ABOUT THE CLUB
City of Canterbury Rhythmic Gymnastics Club (CCRGC) is a highly successful gymnastics Club in Kent, offering children of all ages coaching in rhythmic gymnastics. As a Club, we want to provide a friendly, supportive and rewarding environment for all our gymnasts and coaches to develop in. We offer recreational and competitive sporting opportunities for all those who want to take part, and we want to encourage more children and adolescents to participate in sport. We aspire to nurture and promote values of equality, tolerance and friendship.
We strongly believe that there’s a rhythmic journey to be found in every child!
​
club History
CCRGC was founded back in the year 1999 by two students from Finland studying at Kent University, Anni Ahmavaara and Anna Halonen. Both had come from a background in Aesthetic Gymnastics and hoped to set up a club in Canterbury in that discipline, however they soon discovered that the Aesthetic discipline did not exist here in the UK, so proceeded to commit to the Rhythmic route. They started the rhythmic discipline alongside the artistic club here in Canterbury and became independent from them in 2004 when the club moved to St Anselm’s Sports hall. Anna moved back to Finland after a few years and Anni continued the club alongside a few parent coaches who assisted her in the gymnasts and clubs success. Over the years the club has seen numerous gymnasts selected for the GBR and ENG national teams, had gymnasts competing internationally with numerous national champions, medallists and regional titles. Anni decided to move back to Finland with her family in spring 2018 and her long term gymnasts Jael Gore and Abbie Wyver stepped up to take over her role and start their new careers in coaching. We now have a great coaching team made up from retired gymnasts, parents and a committee of volunteers who will always honour Anni’s legacy and traditions that she set over her 19 years of running the club.
​
What is Rhythmic Gymnastics
Rhythmic gymnastics is an Olympic sport in which individual gymnasts or a group of 5 gymnasts perform with pieces of apparatus such as: Clubs, Hoop, Ball, Ribbon, Rope and Freehand (no apparatus). An individual athlete only performs with 1 apparatus at a time. When multiple gymnasts are performing a routine together a maximum of two types of apparatus may be distributed throughout the group.
Rhythmic gymnastics is a sport that combines elements of ballet, gymnastics, dance and apparatus technique. The winners are the participants who earn the most points, determined by a panel of judges. Each gymnasts choreography must be original and cover the entire floor area whilst containing required elements and difficulties such as: balances, jumps, leaps, pirouettes, dance, apparatus skills and handling. Each movement involves a high degree of athletic skill and physical abilities. A rhythmic gymnast must show incredible strength, power, flexibility, agility, endurance and hand-eye coordination.
The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite competition. The largest events in the sport are the Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships, Commonwealth Games and The World Cup and Grand-Prix Series. Competitive rhythmic gymnastics began in the 1940s in the Soviet Union. The FIG formally recognized this discipline in 1961, first as Modern Gymnastics, then as Rhythmic Sportive Gymnastics, and finally as Rhythmic Gymnastics. The first World Championships for individual rhythmic gymnasts were held in 1963 in Budapest. Groups were introduced at the same level in 1967 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Rhythmic gymnastics was added to the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, with an Individual All-Around competition.