
We must remember that our sport is often compared to and confused with gymnastics. On the comparison side, however, the gymnasts on the floor exercise event exceed us in quality of tumbling and strength of dance elements. This is not to say that their personal expression is any stronger - we have 2 or more persons on the floor to project personal expression - but often, in both sports, the athletes seem unaware of the audience during their performances. I call these performances because they do carry a theatric character, and because we often see competition attire that is theatric and carries out a theme. The interactions of the partners can also be more intricate than is possible in gymnastics.
So what do I look for in judging acrobatic gymnastics exercises? In preparing for this discussion, I went back to my notebooks of marks that I have given / deductions taken/ in exercises during the past 3 years. I also watched several hours of videotape from the international competitions. I wish I could pull out from those tapes examples of what I consider to be poorly done and well-done individual elements. For now, however, I'll just have to use descriptors and a few transparencies.
Every year, I make a point to attend as many performances by dancers as I can get to. Most of these are Modem dance, some ballet, some jazz, and an occasional international performance showing other cultures' dances. The Guang Dong Modem Dance Company of Guanzhou, China, appeared in Hawaii last fall with some wonderful variations of Chinese traditional dance elements. Their acrobatic athleticism almost made me want to whip out my notebook to record some combinations.
Choreographic Elements
A is for Amplitude. I look for the leg extension in the leaps, jetes, scissors, splits leaps, and tour jetes.
I look for height on elements that should be done with height and flight: various jumps and leaps, the straddle jump, arch (or ring) jump and its variations.
I look for flexibility where this is required: the 180 degree split leap, the tight arch in the Ring jumps, and whether the performance "feels stiff." Where pivots and jumps with twistare performed, I am looking for clean, tight body positions, a vertical position in the air and stable landing. The twist or turn should be clean and not shy a few degrees of 180, 360, 540. 720 or whatever. Even the step out must show control and not look like a recovery from being off-balance.
As a result of my concern that our acrobats show as fine technique as good dancers, I often wind up a bit on the low side of the mark. If the poor performance of dance elements is throughout the exercise. I will take a tenth or two in the General Impression part of my mark. Our scoring system is not set up to reward great dance, nor to mitigate errors in exceptionally difficult elements, so the only way I see to reward the really good performances is to deduct for the poor ones.
Here is a place to provide my answer to the question about how to judge the individual element when one or two partners perform it well and another has major errors, or when two out of a trio have faults and the third has none, or when all three may have small penalizable errors. My reasoning is that the athletes have chosen to perform the element in question and should be expected to do justice to that element as much as to any partnered balance or tempo element. Thus, I take deductions as appropriate to the severity of the fault from each athlete. The only restriction I put on is that we can deduct only up to 1.0 for technical faults per element, so my sum total for technical faults (excluding falls) should not be greater than 1.0.
I think most of you are aware that some nations put a lot more effort into their choreography and polishing of the choreographic elements than do others. It is one of the challenges to the judges to be able to sort out the technically-well-done dance bits and still reward those performances that are distinguished by not only excellent technique, but also flair, style, and presentation qualities. In the best nations, these qualities are evident throughout the exercise, not just at the beginning or end.
Tumbling Elements
The comparison with gymnastics will only grow stronger as we are absorbed into the FIG We must encourage our acrobats to perform their tumbling passes with comparable height, form, and attention to technique else we shall suffer in the comparison. Difficulty is as defined in the Tables of Difficulty; i.e., it is a single element, whether composed of one unique skill or two elements performed together if that is the way it is shown in the Tables of Difficulty.
Height of saltos: For no deduction, the rotation should be above shoulder height. If just at shoulder height, perhaps a tenth, but definitely 0.1 if there are other technical faults of
Front saltos: Because the landing cannot be seen early, this tumbling is often thrown by 'feel" and the landings come as a surprise. There has been an enhanced use of front tumbling in women's gymnastics, in particular, so we should expect to see more of it in acrobatic gymnastics. Tucks and pikes should be done to specification, not too open, and landings should have control, which means there will be leg bend and hip flexion rather than a landing on straight, stiff legs. One exception to the hands touching the floor penalty concerns the deliberate over-rotation to a prone drop (1-1/4 front salto) in which the arms cushion the athlete's descent to the floor. In front tumbling as in backwards elements, we want to see good height, tight body position, and control. Comment: With respect to side aerials: we want to see good height and amplitude with respect to the kicking leg, a straight motion (rather than crooked come-out), and control in landing. There are several different arm techniques and the choice of one over another should not be penalized except if the end result is poor.
Handsprings: We seldom see really poor backward handsprings at the high international level, but from time to time we do see front handsprings that are stiff and jarring as they land. Watch for leg separation as the athlete goes onto and comes off of the hands, watch for leg buckling in the push-back phase of the back handspring, fore arm collapse (often associated with hands turned in and elbows out), crooked passes, poor tempo or rhythm.
Miscellaneous Acrobatic Elements
Balance Elements
When the athletes choose to do a balance element, they accept that the FIG definition calls for a motionless, unassisted balance for 2 seconds.
Scales: typical problems are wobbles, hops, body alignment (especially a low leg), particularly in Y-scale, arabesque (front scale)
Handstands, elbow stand: typical problems include lack of verticality, loose legs, shaky holds or walking in handstand, planched shoulders, excessive arch in the back (when not intended). In the Press to handstand, we can see loose legs, repeated starts, push-off with the feet (not really a press, then), and lack of vertical body position.
Elbow support (gut lever, elbow lever) on one arm or both. Wobbles, tilt, one leg obviously low, twisted body, body sags over supporting elbow(s). Lack of horizontality.
Planche: The ideal is straight arms with the body and legs at horizontal. Females who attempt this skill tend to lower from a handstand using tremendous back arch to manuever the front of the body towards horizontal while leaving the rear end and legs somewhat higher. A variant is a scissor planche with a high leg to counter the pull of a lower one,