Katrin Taseva's Dancing Clubs

I really like this new girl on the Bulgarian team who shows lots of flexibility and lots of personality, too. Born in Plovdiv, Katrin Taseva trains in Sofia alongside another young star, Neviana Vladinova.

I think Katrin's best routine this season are definitely her clubs. I was looking for a video from this month's "Margarita Rangelova" tournament but could only find videos of Neviana from that event, so here is a recording from much earlier this year. We can see a lot of potential with her pivots, some great risks and great musicality/dancing. I like the sparkling red colors, the expression on her face and how musical accents are worked into the routine.

HUGE THANKS to Dimo Dimov for these great photographs that help me "live" the routines with this talented gymnast!

Old Ball Routines, Forgotten or Unseen

Today I'd like to post 3 old, but good ball routines that may not have become popular in the 90s, but still held something very special in terms of creating a mood for the audience and telling a story through movement. The 1990s were a special time for gymnastics in terms of transitioning from a more artistic sport to a more athletic discipline with more body difficulties. These routines cannot really compare to the achievements of the gymnasts in the new century, but these routines demonstrate a body language full of musicality and expressions that many gymnasts with more challenging elements should aspire to show.

I hope you will take a moment to watch them and will see the beauty in them that I have seen many times.







It both encourages me and perplexes me that gymnastics, a sport, can be so intertwined with art, and mostly, with emotions. Emotions do not always act as a good guide to success and stability but relying on them and trying to understand them makes them turn into a constant learning experience, with endless room to grow and not necessarily measurable results.

Thrilling Ribbon, Truly Bulgarian

The "Margarita Rangelova" tournament in Sofia is one of my favorite event because it bears the name of my favorite sports journalist, Margarita Rangelova, who wrote several books and many articles about Neshka Robeva and the Bulgarian "golden girls." Margarita wrote about gymnastics with infectious enthusiasm, but, at the same time, she never invaded anyone's personal space with her writing. She never rushed to judgment and she never got tired to admire.

I think if she could see what Bulgarian rhythmic gymnastics has become today, she would have continued to seek and praise the most beautiful routines. And she certainly would have loved the routine that I am about to share right now.

Neviana Vladinova, who won this year's edition of the tournament has presented this risky and original ribbon routine that I would like to share with you. Watch for the difficult tosses, for the connections between elements and the unity of the gymnast with the music, which are all attributes of the Bulgarian rhythmic style.




This routine has given me the shivers!

I wish more gymnasts in the future would challenge themselves to present routines with more risk as well as with a memorable and original choreography.