§ Circus acrobatics
Circus acrobatics is a combination circus performances, characterized certain means and only by their inherent effective features. In the circus, acrobatics occupies a dominant position. Gymnasts, jugglers, and even clowns master acrobatic techniques. Types of circus acrobatics can be divided into two groups:
- 1. Dynamic (turning the body: somersaults, pirouettes, rolls).
- 2. Static (maintaining balance in various positions).
Types of circus acrobatics are constantly changing and developing: jumping, power, equestrian, voltage, air, plastic, comic, Rhine wheel - spirals or straight rolls are performed on this apparatus, and acrobatic and gymnastic elements are performed during the movement of the wheel. The Rhine wheel consists of 2 rims of steel tubes connected by brackets, with grips for arms and legs. Depending on the weight of the athlete, the dimensions of the wheel can be from 1.5 to 2.2 m in diameter and from 0.4 to 0.6 m in width. The technique of straight rolls on the Rhine wheel is that the wheel must move at a uniform speed, and must stop at a certain point. When performing spirals, the wheel touches the floor with only one rim and moves in an almost circular orbit. Preparation and training of acrobats are carried out according to the usual division of the year into 3 stages. During preparatory phase new elements and exercises are being studied. The competitive period begins with competitions on lowest level and ends with national and world championships. Among circus acrobats Chinese acrobats stand out separately.
§ Sports acrobatics
Decisive steps towards the final separation of sports acrobatics from demonstration performances have been undertaken in 1960 The competitions of special groups on the carpet and in the air were cancelled. The rules clearly define only a few implements that can be used in competition. In subsequent years, sports acrobatics has become one of the most spectacular views sports.
Sports acrobatics- kind of sport, competitions in the performance of complexes of special exercise(jumping, power, etc.) associated with maintaining balance (balancing) and rotation of the body with and without support.
Sports acrobatics- a kind of sport, competitions in the performance of acrobatic exercises, includes three groups of exercises: acrobatic jumps, trampoline and pair or group exercises (see Appendix).
In sports acrobatics, the following disciplines are distinguished:
l soloists perform acrobatic jumps, such as forward somersaults, rondat, flick-flac, back somersaults, etc.;
- couples (female, male and mixed), performing static or dynamic exercises and throws, combining them with gymnastic and acrobatic jumps;
group ( women's groups 3 people each and men's 4 people each) - the performance of static pyramids or throws, gymnastic elements are used as transitions for an aesthetic combination of exercises;
b jumping on a trampoline.
Thus, competitions in sports acrobatics consist in performing a set of exercises while maintaining balance and body rotation. Points for performance are awarded according to the same system as in artistic gymnastics. The technique of performing acrobatic jumps (jumping acrobatics) is similar to the technique of performing floor exercises in artistic gymnastics. Pair work is a coordinated alternation of static and dynamic elements. For this, it is necessary that the upper, lighter partner takes into account the operation of the laws of physics, and the lower partner applies them reasonably. For the performance of voltages, a special technique is needed. Voltage is the throw of the top partner (bottom partner) from hand to foot or vice versa. Voltages can be combined with somersaults and turns around the longitudinal axis.
In group work, the difference between static and dynamic exercises is even clearer than in pair work. Extraordinarily developed sense balance in athletes is a prerequisite for a static pyramid. The pyramid must be built and fixed in such a way that the main load falls all the time on the center of gravity of the entire pyramid. Having taken a handstand, the top partner should take a strictly vertical position so that the imaginary vertical axis runs from the tip of the toes to the hands. The technique of performing dynamic exercises is similar to exercises of couples with throws. During the throw, the partner rotates around the vertical, horizontal and longitudinal axes.
Both sports and circus acrobatics require appropriate material support for training and competition. This applies to main and additional shells and clothing.
Mats for acrobatics are made of 15 mm felt, 12x12 m in size. A jump track on a rubber base with a felt coating, 1.5x25 m in size, a take-off run of 10-15 m. The width of the track is indicated by white stripes. In the USSR, a special track for jumping was developed, which along its entire length has the same characteristics as the bridge. Training equipment includes hand and ceiling lounges. Ceiling lounges are used mainly for training especially difficult elements in the work of pairs and groups, as well as in ski jumping, manual lounges - when performing acrobatic jumps.
Bagels, hats and pillows are used as additional equipment, which can also be used during competitions.
Women wear gymnastic leotards, men wear long gymnastic trousers and T-shirts; gymnastic slippers are required.
Sports acrobatics is included in International Federation gymnastics (FIG) along with sports, rhythmic and general gymnastics, as well as sports aerobics.
As a kind of sports acrobatics, which later emerged as independent sports, ski and parachute acrobatics can be distinguished.
§ Ski acrobatics
This is one of the elements of freestyle skiing. Athletes make jumps and somersaults from springboards. Points are awarded for lift-off technique, flight altitude and length, element shape and landing. In ski acrobatics, athletes from a specially profiled springboard make a series of two jumps of different complexity. Springboards are of 3 types: large (triple) (height 4.05 m, slope 70 °); medium (double) (3.5 m, 65°); small (alto) (2.1 m, 55 °). The landing mountain must be covered with loose snow. Points are awarded for take-off technique, flight path, figure and landing. 5 judges evaluate the figure (out of 7 points), 2 judges evaluate the landing (out of 3 points). The highest and lowest scores for the flight are discarded, the remaining 3 scores are summed up. From the scores for the landing, the average score is derived and multiplied by 3. The totals received for the flight (maximum - 21 points) and landing (maximum - 9 points), are added and multiplied by the element complexity factor. By the largest number points determine the winner. On this moment, the unofficial record is the sum of points - 268.7.
§ Parachute acrobatics
When executing elements parachute, or dome, acrobatics skydivers form figures, entering into direct contact with other athletes. In the arsenal of any type of acrobatics a large number of tricks, varying in complexity and entertainment. All of them are based on the basic types of movements: somersaults forward and backward, handstands, flips. Like any sport, when performing aerobics classes, safety rules are required. Basically, this applies to clothing for classes and the arrangement of the hall. It is forbidden to wear unsportsmanlike clothes and shoes during training, it is necessary to take off watches, chains, bracelets.
The term "acrobatics" was born in Ancient Greece. "Akrobates" in Greek means "he who walks on his toes" ("akros" - the one who is at the end, "bitis" - to walk). The ancient Hellenes gave great importance harmonious development of a person; they paid special attention to his physical perfection. Acrobatics is based on mastery of the body, high development of muscles.
Many years before our era, acrobatics was known in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, Byzantium. Moreover, acrobats were then called not only the actual acrobats, but also itinerant artists, tightrope walkers, dancers.
In one of the songs of Homer's "Odyssey" the author told how the feasters were entertained by two "jumpers" who "according with the ringing lyre jumped ... galloped nimbly". On about. Crete in 1500 BC acrobatic games with bulls were widespread (imprinted on the frescoes and reliefs of the Palace of Knossos) carvings on stone from Egypt (1150 BC) indicate that Egyptian acrobats were able to stand on their heads, on their hands, jump from foot to hand and with hands to feet through sharp swords, roll over back over the back together, perform the bridge. Grech, the historian Xenophon (430-354 BC) spoke of a Syracusan dancer who showed "inversion of the body and imitation of the wheel." She also jumped through a hoop studded with sharp swords.
Interest in acrobatics did not die out in the Middle Ages. On the images that have come down to us (the church of Saint-Denis in Amboise, the church of La Chaise le Vicomte, marginal drawings of the book Roman about Alexander "), acrobats of the 14th centuries were recorded, performing handstands and headstands, backflips, pole vaults" .
Books on acrobatics written in the 16th century are known. These are the "Textbook of somersaults" (in essence, the first manual on acrobatics) and "Three dialogues on exercises in jumping and vaulting in the air" (1599), written by the prominent French acrobat Tucarro, who systematized the acrobatic elements known at that time.
An engraving from the 16th century. Unknown artist depicted acrobats jumping from a springboard with a front somersault through 10 hoops. In the letter of the Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (1648), who condemned the "blasphemous" buffoon games, the custom of "jumping on boards" was also mentioned.
During the Renaissance, competitions of "living architecture" were held in Venice. Acrobats competed in the ability to build pyramids, the height of which reached 9 m, and the number of acrobats in one pyramid was up to 30. Art cf. age-old acrobats did not yet know the division into different roles.
In the circus, professional acrobatics appeared in late XVIII V. and began to develop successfully independent genre. Thanks to the extraordinary variety of species, the greatest variety of exercises and various forms acrobatic performances occupy a dominant position in the circus compared to other genres. Possession of acrobatic techniques is necessary for every circus performer - a clown, a gymnast, a jockey, and a juggler. Acrobatics gives excellent development of all muscles.
It is known that about 45 percent of the weight of an adult is in the muscles. If we take into account that a person has up to six hundred muscles, then it is not difficult to imagine what a powerful motor apparatus an acrobat has, since all muscle groups participate in the exercises he performs. Comprehensive physical development, which gives acrobatics, allows the performer to successfully master other genres, such as gymnastics, balancing act.
Some varieties of acrobatics - power, jumping - are widely used in sports. This, to a certain extent, was once facilitated by circus performers who left different reasons work in the arena and settled in gyms as trainers. Many circus performers participated in sports competitions in acrobatics. Demonstrating a high class, they won prizes, which, of course, served to popularize and develop acrobatics in Soviet sports.
Despite some commonality of many exercises, performance techniques and muscle efforts, circus and sports acrobatics are largely different. Sports acrobatics is a means physical development and upbringing of a person. results sports achievements revealed during the competition. And circus acrobatics, in addition, serves to create artwork(numbers), in which each acrobatic element is not an end in itself, but a means of expressing artistic intent.
There are many techniques for performing acrobatic elements. They can be demonstrated on the arena and above the arena, using props or projectiles, as well as without using them. Acrobatic exercises are performed by a group and solo, dynamically and statically - and depending on the nature of the Pomor and creative task. However, with the dog-stunt variety of acrobatics, it is based on two elements - somersaults in a handstand. Almost all stunt combinations of all varieties of acrobatics are held on them. Stunt combinations are very limited without somersaults, you can’t do without it when working with a springboard, trampoline, throwing boards, in Icarian games, in shoulder acrobatics. Moreover, a back somersault is used much more often than a front one (with the exception of jumping from a springboard and on a trampoline). Some technical features performing a front somersault limit its use - it is more difficult for the orientation of an acrobat, who sees the landing point a little later than when performing a back somersault, and most importantly, it is difficult for the lower one to catch an acrobat performing a front somersault on his shoulders.
And power and vaulting acrobatics cannot be without a handstand. It is widely used not only in acrobatics, but also in balancing act; it is also used by ring gymnasts and even clowns.
In terms of their importance and scope of application, somersaults and handstands are dominant expressive means circus art.
Literature:
Z.B. Gurevich "About the genres of the Soviet circus".
Encyclopedia "Circus Art of Russia"
One of the favorite and spectacular circus genres is acrobatics, known since the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Rome, Byzantium and Greece. Information about acrobatic competitions is also found in Homer's Odyssey. The Moscow circuses offer you a variety of acrobatic attractions, many of which are unique and awarded the highest awards international circus festivals:
- Acrobat on a motorcycle, in addition to the impressive balancing act, which he performs flawlessly, in his performance the artist uses a hat, which not only becomes his partner, but is also a beautiful tool in the hands of an extreme acrobat.
- Acrobat rollerbladers- this group of young artists already has more than one award for their skills, they are laureates International Competition in Korea and have a Gold Medal at the International Competition for Young Performers in Moscow. Roller circus performers can easily do things that others cannot do without roller skates. They jump over each other, perform complex pirouettes, somersaults, handstands and all this at a fast pace, with enthusiasm and courage..
- Acrobats with flip boards- a number unique in complexity, in which acrobats not only perform record tricks, including double and triple somersaults, but do it on giant stilts, this is extremely rare in the arena. The unique circus acrobatic number was enthusiastically received in many countries, including Norway, Sweden, Mongolia, France, Austria, Japan.
- Acrobats-eccentrics on the original bike- an incredible giant bike becomes a playground for inventive and hilarious acrobats, doing the most incredible stunts They use the wheel of a bicycle as a trampoline.
- Acrobat Voltigeurs- this unique group of acrobats has many different prizes including Grand Prize International Festival circus art in Monte Carlo - "Golden Clown" - in the circus world, this award is like an "Oscar" in the film industry. The work of these twelve acrobats is so unique that documentary, telling about the original solutions found and the innovation of athletes.
- Aerial acrobats-voltigeurs on a swing platform- it's unique circus genre and in the whole world there are only two aerial acrobatic numbers on a swinging platform, in the circus on Vernadsky you can see one of them. At a great height under the dome of the circus on a swinging platform, acrobats perform record-breaking triple back somersaults, blunges, graceful long jumps from a height of 14 meters.
- Acrobats on a Russian stick- these circus artists came to the arena from professional sports, they are Masters of Sports, champions of Russia among juniors, this training helps them perform record tricks - triple somersault, double somersault with pirouette, double somersault arching. And although the number is only two years old, the artists have already managed to conquer the audience of New Zealand, Europe, Latin America and Japan.
- Acrobats on poles- the artists are not just demonstrating a number, they are playing a whole performance, and you can’t refuse them acting skills. With enviable ease and without insurance, they perform somersaults, somersaults with pirouettes, somersault blanche, three somersaults and mortales with an exact arrival on a narrow crossbar, the artists perform all these tricks of record complexity with humor, amusing the audience and delighting with their acting finds. Behind the highest level complexity and acting skills Acrobats on poles received awards: bronze of the 6th International Festival in China, bronze All-Russian festival circus art in Yaroslavl, a silver medal of the International Festival in Budapest.
And you can get to know the circus art better in the following sections of the site.
Acrobatics is a consistent system of various acrobatic elements and their direct performance by athletes. Acrobatics is one of the most popular species gymnastics. This is a complex-coordinating sport that requires dexterity, good physical form, special attention and concentration.
History of acrobatics
For many years before our era, acrobatics was known in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Ancient Greece, Byzantium. Moreover, acrobats were then called not only acrobats themselves, but also itinerant artists, tightrope walkers, dancers. Interest in acrobatics did not die out even in the Middle Ages. On the images that have come down to us (the church of Saint-Denis in Amboise, the church of La Chaise le Vicomte, marginal drawings of the book Roman about Alexander "), acrobats of the 14th centuries were recorded, performing handstands and headstands, backflips, pole vaults" .During the Renaissance, competitions of "living architecture" were held in Venice. Acrobats competed in the ability to build pyramids, the height of which reached 9 m, and the number of acrobats in one pyramid was up to 30. Art cf. age-old acrobats did not yet know the division into different roles.
Acrobatics and circus
Professional acrobatics appeared in the circus at the end of the 18th century. and began to develop successfully as an independent genre. Thanks to the extraordinary variety of species, the greatest variety of exercises and various forms of performance, acrobatics occupies a dominant position in the circus compared to other genres. Possession of acrobatic techniques is necessary for every circus performer - a clown, a gymnast, a jockey, and a juggler. Acrobatics gives excellent development of all muscles.
Varieties of acrobatics
Some varieties of acrobatics - power, jumping - are widely used in sports. To a certain extent, this was once facilitated by circus performers who, for various reasons, left work in the arena and settled in gyms as trainers. Many circus performers participated in sports competitions in acrobatics. Demonstrating a high class, they won prizes, which, of course, served to popularize and develop acrobatics in Soviet sports.
Despite some commonality of many exercises, performance techniques and muscle efforts, circus and sports acrobatics are largely different. Sports acrobatics is a means of physical development and education of a person. The results of sports achievements are revealed during the competition. And circus acrobatics, in addition, serves to create a work of art (number), in which each acrobatic element is not an end in itself, but a means of expressing an artistic intention.
Acrobatic elements
There are many techniques for performing acrobatic elements. They can be demonstrated on the arena and above the arena, using props or projectiles, as well as without using them. Acrobatic exercises are performed by a group and solo, dynamically and statically - and depending on the nature of the Pomor and the creative task. However, with all the stunt variety of acrobatics, it is based on two elements - somersaults and a handstand. Almost all stunt combinations of all varieties of acrobatics are held on them. Stunt combinations are very limited without somersaults, you can’t do without it when working with a springboard, trampoline, throwing boards, in Icarian games, in shoulder acrobatics.
Moreover, a back somersault is used much more often than a front one (with the exception of jumping from a springboard and on a trampoline). Some technical features of performing a front somersault limit its use - it is more difficult to orient an acrobat, who sees the landing point a little later than when performing a back somersault, and most importantly, it is difficult for the lower one to catch an acrobat performing a front somersault on his shoulders.
