By far and away one of the most original and interesting floor routines. Soviet floor routines of the 80's are the epitome of women's artistic gymnastics.
Can we start a petition demanding floor ex return to its original form? This is real artistry. Artistic. An actual "work of art" routine. Simply stunning.
No, we can't. Maybe what you want to do is position for ballet to be made an Olympic sport. As gymnastics is a sport, it is about the skills, not the artistry per se. I always thought it completely misogynistic that the floor is even performed to music at all.
I say if it's not your style that's fine. But please let's look at this to what it is, a performance. This is, to date, one of the most beautiful and original floor routines. Stravinsky???? OMG!!! Modern dance to its core. Absolutely gorgeously astonishingly beautiful. I am almost speechless. Every Soviet floor routine was a performance at this championships, but this one is off the charts amazing. I'm done. WOW!!!!!
My favorite floor routine! I've never seen so much originality, fluidity of movement, spirit, intensity and precision combined in one amazing athlete and artist! She truly embodied the essence of gymnastics. Thank you so much for sharing.
Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring", is not an easy piece of music to choreograph into a floor routine, let alone to perform with one's body... Olga Strazheva, you're awesome. (And so is your choreographer.)
@@ranaantonio I once read that the same choreographer also is the one responsible for Boginskaya's 1988 Carmen floor routine. If so, it seems like he specializes in unusual interpretations of music which requires the gymnast to contort their body into a lot of unusual positions. Do you remember his name? I say his because I could've sworn that it was a male name but I might be wrong about that.
@glibster What's so great about this routine is that it is pure Modern Dance. While most gymnast, if they use ANY dance at all in their routines, incorporate ballet...Olga does Modern Dance.
Strazheva is one of my favorites of all time! At these Worlds, either she of Natalia Laschenova (the silver AA medalist) should have won gold over Boguinskaya. This 1989 World's team has to be the greatest team of all time too!
"Rite of Spring" was actually a ballet choreographed by Nijinsky. The elements he incorporated include modern dance but it was still a ballet. In any event, it caused a near-riot in it's debut in 1913 Paris!
It's not for everyone, but I think most can appreciate the effort to actually interpret the music, pick a style of choreography and go with it. As you said, it's original. There is nothing contrite about this routine and no one could ever duplicate it. It's very her. Love it.
And elements taken directly from najinsky's original choreography. All the angularity and (deliberately) flexed feet are taken directly from the original ballet.
The choreography for both is based on the late great Nijinsky's choreo for "Rite of Spring". It's only natural there would be some similariities when choreography that followed is based on the Master himself!
I have known this music all my life, because of this floor routine. Only recently I learned that it is the ballet 'Le Sacre du Printemps' by Stravinsky, and it is about a prehistoric Slavic maid that is being ritually sacrificed and needs to dance till death. Knowing this makes this floor routine even better. Those Soviet choreographers sure knew their classics!
If you think this performance is amazing, check out Olga's tumbling from the 1988 USA vs. USSR Floor. Olga does two front handsprings to a double front, IMMEDIATELY tumbles backwards with two back handsprings into a 1 3/4 tucked dive roll (a move now banned), second pass a whip through to a double tuck, and then she finishes with a full-in tuck.
Yes, the user Yernar posted a fan video that was taken from the stands. Not tv quality, but NO commentary! Bliss! Unfortunately, YT won't allow links to be posted in Comments but the video is under the name Olga Strazheva 1989 Worlds Gymnastics FX. Hope that helps! :)
After Evgeniya Kanaeva hoop routine in 2012 with the Rite of Spring this is my second favorite performance with the tune, gotta have to say I found it harder to perform in WAG
Shushunova? She didn't look as delicate and artistic as the rest of the Soviet team, but if you compare her with the Americans of today like not even close to mini-linebacker or powerful bulky type of gymnast. She still had better lines and dance skills than Douglas, Maroney and Ross.
Well yes it has because of the open-ended code driving difficulty higher. But gymnasts were still performing almost all of the most difficult elements now back then. So it was always difficult but generally optional to throw big skills but still done, but now of course it is a requirement. Anyway artistic routines still exist. Check out Anastashia Grishina and Laurie Hernandez for well choreographed routines, Hernandez is only 13 I think, brilliant expression.
@Oberon80113 - lol, I know what you mean. Sooner or later, most gymn fans realize that the Soviets were on another level from most Americans of that period in many areas. I think Brandy Johnson was pretty close to the Soviets in areas of her gymnastics- she just had a very "American" style. It was a really well-done American style, though. Love Brandy! I liked the music that Christy Henrich used for her routine- & she had some pretty clean execution in areas. I still like watching Christy!
Is there a version I can see without the annoying commentary? I'm in love with the music and choreography, but any language speaking over it just ruins it for me.
Actually, the user Yernar posted one filmed from the stands. Not as great as tv quality but No commentary! :) YT won't let me post the full link but it's under the name Olga Strazheva 1989 Worlds Gymnastics FX.
She already had a lot of amount of difficulty before that. She could to the the double double and a layout. In my opinion she always played safe in competitions with the USSR and later with the unified team.
Gymnastics in the past used to be more artistic and graceful than now. Today all the gymnasts look like guys and they are too strong. I think the grace and the "atypical" moves have being lost as years go by! I'm a huge fun of Nastia Liukin and I love so much gymnastics but I think gymnastics in the past was better and more artistic. Nowdays is only Gymnastics.. not ARTISTIC Gymnastics! :(
Gymnasts (especially American gymnasts and I'm speaking as an American) aren't 'too strong'. They're too muscular! They're muscle groups especially in the upper body are overdeveloped to the point that they look like mini-linebackers with a few exceptions like Liukin (in her prime), Douglas, Maroney and Ross who are long and lean.
@HereWasRachel - yeah, those men really got the backside of that ending pose, lol. I don't think they were judges, though - they were probably working in some other technical capacity. For one thing, I think it's a no-no for judges to talk to each other like that. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I've ever seen any actual male judges of the women's events - as far as I can see, the judges are all female. Just like in men's gymn, you never see any female judges.
Honestly... I've tried, and I just don't see the appeal of this routine. I guess the choreography is just too out-there for me - though I commend her originality. God knows we need more of that these days. Got to send some love out to 80s gymnastics... :)
I would say the 1991 Unified Team was stronger than the '89 Soviet team. Boguinskaya was the only weak link in terms of difficulty (but all of her routines still 10.00 in the C.O.P. of the time), which she made up for with her impeccable form. Interestingly, she would later show she could still do the a lot of the hard stuff when she came back from retirement in 1995-96 with overall the most difficulty she's ever had, thanks to training with Bela Karolyi.
By far and away one of the most original and interesting floor routines. Soviet floor routines of the 80's are the epitome of women's artistic gymnastics.
Can we start a petition demanding floor ex return to its original form? This is real artistry. Artistic. An actual "work of art" routine. Simply stunning.
Yes.... I wonder where those former Soviet choreographers are.....
I like college level gymnastics because it’s more creative than elite, and the girls have more fun with it as well so it always seems so much happier
No, we can't. Maybe what you want to do is position for ballet to be made an Olympic sport. As gymnastics is a sport, it is about the skills, not the artistry per se. I always thought it completely misogynistic that the floor is even performed to music at all.
@@timothyp7300 mysogynist? Really?? I dont understand your ponit of view
@@timothyp7300 shut Up!!
I miss the gymnastics from the 80s and 90s
I say if it's not your style that's fine. But please let's look at this to what it is, a performance. This is, to date, one of the most beautiful and original floor routines. Stravinsky???? OMG!!! Modern dance to its core. Absolutely gorgeously astonishingly beautiful. I am almost speechless. Every Soviet floor routine was a performance at this championships, but this one is off the charts amazing. I'm done. WOW!!!!!
My favorite floor routine! I've never seen so much originality, fluidity of movement, spirit, intensity and precision combined in one amazing athlete and artist! She truly embodied the essence of gymnastics. Thank you so much for sharing.
Willow K oak kk
This wasn't a routine it was a performance!
Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring", is not an easy piece of music to choreograph into a floor routine, let alone to perform with one's body... Olga Strazheva, you're awesome. (And so is your choreographer.)
Her choreographer was a Bolshoi ballet dancer !
@@ranaantonio I once read that the same choreographer also is the one responsible for Boginskaya's 1988 Carmen floor routine. If so, it seems like he specializes in unusual interpretations of music which requires the gymnast to contort their body into a lot of unusual positions. Do you remember his name? I say his because I could've sworn that it was a male name but I might be wrong about that.
One of my favourite floor routines ever!
The choreography was unique. Macabre-like.
favorite routine... ever. stunning.
@glibster What's so great about this routine is that it is pure Modern Dance. While most gymnast, if they use ANY dance at all in their routines, incorporate ballet...Olga does Modern Dance.
Советский Союз всегда прекрасные гимнасты
Stravinski + Nijinksi + Strazheva = LEGENDS
Strazheva is one of my favorites of all time! At these Worlds, either she of Natalia Laschenova (the silver AA medalist) should have won gold over Boguinskaya. This 1989 World's team has to be the greatest team of all time too!
Completely agree. With all due respect to SB, these two are underappreciated.
"Rite of Spring" was actually a ballet choreographed by Nijinsky. The elements he incorporated include modern dance but it was still a ballet. In any event, it caused a near-riot in it's debut in 1913 Paris!
It's not for everyone, but I think most can appreciate the effort to actually interpret the music, pick a style of choreography and go with it. As you said, it's original. There is nothing contrite about this routine and no one could ever duplicate it. It's very her. Love it.
Perfection. Absolute perfection.
OMG - Stravinsky for floor music. I am in love.
And elements taken directly from najinsky's original choreography. All the angularity and (deliberately) flexed feet are taken directly from the original ballet.
wow... the soviets really ruled on the floor back then!
The choreography for both is based on the late great Nijinsky's choreo for "Rite of Spring". It's only natural there would be some similariities when choreography that followed is based on the Master himself!
I have known this music all my life, because of this floor routine. Only recently I learned that it is the ballet 'Le Sacre du Printemps' by Stravinsky, and it is about a prehistoric Slavic maid that is being ritually sacrificed and needs to dance till death. Knowing this makes this floor routine even better. Those Soviet choreographers sure knew their classics!
Their expressions were priceless!
It looks like she is in a theatre performing.
wow - way ahead of it's time
If you think this performance is amazing, check out Olga's tumbling from the 1988 USA vs. USSR Floor. Olga does two front handsprings to a double front, IMMEDIATELY tumbles backwards with two back handsprings into a 1 3/4 tucked dive roll (a move now banned), second pass a whip through to a double tuck, and then she finishes with a full-in tuck.
Et en plus tout est fait parfaitement!
Офигенно!! Супер!!!
Yes, the user Yernar posted a fan video that was taken from the stands. Not tv quality, but NO commentary! Bliss! Unfortunately, YT won't allow links to be posted in Comments but the video is under the name Olga Strazheva 1989 Worlds Gymnastics FX. Hope that helps! :)
After Evgeniya Kanaeva hoop routine in 2012 with the Rite of Spring this is my second favorite performance with the tune, gotta have to say I found it harder to perform in WAG
This is from a ballet but with modern dance elements. :)
88서울 올림픽때 부상 입어서 걱정 많았는데...넘 멋진 선수
Yes, it's a ballet piece but with a lot of modern dance elements, such as the unpointed feet.
Ahh, so THAT's where Kate Richardson got the idea for her 2004 routine ...!
Sometimes I wish the Soviet Union would reunify.
If only for floor routines like this.
1:39 is the best part the guys in the background look at each other lol
Shushunova? She didn't look as delicate and artistic as the rest of the Soviet team, but if you compare her with the Americans of today like not even close to mini-linebacker or powerful bulky type of gymnast. She still had better lines and dance skills than Douglas, Maroney and Ross.
Well yes it has because of the open-ended code driving difficulty higher. But gymnasts were still performing almost all of the most difficult elements now back then. So it was always difficult but generally optional to throw big skills but still done, but now of course it is a requirement. Anyway artistic routines still exist. Check out Anastashia Grishina and Laurie Hernandez for well choreographed routines, Hernandez is only 13 I think, brilliant expression.
@Oberon80113 - lol, I know what you mean. Sooner or later, most gymn fans realize that the Soviets were on another level from most Americans of that period in many areas.
I think Brandy Johnson was pretty close to the Soviets in areas of her gymnastics- she just had a very "American" style. It was a really well-done American style, though. Love Brandy!
I liked the music that Christy Henrich used for her routine- & she had some pretty clean execution in areas. I still like watching Christy!
Is there a version I can see without the annoying commentary? I'm in love with the music and choreography, but any language speaking over it just ruins it for me.
This does the Ballets Russes serious justice.
Actually, the user Yernar posted one filmed from the stands. Not as great as tv quality but No commentary! :) YT won't let me post the full link but it's under the name Olga Strazheva 1989 Worlds Gymnastics FX.
She already had a lot of amount of difficulty before that. She could to the the double double and a layout. In my opinion she always played safe in competitions with the USSR and later with the unified team.
Gymnastics in the past used to be more artistic and graceful than now. Today all the gymnasts look like guys and they are too strong. I think the grace and the "atypical" moves have being lost as years go by!
I'm a huge fun of Nastia Liukin and I love so much gymnastics but I think gymnastics in the past was better and more artistic. Nowdays is only Gymnastics.. not ARTISTIC Gymnastics! :(
Unfortunately not (or at least I've never seen one) but the music is here on YT if that's what you're looking for.
Totally BITING off Boginskaya!!!
Grishina is great, Hernandez is excellent but none compare to the Soviets. Filatova and Ilienko could sell balletic pieces even better than Anastasia.
大好きな選手です(´ω｀*)
Looks like 'woah!'
Olga Morozova-Ioda
Well, strictly speaking she's doing an interpretation of a ballet piece, but a very unconventional one.
on the double spin, and a couple of landings, but thats being pedantic, it is a spectacular routine....
@BoraBoraGal To be honest and fair, the Russian top 3 juniors were not there. The US sent their best.
Gymnasts (especially American gymnasts and I'm speaking as an American) aren't 'too strong'. They're too muscular! They're muscle groups especially in the upper body are overdeveloped to the point that they look like mini-linebackers with a few exceptions like Liukin (in her prime), Douglas, Maroney and Ross who are long and lean.
@HereWasRachel - yeah, those men really got the backside of that ending pose, lol.
I don't think they were judges, though - they were probably working in some other technical capacity. For one thing, I think it's a no-no for judges to talk to each other like that. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I've ever seen any actual male judges of the women's events - as far as I can see, the judges are all female. Just like in men's gymn, you never see any female judges.
Honestly... I've tried, and I just don't see the appeal of this routine. I guess the choreography is just too out-there for me - though I commend her originality. God knows we need more of that these days.
Got to send some love out to 80s gymnastics... :)
God I miss communism!
beautiful routine but the commentators yapping just ruins things
I would say the 1991 Unified Team was stronger than the '89 Soviet team. Boguinskaya was the only weak link in terms of difficulty (but all of her routines still 10.00 in the C.O.P. of the time), which she made up for with her impeccable form. Interestingly, she would later show she could still do the a lot of the hard stuff when she came back from retirement in 1995-96 with overall the most difficulty she's ever had, thanks to training with Bela Karolyi.
@faeryquene
Built like mini-linebackers? Built like Shushunova you mean.
Made In Japan
LOL I like you Karen!
Hmmp that don;t impress me much. Opening the legs in the direction of the male official was particularly vulgar.