ACROBATICS
GYMNASTICS

WHAT IS ACROBATIC GYMNASTICS?

Acrobatic gymnastics or “acro” is an artistic sport that combines choreography, individual gymnastic elements and human pyramids. It involves partners balancing upon each other, dynamic throws and catches, individual and choreographic elements. Routines are set to music.

Acrobatic gymnastics features three types of routines:  Balance, Dynamic and Combined.  All are composed of the same parts:  group elements, individual elements, choreographic elements.

  • Balance routines demonstrate strength, flexibility and agility.  Partners stay in constant contact.  Elements may be static holds, mounts or motions that end with a static hold.

  • Dynamic routines demonstrate flight and include a variety of directions, rotation, twists, body shapes and landings.  Contact between partners is brief and assists or interrupts flight.

  • Combined routines contain both balance and dynamic elements.

Acrobatic Gymnastics is made up of 5 event categories:

  • Women’s Pair

  • Men’s Pair

  • Mixed Pair

  • Women’s Group

  • Men’s Group

Gymnastics Saskatchewan will use the USAG Acro JO Levels 5 & 6 for inter-club events.  Units will perform one combined exercise which contains balance skills, dynamic skills and individual elements.

JO Program

JO Level 5: Exercises consist of compulsory skills along with compulsory music.

JO Level 6: Exercises consist of compulsory skills with choreography and music selected by the athletes and coach.

  • Routine requirements can be found HERE in the USAG JO Code of Points (Levels 5-10)

  • JO Level 5 & 6 Compulsory Routine Videos can be found HERE.

  • JO Level 5 Compulsory Music can be found HERE.

  • JO Level 5 & 6 Tariff sheets must be printed out by the Meet Director which can be found HERE.

INTERCLUB

WE DEVELOP YOUNG CITIZENS & ADULT LEADERS

Gymnastics Saskatchewan has adopted the USAG JO Levels 7-10, FIG Acro World Age Group and FIG Acro Code of Points programs for various levels of competitive Acrobatic Gymnastics.

USAG JO Levels 7-10

JO Level 7: Continues the progression of compulsory levels and allows coaches/athletes to select skills and choreography. Coaches/athletes will have to select on skill per row from the compulsory skills table. They will be given two options for each row.

JO Level 8: This is the final compulsory level. It introduces the concept of separate balance and dynamic routines with a choice of compulsory skills and optional elements.

JO Level 9 & 10: These levels follow FIG guidelines and consist of fully optional skills, music, and choreography. Athletes are required to perform two exercises, balance and dynamic. Difficulty value of skills is variable depending on the choice of skill(s) being performed.

  • Routine requirements can be found HERE in the USAG JO Code of Points (Level 5-10).

  • Tariff Sheet templates can be downloaded HERE.

COMPETITIVE

Youth, AG 1, AG2, Junior & Senior

Youth: Skills and requirements are based on FIG Age Group 11-16. Youth is considered an international beginner level and is practiced in various provinces in Canada and many European competitions. USAG is slowly introducing this level in some of their competitions. Athletes perform one combined exercise composed of optional elements meeting certain requirements.

FIG 11-16 (AG 1): This is the first international FIG level. FIG Age Group (11-16) rules are used. This level has two routines separating balance and dynamic elements from each other. This level still has compulsory skills, but it is the first level to allow coaches to select optional elements from the FIG Tables of Difficulty. Please refer to the FIG Acro Code of Points and Acro World Age Group Rules for more information.

FIG 12-18 (AG 2): This level follows FIG World Age Group 12-18 requirements. All skills must be selected from the Acro Code of Points. There are no compulsory skills, only special requirements used to help coaches select skills. This level introduces a third routine (combined routine) for athletes who qualify for finals. Please refer to the FIG Acro Code of Points and Acro World Age Group Rules for more information.

FIG 13-19 (Junior): This level follows the FIG World Age Group 13-19 requirements. All skills must be selected from the Acro Code of Points. There are no compulsory skills, only special requirements used to help coaches select skills. This level also has a third routine (combined routine).

FIG 13+ (Senior): For this level coaches must follow the FIG Acrobatic rules. Please refer to the FIG Acro Code of Points and Acro technical rules for more information.