On the Dutch floor routines

The Dutch floor routines have created quite a stir and some heated debate on the gymternet. People seem to have one of two lines of thought regarding their dance-skill-and-artistry-heavy routines:

Who cares about the tumbling? They have beautiful artistry. Why does it matter that they only have two D passes?

or

Right, they're pretty, but tumbling isn't supposed to be an afterthought in a floor routine. It's basically just a very pretty form of code whoring.


I'm in the second camp. I enjoy watching Lieke and Eythora, but I don't support their scores (Lieke especially, since Eythora's are pretty much unable to break 14) being among the highest in the world. To use an oft-ridiculed phrase, "It's gymnastics, not dance." Even back in the ever-celebrated 1980s, the top routines had three passes, most of them having at least one pass more difficult than Lieke's and Eythora's.

Now, I'm all for encouraging artistic routines. But with the intense focus the gymternet has placed on artistry, I actually think tumbling has been undervalued in the gymternet's collective conscious. I also think it has created a mindset of artistry and difficulty as two opposing forces, with one having to win out over the other. This is a very unbalanced mindset. The tumbling elements, dance elements, and purely artistic performance aspects of a floor routine are all supposed work in harmony with one another, not compete for prominence.

There are plenty of routines where the technical and performance aspects do work in harmony (some even having very high difficulty) that seem to be forgotten when the debate over the Dutch gymnasts arises in favor of a "war between difficulty and artistry" outlook. This is supremely unhelpful because the conversation spirals into an "is tumbling or artistry more important?" issue and the actual goal of artistic gymnastics floor routines- a cohesive routine where all the elements combine to make one strong performance- is ignored. Routines with two bare-bones tumbling passes but with lots of spins and lovely artistry are just as unbalanced as routines in which every pass is mind-blowingly difficult and even clean but the gymnast can't hit full split and the choreography and performance are sorely lacking.

I love the Dutch team and enjoy watching Lieke and Eythora on floor, but their approach to constructing their routines is flawed and only feeds even more strongly into a "Neither can live while the other survives" artistry vs. tumbling sentiment. I just hope that FIG makes changes to the rules on floor next quad so I can just appreciate these routines as the pretty routines they are after this quad and not be concerned about it becoming a trend.

The Weirdest Worlds EVER!

Yeah, I know I'm about a week after what could be considered reasonable timing for this post, but The Gymternet just started post-Worlds coverage as has The Couch Gymnast, so I feel justified in that.

The Good Surprises

• SANNE WEVERS HAS A WORLD BEAM MEDAL!!!!
• Great Britain got a team medal on both sides
• Brenna Dowell has officially competed at a World Championships and got the pike double front named after her with only the clapping of the audience as her track
• Sanne Wevers got a SILVER on BEAM
• The Netherlands qualified directly to Rio!! And were represented in three individual finals.
• Shang Chunsong is suddenly a beast
• Gabby won the AA silver
• Vika didn't fall of the beam in a major international event final.
• Farah Ann Abdul Hadi earned a higher AA total than either of the "Belorussians."
• Did I mention Sanne Wevers is A WORLD MEDALIST ON BEAM?

The Bad Surprises

• Romania only qualifying in 13th. If the Tokyo qualifying rules were implemented this quad, they wouldn't be going to Rio.
• On the flip-side of the Netherlands qualifying to the final, Brazil was SO CLOSE!
• Flava-Flav coming in dead last in the AA final.
• Aly not making a single individual final.
• Brenna falling twice on her UB routine (though admittedly, that can't be considered too shocking)
• Only one Russian in the AA final
• Simone grabbed the beam and landed her sisone in the red in the AA final

The Just Weird

• Russia was laughing and smiling after coming in fourth?
• Russia had fewer falls in qualifications than the US?
• Simone was 2-per-ed out of the UB final with China benefiting?
• There was a FOUR-WAY TIE?

The Top 5 Weirdest Things That Happened:

5. China benefited from an American being 2-per-ed out of the UB final

4. Simone had two big errors in the AA final

3. Russia was more consistent than the US in qualifications

2. Great Britain won the team bronze

1. A FOUR-WAY TIE

Team: The competition for second through fourth was amazing. The US, China, and Great Britain all had pretty much the best competition they could reasonably expect, so it was great to see them rewarded for it. It was also very exciting to see Canada sneaking up the rankings in a couple of rounds! And we had the Netherlands making everything pretty, even if they didn't catch lightning in a bottle like they did in qualification. I think Russia seemed a bit cavalier, and Seda was the only one who really seemed to care about their performance. But it was nice to see them take it in stride.

All Around: It's so disappointing that Simone had such big errors, but she still managed to get her highest score of a Worlds all around final yet! Ridiculous! Someone made the point that Simone tends to peak earlier in the season, so hopefully that is a good sign for next year. Larisa's fight to the podium was so wonderful! She's the first from outside the top group to make the podium in years, and it was such a triumphant victory! Speaking of gymnasts coming from outside the top group, so many of them were able to climb the rankings this year! Half of the gymnasts in the top eight who get recognized were from lower-ranked groups, and three of the top ten were from the bottom group! Unfortunately, the scores needed to get into the AA final were quite high, and they weren't sustained in the final itself, but the fluidity of the placements between qualifications and the final still shows a good competition. And to round of the medalists, we have Gabby. Long may she reign. She proved herself so well at these Worlds even after a rough training.

Vault: I'm of the mind that Hong Un Jong was the rightful winner of this one. But I also just love her vaulting. It's also disappointing that Simone wasn't able to win because of her lower difficulty when she has such superior technique and execution. When will she upgrade? But either way, this was by far the most exciting vault final in a long time! The podium was so close! Also, I just love Ellie Downie's vaulting. I would not be at all surprised to see her with upgrades next year, she's got such great power and technique. Giulia's injury was horrible, but at least she's supposed to be in fairly decent shape and not too badly injured. Ah, I miss the final last year when no one was injured.

Uneven Bars: Oh my goodness, THIS FINAL! No falls, and a FOUR-WAY TIE! It's too bad about Sophie Scheder messing up her dismount, but it is nice to know that that was the biggest error of the final. I think we can all pretty much agree that Spiridonova and Kocian were not on the same level as Fan Yilin and Vika. But here's my perspective: Fan Yilin and Vika won the gold anyway. So while it wasn't necessarily the most accurate judging, when the gymnasts who were overscored didn't affect the placing of the gymnasts who were better anyway, why can't we just appreciate the fact that we witnessed a four-way tie and gymnastics history? It's not like four-way ties are going to become a common thing. With the exception of Scheder's dismount, everyone had a great routine in this final, and it will definitely be one I'll watch over and over again as the years go by. And ruby made it with her wonderful routine!

Balance Beam: SANNE WEVERS WON THE SILVER! My delusional dream is now a reality! And so nothing else that happened in this final makes me at all unhappy. Honestly, it was better than I was worried it might be. With this group of eight gymnasts, who would stay on was seriously a crap shoot. I was going into this final with the mindset that Simone would be the only gymnast to stay on just because that was a legitimate possibility and I didn't want to get my hopes up. So honestly, I'm pleased with four of them staying on. Also, Pualine Schaerffer got a medal for Germany and that was so wonderful! And Vika didn't fall in a major international beam final, so that's more than could have been expected. So yeah, this final was pretty bad, but I wasn't expecting better. And Sanne medalled! So I really can't look at this final with any objectivity or any disappointment that anything else happened. She could have been the only one to stay on and I would have been happy.

Floor: I still haven't seen this final in whole: I missed the beginning of the final as I tried to get the mobile stream up, and I couldn't watch the last four routines with music because I was watching it in public. However, I have seen all of the routines (with music) at this point, though I still don't have a great perspective on it. No falls! The only World floor final this quad with not a single fall! Simone obviously was the deserving champion, she put on her usual awesome display. As to the debate over the bronze (and silver?) medals, my opinion is that Maggie, Sae, and Shang all had routines of pretty much the same quality, and so whoever took the bronze took it rightfully. It's sad, but true: sometimes a medal could go more than one way. Also, overall, the E scores were pretty high in this final, which was nice to see. And who doesn't like just watching Lieke's routine?

My favorite final: Bars. Only one major error which wasn't even that big comparatively and a four-way tie. This is one of my favorite finals of all time.

My least favorite final: Beam. Though, as I said earlier, I'm still not that unhappy with it. Sanne!

Overall, I really enjoyed these Worlds. The competition was generally pretty strong and so much unexpected happened! And there were people who thought this Worlds was boring.

WHEN WILL MARTHA NAME THE FREAKING ALTERNATE?!?

I spent all last night in anticipation of the name of the alternate today. UGH! When is it coming??? I was completely on the Maggie train, but Lauren said today that she'd pick Gabby based on how training has gone, and I can't say I disagree. Gabby's awesome. Don't get me wrong. But there are six other awesome gymnasts on this team and a crap ton of other awesome gymnasts left at home who didn't even get to go to Glasgow. If Maggie and Aly are both going to do the AA, it just doesn't make any sense to make Mykayla the alternate when the specialists are both UB workers and one wouldn't be able to compete them. I still like the idea of putting Maggie up on beam because I think she would be steady. She's gotten a little bare-bones with her routine, but I think that's great preparation for putting her in the leadoff position. She's also good backup on floor, but if Mykayla's on the competitive team I don't think she'd be used. Gabby and Maggie would both be in the running for the leadoff position on beam. I also don't see the logic in taking Mykayla over Bailie to use her as the alternate. Bailie would be more reliable to use on any event, and as such a much better alternate. I'm honestly starting to wonder if Matha's just decided, "We're wiping the floor with everyone else without trying anyway, I'll just play with everyone for my last Worlds as NTC." Even if I didn't agree with her, I always at least used to be able to understand her logic. Some of her decisions just don't make any sense to me recently.

On another note, vault has suddenly become the most exciting final, which I was not prepared for. Dipa's upgraded? CHUSO'S DOING A PROD?!? What the heck happened?
New predictions:
Finalists-
Simone Biles
Hong Un Jong
Maria Paseka
Chuso
Dipa Karmakar
Marcia Videaux
Giulia Steingruber
Mykayla Skinner (if she's not the alternate)
Wang Yan (if she is)

Podium-
1. Hong Un Jong
2. Simone Biles
3. Maria Paseka
I still see the podium the same, but so much closer for the podium now....

Worlds Predictions

'Tis the season!!!

Team:
Top 16 (*Finalists):
USA*
China*
Russia*
Romania*
Japan*
Great Britain*
Italy*
Brazil*
Germany
Canada
Australia
Netherlands
France
Mexico
Belgium
South Korea

Podium:
1. USA
2. Russia
3. China

Obviously, the US is going to win. Anyone who doubts that at all is delusional. Valentina would have to Tanya Harding them all for something else to happen. I think Russia's team this year, even without Aliya (honestly, I like this team a lot better without her- not sure why, I'm not a big fan of Vika or Bee Farm and I really do like Aliya), has the most evenly distributed ability of the rest. But if their beam rotation is a bomb, they could open the door. I do think Japan will outscore Romania. Their team average for this year is actually higher than China's, and though that's pretty much due solely to the most outrageous domestic overscoring this year, I'd still LOVE to see them on the podium.



All Around:
Podium:
1. Simone Biles
2. Larisa Iordache
3. Aly Raisman

Even though her highest AA score is of the season is the third highest of the non-Simone US AAers, I still think she'll get the second spot. If not, just swap her out for whichever American makes it. Even though Simone said Maggie's not the alternate, I'm still accepting her as such until we have an official announcement otherwise, so I think it'll be between Aly and Gabby. With Yao and Aliya out (and Rebeca Andrade), there's pretty much no other competition for the podium. I just feel so gutted doing these predictions right now with no Rebeca to surprise for the podium.



Vault:
Finalists:
Simone Biles
Mykayla Skinner
Hong Un Jong
Marcia Videux
Maria Paseka
Giulia Steingruber
Wang Yan
Alexa Moreno

Podium:
1. Hong Un Jong
2. Simone Biles
3. Maria Paseka

This one should be really close. Vault was so stagnant and this quad it's suddenly become so exciting! Now that Simone's been sticking Amanars, she really could outdo Hong Un Jong, but I just love her floaty Amanar so whatever. Also, word on the street is that Mykayla beat Simone on vault at camp, so there's that. Bee Farm has cleaned up a fair bit since the last time she made a vault final and added a Cheng, so she's really upped her game. And Marcia and Giulia would both be fabulous- and plausible- medalists. Three fourths of gymnasts in this final could legitimately medal. And that's awesome.



Bars:
Finalists:
Fan Yilin
A second Chinese gymnast
Daria Spiridonova
Vika
Elisabeth Seitz
Sophie Scheder
Maddie Kocian
Yuki Uchiyama

Podium:
1. Fan Yilin
2. Daria Spiridonova
3. Vika

This final is far too small. A 12 or even 16 person final would be much better for exhibiting the top bars talented. No one's really been dominating the top of the field, let alone my choice for the gold medal, but I think these three are the safest bets. I definitely think Spiridoz will leave with a medal. This will be a pretty exclusive final. And I'm so ready for it!



Beam:
Finalists:
Simone Biles
Aly Raisman
Larisa Iordache
Sakura Yumoto
Ellie Black
Flava Flav
Maria Kharenkova
Shang Chunsong

Podium:
1. Simone Biles
2. Aly Raisman
3. Sakura Yumoto

Well, this one's a crap shoot. There have been a lot of stunning one-off performances this year (PAULINE SCHAEFER) that I don't expect to be repeated at Worlds. Alas. I've picked Shang for gold the last two years and just given up at this point. I've also given up on predicting Larisa will stay on. Or Maria. I made my pick because I trust those three not to fall the most. Literally everyone else I'm expecting to. Maybe the trick is just to expect them to fall? Flava Flav always makes it into the final, she just falls once she gets there. Ellie is the only one I didn't pick for the podium who I'll hold out hope for staying on. And then if anyone else doesn't fall, it'll be a pleasant surprise.



Floor:
Finalists:
Simone Biles
Aly Raisman
Larisa Iordache
Afan
Sae Miyakawa
Claudia Fragapane
Erika Fasana
Giulia Steingruber

Podium:
1. Simone Biles
2. Aly Raisman
3. Larisa Iordache

Yet another floor title to Simone. A fall is literally the only mistake that could keep her from this one. Aly is back and better than ever, and a hit routine should clinch a medal for her. Larisa is great as always, but I think the other two have an edge on her. Afan either wins or doesn't medal, so she's off the podium. If Sae Miyakawa busts out the best she's got, she's the only other one who can challenge, methinks. But the other three are awesome. So it should be an enjoyable enough final even if it isn't as competitive as vault of bars.

Christina is going to LSU!!!!!

Christina Desiderio just posted on Instagram that she has committed to LSU!!!!
I just needed a post to fangirl about this because Christina is perfect and I love her gymnastics so much and LSU is my favorite of the big teams! I'm so happy this is the school she went with. As I've mentioned before, it always makes me incredibly happy when a US elite (especially one in national team status-- I still am so happy about Christina MAKING THE NATIONAL TEAM!) commits to an NCAA program other than UCLA or Florida. I can't wait to see what the choreographers there can give her! Yay Christina! Congratulations on going to LSU!!!

Also, I need to give a shout-out to the ever-lovely Sabrina Vega for also committing to not-UCLA-or-Florida. She will be attending Georgia, and I like their program even though a lot of people seem not to? Two not-UCLA-or-Florida commits in one week! And from two gymnasts I love! AND the US team is named tomorrow! This is a good week for me as a gymfan.

How do you solve a problem like America?

Not because the US is in bad shape at all. Because they're just so good. How the heck is a decision supposed to come together? The US is in the enviable position of not having a bad choice. Any combination of gymnasts going to the Worlds selection camp would stroll away with the gold. Martha is not needed this year- the US could just draw names out of a hat. But of course, this is Martha we're talking about, and there will be a long series of observations and calculations before coming to a decision. Ultimately, there are two strategies most people seem to be speculating: take all the top five AAers with a sixth member who may or may not be used, or maximize total medal haul since the team gold is fairly well in the bag.

In terms of the first strategy, I don't think it makes sense to have the sixth member compete in qualifications if all five of the top AAers are brought. It just doesn't make sense to bring Gabby, Bailie, or Maggie if she weren't to compete all around in qualification, and while Aly is the gymnast whose strengths would most suit competing as a specialist in qualification (especially if the standard strategy of bringing a bar worker for the sixth member is utilized), she makes the least sense to drop from the AA lineup, in my opinion. If the accepted strategy of bringing a bars specialist happens, it would also make no sense for Gabby or Bailie to drop bars, and Maggie makes the least sense to bring if she's not going to compete AA, in my opinion. However, I would rank Aly as more important than Maggie to compete AA, and if a bars specialist is going to compete, one of those two would be the choice to drop bars. In terms of this strategy, it just makes more sense to me for the sixth member not to compete. For this strategy, the team I would pick: Simone, Aly, Gabby, Maggie, Bailie, Maddie K, alternate Mykayla Skinner. I think this is probably the most likely scenario.

However, I have more sympathy with the second strategy. The US will have a strong second AAer regardless, and with the order changing every time they compete, putting them all up in qualification still won't meant that the gymnast competing in the final is the one who would score the highest that day. The US is head and shoulders above the rest in the team, any second AAer would be likely to finish with a medal, and even make it a 1-2 finish (especially with these rumors Aliya might not compete), and so it would seem that bringing home the most medals possible would make sense as a top priority. And ultimately, why bring Maddie Kocian to Worlds just to have her not compete her bars routine, but it still wouldn't make sense to bring all the top five AAers and cut one out of the AA. To pick gymnasts for this strategy, we need to look at the "open" EF spots. On floor, Simone and Aly pretty much have the two spots on lockdown. They have their names on the beam spots as well, though I think Aly could be kicked out of her spot. On vault, there's only Simone. On bars, Gabby I think would probably be able to scrape in, but she also might not if the US puts up a bars specialist. On vault, Mykayla is the only one who could step into the second spot, and she has a nice history of scoring better on vault internationally than domestically. She also has a killer floor which likely wouldn't make the final but could be a great addition to the TF lineup. However, she did also tie with Bailie at P&Gs, so that makes her floor less of a commodity. Maddie and Ashton would both be gunning for a UB final spot and could compete for a medal, but I don't see both on the team this year. Maddie has won domestically, though I think Ashton might be more favored internationally. If she can add upgrades into her routine for camp, that might set her over Maddie. However, we know Martha likes AAers. But, there are already lots of AAers who can fill in wherever. For beam, I think Alyssa Baumann has a good shot of beating Aly, as does Kyla if she competes like she did day 2. If Kyla can get her routines together for camp (PLEASE), she could definitely have an edge for her combination of bars and beam, which Alyssa can't provide. I do think beam will be the hardest place for a specialist to make it, though.
Of course, for this strategy to go through, not all of the top five AAers can go. Aly is set for the team, I'd say. Her floor is medal-worthy, she has an Amanar, she hits for the team, I'd pick her for the second AAer, and her experience and leadership is highly valuable. The other three become more tricky. Gabby has bars (Bailie was very lucky to get the bronze with her error night two, I'd say), but she'd be a second pick everywhere else. She has proven that she can stay on beam now, but she was fairly tentative both nights. Her vault is good but she doesn't have the Amanar, and her turns that count toward her D score on floor aren't always solid. Bailie might have gotten lucky to come in third on bars, but they are strong. Her scores are comparable to Gabby's there and she could have more sway with her total AA set. Her floor can be a top routine, and her beam can be stronger than Gabby's. However, if Mykayla goes Bailie's floor would be less valuable and her beam composition (the layout especially) is dragging her down and can cause hiccups for her. And then there's Maggie. She has an Amanar, though that's the only event where she'd really be gunning for top position. However, she has good utility player advantages. Her beam especially could prove to be useful in a team final setting. Her floor also has the potential to be usable, though Bailie has the upper hand of the top AAers, and Mykayla does of the specialists. I think I'd say that Maggie makes more sense than Bailie. She has an Amanar, her bars aren't as good but they're usable, and I trust her more on beam. Bailie is stronger on floor, but if Mykayla goes, her floor wouldn't be necessary. And then there's Gabby. Somehow, it seems much easier to compare Maggie and Bailie than to trow Gabby in the mix. Her bars are strong, but I'm not sure where else she'd be used. If she'd only be used on bars in the TF, Maddie and Ashton might as well both go and have Maddie do AA in qualification. Actually, I think that might make more sense to me.

So, the team I'd pick (but which I doubt Martha will): Simone, Aly, Maggie, Maddie K, Ashton, Mykayla, Bailie/Gabby alternate (dang, what an alternate!)
VT: Maggie, Mykayla, Simone (quals: Maddie, Aly)
UB: Maggie, Maddie, Ashton (quals: Aly, Simone)
BB: Maggie, Aly, Simone (quals: Maddie, Mykayla)
FX: Mykayla, Aly, Simone (qals: Maddie, Maggie)

Six is starting to feel like an awfully small number.

Floor Music I Want to See: Russia

Of course, I want these gymnasts to use this music after the Rods have been kicked out once and for all and the gymnasts are conditioned to a point where they can actually perform strongly artistic routines again.

Aliya Mustafina- "Montagues and Capulets"

Aliya is a diva on the floor (in an "every person in this stadium needs to be looking at me right now because I am killing it" kind of way), and this music is big and dramatic enough that she could own the floor with it. Also, as it is classical, it combines the drama with "Russian tradition" and would be a bit more regal for her, methinks.

Viktoria Komova- "Avrora" (Anna Bessonova's 2007-2008 Hoop Music)

I've honestly never considered any of Vika's floor routines highly artistic (except for the AA performance of her 2012 one). I believe that is because the Russian choreographers decided "Swan Lake Breakdown didn't work, so since classic style isn't her, we'll give her crowd-pleasing routines!" I really think Vika has a lot of untapped artistic potential in a darker and more emotional style. Of course, I have no solid evidence to base this on, so I could be totally wrong. It's just a feeling. I will fully admit that this could be a disaster, but I think it really would be haunting and beautiful and a performance for the ages.

Maria Kharenkova- "Blues for Klook"

I have a confession to make and you all may judge me for this. I don't really get the hype over Mitova's floor to this music, other than it's sheer difference from the rest of the routines of the time. Of course, Russia would never (and nor would any other major program besides the US, who used two recycled pieces in 2014 AND has had multiple gymnasts use "Blues") use music from a routine so venerated. Too much of a risk artistically. I love Maria's routine from 2012 and think routines with more passion and tension are better suited to her than the purely elegant, purely graceful routines she's had this quad. This would really give her opportunity to stretch her wings artistically and get back to her artistic roots from 2012, but with the maturity she has acquired since then. I also would love to see Afan with this music.

Alla Sosnitskaya- "Fever"
This one would never be allowed either, since Cata JUST used it. For shame. I mentioned in my Nanning floor analysis series that she displayed a slinkyness in the slow part of her "Pretty Woman" routine I think Russia should capitalize on. The jazz tones and prominent bass would give her plenty of room to play with that and she could finally have her chance to sparkle on floor. If not "Fever", at least "Why Don't You Do Right?" Also, I want Afan to use one of these ones. Afan just needs a season where she has a different floor routine every time she competes so she use all the music she should.

Anastasia Grishina- "The Promise" from The Secret Garden or "Once Upon a December"
Grishy is coming back and slaying, okay? These would both be great routines for Grishy's light and pretty style. And "Once Upon a December" is a waltz, which Grishy has a corner on. "The Promise" would be the softer, more lyrical route, while "Once Upon a December" would be grander. And come on, how awesome would it be for Grishy to use music from Anastasia?

Afan- Postmodern Jukebox's cover of "Seven Nation Army"
In case you can't tell by this point, I want Afan to do something bluesy. I think she's got just the right mix of maturity, dancing style, and slightly sardonic expression to make it awesome. This cover is the perfect moodiness for Afan to get in some of her awesome original choreography (BRING BACK THE LEG CHOREO FROM 2012). And come on, Afan doing "Seven Nation Army"? Awesome.

Literally Anyone- "Padam, Padam" (Zhenya's 2009 Ribbon Music)
Any Russian should use this. ANY OF THEM. And all of them. But honestly, somehow this music would be absolutely perfect for every single style of the Russian gamut. Aliya could totally get all diva/queen with it and incorporate a few death glares while she's at it. For Vika, she could stay all light and ballerina and I-don't-have-body-fat-ly while still being able to play with more than she's been given in the past. This music is definitely more in the way of Masha's 2012 routine than we've seen recently and she could bring back some of the old cheekiness with it. Alla could totally throw in a bunch of playful slinkyness with it and light up an arena. It's light and frothy for Grishy to keep her super pretty style but she could also be playful with it. And Afan! Lots of leg choreo-like opportunities, as well as opportunities for that wry expression from her 2011-2012 days.

P&Gs Wrap-Up

The Good

• CHRISTINA MADE THE NATIONAL TEAM!!!!!!!!!! I can die happy now! I was literally praying through her floor routine that she would hit.
• And she HIT TWO BARS ROUTINES!
• And so did SJS!
• Jordan Chiles went back to the DTY! Thank goodness for knee caps!
• Bailie's wacky leos
• Swaggie Maggie in full force night one
• Brenna Dowell did an all around competition and was fierce!
• Gabby's bars are just so lovely. But I'm still hoping she Amy Chows it with the Endo.
• Texas Dreams on floor in general is life-giving
• The Shchennikova mega-connection bars routines
• I just love Meals
• Rachel Gowey was awesome
• MEGAN SKAGGS ON FLOOR
• Simone got a freaking SIXTY-THREE day 2
• And a medal-worthy score on floor with a fall
• Ragan won beam and floor!!!
• Aly's floor was ridiculous
• Simone's Amanars

The Bad

• But why did the day 2 Amanar score higher than the day 1 Amanar?
• Morgan Hurd had screwups on beam
• Gabby's bad dance skills on floor night 1
• Simone going wonky on the Barani
• Aly fell on beam??

The Ugly

• UGH Brenna that DLO 1/1 night 2 you were doing so well WHY?
• Kyla, what happened to you?! I feel like my heart had been torn out and run over my a mac truck.
• Meals tearing her meniscus. But then she was a boss and finished up her night. And she might be healthy for Worlds selection? Pretty please?

Christina and SJS

Because, let's be honest, I care way more about this than the podiums. THEY'RE ON THE NATIONAL TEAM!

SJS: I wasn't expecting much from her this year after her lackluster season lat time, but gosh, she's improved so much! Love the Dos Santos! It's super open and she's got great control over it. I still think she hasn't got the same firecracker quality, but that's not necessarily a bad thing- I'd say her performance is more mature now. Her DTY is looking nice. Sadly, her beam isn't quite polished and she can be very enjoyable to watch there. But, bars. What? She can actually put together a routine now. When did that happen!?

Christina: My precious baby!!! She did it! I was hoping with all the hope in my little heart that she would pull an Alexis Vasquez after the terror that was her final bars rotation last year, and look what she went and did! I hope she doesn't follow in Alexis's footsteps and ditch elite next year, though I wouldn't complain too much if the school she ditches for is Denver. Anyway, I was so annoyed they didn't show three of her routines day 2 (I didn't watch day 1)! But I prayed the whole way through the one they did. She killed that final floor routine, so awesome to see her finally attack the opportunity she had. And she hit every routine day 2! FINALLY! Honestly, I really like her bars. She seems like an ASac type to me where she's more just intimidated. And she has the potential to be such a beamer! Why did that have to be the one event where she fell? Ah well, she did a great set day 2! And she's ON THE NATIONAL TEAM!!

Floor Routines

Laurie: Maybe it was just the camera angle this time, but her facial expressions looked way less obnoxious to me now. Good. Still painfully obviously choreographed, though. Ugh, they need to go. I'm so disappointed in this routine in the same way I was disappointed in Aliya's 2013 Worlds routine: this is the PERFECT music for her and the choreography isn't up to standard, in my opinion. Apparently Maggie didn't want to choreograph to it, which honestly doesn't surprise me based on how it compares to her previous ones. The bright spots are fabulous, though, and I cannot state my love for that ending (minus the painfully obviously choreographed facial expression).

Simone: I was the one person not to fall hard for this after Classics, and now... I still haven't fallen hard for it. I definitely like it more now, but there are still parts of it where the rhythm of her choreography is totally unrelated to the rhythm of the music. The ending matching the music is as wonderful as I thought it would be, though. And I cannot state my love for the meow-surprised face part, either. You're not complaining about her facial expressions, you say. Well, in Laurie's interview she said they were choreographed and in Simone's she said they weren't. And you can tell.

Kyla: UGH this one is so saddening! It's so beautiful, but she doesn't have the stamina and it looks so sluggish! I'll just be thankful for the lovely Jesolo PT video posted on Youtube which breaks Gymnastike's copyright. Haha.

Aly: Her choreography has improved so much! And that double L-turn is the stuff dreams are made of. And I hate double L-turns. And single L-turns. I miss the punch out of the Dos Santos, but alas, consistency. The sacred first pass is as breathtaking as ever and I love the DLO. That split half is in a way hilarious in how un-hit it is, but I kind of want her to keep it anyway. This is a routine that is really enjoyable to watch and I'm super impressed.

Gabby: I gain a little bit of love for this every time I watch it. I was a bit disappointed at Classics because my favorite part of Gabby's Papa Americano (I LOVED that routine desperately, by the way) was how she absolutely lit up the place (despite her *questionable* choreography) and now she didn't seem to have the same spark. Watching it again at Nationals, I think there's still a watch-me quality about it, it's just not the same as it was in 2012. And I am watching her, gladly.

Megan Skaggs: I LOVE THIS ROUTINE! Oh my goodness, it's just so fun, but also not fun, if you know what I mean (you probably don't.) And the Rudi to flying jump is just so exciting.

Mykayla: Mykayla has had a trend of doing a routine I HATE at Classics and then it grows on me by the end of the season, and so I knew not to judge after Classics. And what do you know, it's grown on me! Is it my all-time favorite? No. But I like it.

Alyssa Baumann: I was disappointed by this one at Classics after being excited for it during PT, and so I was hoping it could gain some redemption for me at Nationals. And what do you know, it did! It's still not as great as I remember thinking it was after PT, but I can get behind what she did in Indy.

Meals: Any other gymnast, and I would hate it. HATE it. But, ah, Meals. I don't pretend to understand all the choreography, but honestly I think I'd enjoy anything Meals did. And the DLO to split jump is glorious!

Bailie: I'm still obsessed. And I need to bring up the bow, which I didn't last time. There's little I love more in a floor routine than a mocking bow. Maybe it's just Bailie's lack of expression which made it seem mocking, but it did to me. There's just such a Boginskaya-esque too-good-for-you vibe about it I can't get enough of.

The rest of the Texas Dreams army: Also obsessed. With every single routine. I think I need to make a separate TD floor love post.

Aly and Gabby
Still killing it. Gabby looks to have been slightly overtaken, though. And her beam wasn't as rock-steady as it was at Classics, but she's still not going to pieces. How crazy is it that Gabby and Vika both had the same most-pronounced change in their comeback? And her bars are just so nice. Aly is back and better than ever. While I would be surprised if either didn't make the Worlds team, I still think Aly has the edge. She's got the Amanar and the trump routines on beam and floor.

The Second All-Arounder
Honestly, if the US wants to get the best shot at the best second AAer, they should probably just go with a five-woman strategy in quals and ditch the sixth member. Trying to pick one to sit on the sidelines out of the next four is incredibly difficult. Maggie of course came in second at Nationals, but I'd be a bit wary of picking her as the second AAer. If a bars-strong gymnast is picked for the sixth member (which would seem to be the obvious choice), and the sixth member would be used in quals, either Aly or Maggie would have to sit out AA. Honestly, I'd go with Aly of the two of them. I don't think Maggie will get the same scoring internationally that she did domestically. I think Gabby's scoring will also probably see a drop. She could be dropped from multiple lineups, though she would definitely go up in the bars lineup. And then there's Bailie. I don't think she'll see much of a drop in scores, though she won't be getting a 9.1 for an arch like that internationally. Otherwise, I think her scoring was pretty reasonable compared to what she can expect internationally. Domestically, though, she's been lurking in fourth and fifth. She's also another one who wouldn't be dropped from the bars lineup, though. I'd say Maggie makes the most sense to take out of the AA lineup, but she also could be the second AAer and it doesn't make much sense to bring her if she doesn't do AA. The longer I think about it, the more I think just putting up five in quals makes the most sense.

Classics Wrap-Up

The Good

• SABRINA'S BACK!!!!!
• Dang Maggie
• The comebacks!
• Christina came in second on floor and stayed on beam!!!!
• Laurie is back
• Gabby Perea had awesome bars and beam
• Three juniors had standing fulls!
• THE PATTERSON
• Gabby's being consistent on beam?
• Simone's new floor is wonderful
• Kyla upgraded?!?!
• And is doing a Chow (I've wanted her to do that for so long!!)
• And a Bhardwaj
• Bailie got a new floor
• Texas Dreams in general took risks on floor
• Ragan came in second!
• Morgan Hurd has gorgeous bars! Such an improvement on last year!
• Simone has one balance check on beam and that was her only big error anywhere?!
• All the gymnasts on the podium scored over 60

The Bad

• Jazzy has new floor music. Bah, loved the Jesolo music.
• Laurie needs better variety in her bars composition
• No Marissa Oakley!
• Aly missed the Dos Santos punch front!
• Kyla fell twice on bars- what???
• CHRISTINA FELL ON BARS!!!! NO!!!!
• Brenna fell on her Van Leeuwen
• I was really excited for Alyssa Baumann's floor after podium training and then it was unremarkable in competition

The Ugly

• Skinner still vaulting off one hand
• Jordan Chiles WHY IS SHE DOING AN AMANAR?
• What my sobbing will be when the Rio and Tokyo teams are announced THERE ARE TOO MANY AMAZING GYMNASTS!

Trends I don't understand that need to die

Elsa the Ice Queen leotards with light blue fabric and nude mesh: Laurie and Jazzy were preparing to be Gators with that leo and imitating some of their worst. This was only among the juniors- I was going to say Mykayla improved her fashion sense but then I remembered she turned up in metallic pepto pink.
Archery choreography: Bailie was the only one with it here but I've seen it elsewhere and it should not be a thing anymore.
Choreographed facial expressions in floor routines: It's especially bad when they're given to the most expressive and magnetic gymnasts (like, say, Laurie and SJS, maybe?). Expression is important, but I'm a firm believer that a) expression =/= facial expression and b) it should be natural! When it's choreographed, it's just cheesy.

I'm impressed!

Aria Brusch: This girl has power! She had some rough moments, but she's got a ton of potential! Her vault was beautiful and powerful. Aria has a standing full on beam! Her bars were my favorite, even though she flew off the mat on the dismount. She has a Ray+Pak combo and a DLO 1/1!

Gabby Perea: And another standing full here. Her beam work in general is way ahead in difficulty and I personally thought her E score on beam was a bit low. Her bars are also beautiful and her swing is sooooo smooth!

Morgan Hurd's bars: She went from not even having a high-low transition and just a 4.2 D score last year to a 5.8 D score this year! And her execution has improved! I seriously can't believe it! She was just so gorgeous.

Aly's Patterson: THAT PATTERSON! She stuck it. She landed it upright. Better than Carly's famous 2004 AA landing! Amazing.

New Amanars: In the senior session, that is. Chiles needs to stop that RIGHT NOW! Maggie's was easily better, but Aly didn't even do one in PT?!

Gabby Douglas's beam: NOT the same athlete we saw in 2012

Twin City Twisters: In general. So much good from this gym! Both the juniors caught my eye. Tori Tatum has some difficulty she needs to build, but she's got a lot of great work! Abby Paulson was the biggest surprise to me of the competition. She only has an FTY, which isn't too good since she turns senior next year, but everywhere else she was great! Her bars remind me a lot of Maggie's last year- not the cleanest, not the most difficult, but very workable. And she does a double arabian dismount! Her floor was one of my favorite from the juniors. Beam was definitely her biggest standout- even with the fall, she packed that routine full! And Maggie. Maggie, Maggie, Maggie. What a crazy update on last year! And I love this new floor.

The podiums (/top 5)

Juniors

Jazzy- I was definitely a fan of her bars. The Maloney+Geinger was my favorite! And her releases don't all three come in a row! And again, I miss the Jesolo music. I was obsessed with that music! Nothing special about this new cut. But she busted out the tumbling! Both H elements in her routine. Impressive. She had the top beam, but nothing about it really stood out to me. she proved her national title was no fluke. As for next year, she looks to be heading for a utility player spot which, honestly, I don't see being used on the team.

Ragan- RAGAN DID IT!!! She landed on the podium! Her bars are still frustrating, and I think they should try to include more Stalder variation pirouettes.She definitely is going all-out with the difficulty. I don't know what's going to happen with that standing full- we know from Amy Chow that the pike full isn't going to be a thing, but it's not really a layout? If she tumbles in, maybe it could be more laid out. It took me a few watches to go for her floor, but now I love it! With the exception of the waving and whistling, they make it too chintzy. And I love the DLO!

Laurie- I was expecting to be more excited having Laurie back. I do like her beam choreography. I'd like to see her add another LOSO to her series, I think it would look beautiful. She has really good swing on the bars and is still the Stalder queen, but can she please change up the composition? Same thing as with Brenna in 2013. She changed hers! Oh, her floor. Those facial expressions! Stop them! Otherwise, such a great routine. And I love her combination front tumbling pass! I'm favoring her over Norah for the national title.

Seniors

Aly Raisman- Because there's too much to talk about in these top five just to do the podium. I still can't believe she busted out the Amanar without even training it! I think this is a good bars routine for Aly. She looks better than I remember from before. I love all the connections in her beam routine! She definitely is still steady Aly. And that Patterson!!! And ugh, her floor! The mount!! Such a ridiculous pass and she's just floating it. I'm still sad about that fall on the punch front out of the Dos Santos. I really like the DLO, and it's way better than the triple it's replacing. I just love the tumbling in this routine! Her double L spin was also amazing! Aly is just incredible and she's gunning hard for the Worlds team.

Bailie Key- Is it just me, or is her DTY not as good as when she was a junior? This was also not the Bailie I remembered on beam- what happened to the triple? It was such a pretty triple too! Definitely my favorite part of her beam was the super light leaps and jumps. That whip layout still is doing her no favors and I still want to see her change it to something different, but to no avail it seems. Smooth and steady though. Bars has somehow become Bailie's big event. She's so floaty! I especially love the Ricna+Pak. She had lovely execution. Her new floor is pretty controversial, but I love it! Even though I'm not for this whole archery choreography thing. I still think that wolf turn is butt ugly, but at least it isn't just randomly thrown in in this routine. Love this new DLO! Her tumbling is class. I don't see why everyone hates the slide so much? I think it's cool and different and suits the music and the whole style of the routine. I do wish she had a bit more of a statement ending. I'm becoming a little obsessed with Bailie's floor!

Maggie Nichols- The Amanar! She's really busting it all out. She's really made a huge improvement on bars. She's so much crisper now! I really like what she's doing with her new floor routine. I still think the choreography is a little mish-mashed, but she is really rocking it. The ending is definitely my favorite part. Her double-double is an amazing addition. Maggie has just blossomed so much in the last year.

Gabby Douglas- I'm a little underwhelmed by her DTY. She doesn't have the same explosion. However, her blocking technique seems to have improved. So that's good! Hers is another floor routine that's had controversy. I personally was not too excited about her Jesolo floor, and I think this is more up Gabby's alley. I really like the staccato parts, but I don't know about the rest of it. Her bars also leaves me underwhelmed- I don't get all that into a bunch of empty Stalder variations. Can they add some pirouettes in there? I'd love to see her Amy Chow it with that Endo on the low bar. And the piked Tkatchev+Pak! Love it! If they do something with all those Stalder variations on the low bar, I think this would be a cool routine. I still can't get over her beam! Not the same gymnast we saw in 2012! She's got so much more confidence now. And the standing full is still so upright! It's just beautiful. I really think it's sad that Gabby seems aware that haters have been doubting her comeback, and even sadder that she seems to feel the need to prove herself to them. Just another reminder that even the older gymnasts are still young. I think Gabby is going to have a harder time making Worlds than Aly, even if she keeps up her second place at Nationals. She's a great all arounder, but she doesn't have the standout events right now to push her to the forefront.

Simone Biles- What to say, really? Two sixteens, lowest score 15.1, 6.9 D score on floor, 62.4, just another day's work. Is it odd that the more she does the less I find to say? I love that she brought back the 2013 connections on bars. Her technique and form have really tightened up. Her flight is also getting really smoothed out. She seems to be prepping for another beam title. She's never had issues on the wolf turn, but that as the best she's done last night! The barani is fabulous and she strolls into it. I really am feeling this new choreography. My favorite is definitely the toe rise. I love the changes in levels and it really is one of the most artistic beam routines in the world right now. The new floor is out of this world! I honestly don't think it's quite there yet- she didn't seems to perform the whole thing all out and it felt a little empty, and the end was out of time with the music. I really liked the choreography before the double-double, though. I'll reserve judgement for Nationals. The Biles combination is easily my favorite pass of the routine. She's working her way to a near complete medal sweep at Worlds!

Favorite routines

Juniors

MY PRECIOUS BABY STAYED ON!!

She fell, but she did a Dudnik tumbling pass!

Beautiful flexibility and a mature presentation

Seniors

My Top 10 Favorite Floor Routines

I like good ol' classical-style routines, but I prefer exciting dance. I love routines which are innovative in their choreography. The tumbling also needs to be on par with what was considered difficult at the time, and I love combination passes. This was by far the hardest list to compile, so I decided just to pretend I would have 10 routines to watch and those would be the list. I'm still not super satisfied, but I suppose it will do. I'm making up for having no Chinese bar workers by having a bunch of Soviet and 80's floors. And I don't even like the Soviets or the 80's that much, relatively speaking.

10. Kim Zmeskal 1991 Worlds AA

A great, exciting routine! Who doesn't love her triple whip pass? And it goes perfectly with the music! I love the jazz music and Kim expresses it so well. I love how there's never a dull moment in this routine. There is such a density of choreography in this routine. Jazz routines are some of my favorite and this one is the quintessential example.

9. Diana Dudeva 1988 Olympics Team Optionals

Diana was the fortunate Bulgarian to take a bronze on floor, but she and Deliana were both robbed. They both had difficult tumbling way ahead of their time. I know her DLO has form breaks, but I love it anyway. My favorite part of this routine is the surging quality it has. There just seems to be such a strong pulse to it. She uses such sharp and angular movements that work together to create this amazing forward motion. I also love how she uses broken lines and angular shapes to make this innovative routine.

8. Ludivine Furnon 2000 Europeans EF

This was probably the best European event final ever and Ludivine was able to take the title even in a highly decorated field. This was just an electric routine. The first two tumbling runs are dynamic and unique. She hit every movement with power and intention behind it. Ludivine commands this performance and everything worked together to create a lightning-in-a-bottle moment.

7. Olga Bicherova 1981 Worlds AA

I just love this music in this routine! I'ts simple yet mysterious and soulful and yearning. Olga captures that perfectly in her interpretation. She uses fewer movements than a lot of the others on this list and they are simpler, but they mirror the quiet mystery of the music. Olga uses emptiness in her routine to great effect. The stops and starts are as important in this routine as the moving moments. I love twisting combinations of the late 70s and early 80s and this is no exception. It might only be a full at the end, but for some reason coming out of the 1.5 makes it seem so much more special. The twisting jump to the ground is also gorgeous.

6. Elena Shushunova 1988 Olympics Team Optionals

Shushunova was one of the most exciting tumblers of the 80s, and her second pass in this routine is the crowning jewel. This was the only routine to include the back handspring from the knees into the full-twisting back handspring. I love Elena, but I personally don't find her 1985 or 1987 routines very artistic, but this one is just magical. She really tells a story here and her movements, whether short and sharp or long and drawn out, all create a sense of yearning. And I love the Shushunova to end into her final pose!

5. Zoya Grancharova 1983 Worlds EF

Another Bulgarian from the 80s with unique choreography. Her routine is full of quick, frenzied movements. She uses her head quite a lot in her choreography and changes her hand position which add to the overall sense of short and static movements. She has a pretty nice triple twist, which was a pretty big deal in 1983. My favorite part of the choreography is the two back handsprings she includes.

4. Aurelia Dobre 1987 Worlds AA

This routine is the kind of routine that seems right for when a World AA title is on the line. The back-to-back pass is beautiful and exciting as ever, and I love the way she does the second punch front to the ground. The way Aurelia uses hand positions really accentuates the tension in the driving beat of the music. I love the contrast created between the driving rock section where her limbs are always straight and her softer movements in the more lyrical section.

3. Olga Strazheva 1989 Worlds Team Optionals

THE innovative and avante-garde routine. They took a risk and it paid off. Even though they terrify me even in old videos when I know the gymnast will be okay, I love her rollout layout arabian into back handspring. This is the most intriguing choreography ever performed by far. Olga seems at once hunter and hunted, condescending and humiliated. She tells a story of power and suffering, and you can tell she revels in it. If you can't tell by now, I love when a gymnast incorporates broken lines in her choreography, and Olga is the queen. My favorite part is the mirror beginning and end.

2. Sandra Izbasa 2012 Olympics TF

The coolest floor music selection ever. In a list full of routines of tension and driving music, Sandra's creates quite a contrast. Her combination tumbles are gorgeous and exciting and she is the queen of the rebounding stag jump. The music, the choreography, and her performance all elevate each other and build a routine that seems to exist in its own sphere. The tranquil music carries its own intensity and Sandra feeds off it.

1. Ksenia Afanasyeva 2012 Olympics Qual

I go back and forth on this one as my favorite, but I keep coming back to it. The double pike aside, the tumbling in this routine is AMAZING! I love both the combination runs expecially, and I love the stag jump out of the front half. And the double attitude spin is beautiful! The sharp, accented choreography of the dance passage after the first pass is very engaging, and I love how she repeats the idea of kicking up her leg. And who hasn't tried her leg choreo on their bedroom floor? It's my favorite piece of floor choreography ever, and it's removal is the reason I simply can't get behind her 2013 Euros routine. Afan's routine is gorgeous and totally to her style.

Honorable Mentions: Tamara Lazakovich, Maria Filatova, Elena Naimushina, Natalia Ilienko, Kathy Johnson, Eugenia Golea, Svetlana Boginskaya, Elena Sazonenkova, Henrietta Onodi, Laetitia Begue, Esther Moya, Yana Demyanchuk, Mikaela Gerber, Jordyn Wieber, Ruby Harrold, Claudia Fragapane

My Top 10 Favorite Beam Routines

I love creativity on beam, so all of these routines are a bit different, if only slightly. For me, arm waving isn't exciting. My favorite beam choreography includes skills or variations of skills, balances, handstands, and flexibility moves. Unique mounts are also my favorite thing in gymnastics, so a lot of these routines have them. In terms of style, I tend to prefer elegant gymnasts on beam, though there is something so satisfying about a powerful routine where nothing goes wrong. A perfect routine from Vika will simply never have the "Killed it!" quality of a perfect routine from Carly Patterson. There are some routines competing for tenth, but all in all this is the list I feel most comfortable with.

10. Ludmilla Stoyltchataja 1992 Europeans EF

This routine is absolutely beautiful. I love her great mount sequence and her dismount is fabulous. Full-twisting double pike! The choreography of this routine is really what sets it apart. She has a great 3/4 back spin. The tik-tok with the leg change is the best part of the choreography in my opinion. However, while this is a gorgeous routine, it's a little lacking in content, so it's up in tenth.

9. Shawn Johnson 2008 Olympics Qual

A tuck jump mount, I know. But this routine is just so solid! Her layout series is the first I always think of. Her switch+LOSO+back pike connection is probably my favorite of the routine. And she has a pike jump! A good pike jump is always such a find. I love her little cartwheel down on the beam. This routine is one of those super satisfying ones where nothing seems out of place.

8. Sanne Wevers 2013 Osijek World Cup

I need Sanne to win a World title on beam. Her turns are just so beautiful! Her tumbling is also different with her connection of two aerials to a front aerial and two Kochetkova skills. It's sad she didn't hit her glorious Okino here, but she still just glided through all the turns. Her turns will always be magical and this routine is smooth as butter.

7. Yang Tun 2000 Olympics TF

This is another smooth as butter routine. I love that she had the LOSO series even when they were going out. Her back dive skills are beautiful and I loved those connections from that code. The wolf 3/4 to back dive is definitely the best back dive combo from that quad. Everything in this routine is smooth and elegant. One of my favorite aspects of this routine is how much she moves up and down. She uses all angles and planes and it makes the routine so much more artistic.

6. Shannon Miller 1992 Olympics EF

I was torn between this routine and her 1994 one, but the mount sequence and extra LOSO gave this one a tiny edge. I find the twisting back handsprings that were Shannon's signature so exciting and beautiful. I love how there doesn't seem to be a second of wasted time in this routine. She is always moving and the routine feels so full but it isn't a skill-fest. And who doesn't love a back extension roll?

5. Oksana Knizhnik 1995 Worlds Team Optionals

Just ignore Ludivine Furnon's fallen vault halfway through. Oksana had glorious stag ring jumps, which are the best ring skills. She also had a beautiful triple LOSO series as well as an amazing LOSO mount. I love her handstand to Omelianchik-bent-leg split and her scale on her chest. It's the most beautiful pose on the beam. I always get nervous when she dismounts because I think she's going to miss one of her feet and then she sticks it!

4. Chellsie Memmel 2003 Worlds TF

I love the flexibility in this routine. The straddle mount with the bent leg over the side is a lovely unique touch. Who couldn't love her scale before the dismount? The way she leans forward in it just adds to it so much. There are so many exciting skills in this routine! Her acro series is one of my favorite. Illusion turns are my favorite, and Chellsie is the queen. I also love front tucks without a running entry like Chellsie does here. It's the ultimate cool and businesslike-but-not-boring routine.

3. Yang Bo 1989 China Cup

THE perfect beam routine. Artistically, this routine's got it all- flexibility, balances, handstands, the whole shebang. I really appreciate the way she incorporates balances and jumps into even her simple moving about choreography. The Yang Bo is so criminally undervalued in this code and we get a cavalcade of switch rings instead. For shame, it's such a beautiful jump. This was the only time Yang Bo was able to hit all of her connections and keep everything together. It's a tragedy of gymnastics that such an outstanding beam worker was hit with such an inconsistent streak. The BHS+LOSO+Rulfova is my favorite acro series. It really is the most perfect beam routine ever.

2. Svetlana Grozdova 1979 USSR Display

This is the ultimate of artistry on beam to me. The code needs to overhaul the artistry scoring on beam (artistry really does need to be separated from the execution score) with this as the guide. Apart from the handstand work which, obviously, is the standout of this routine, look at how high her releve is and how close to the end of the beam! She shows so much back flexibility and balance. Ah, the handstands! And the acrobatics are nice too, and exciting and dynamic for the 70s. This routine is just glorious!

1. Li Li 1993 Worlds AA

She has a big step on dismount, but I don't care, her work on the beam is so wonderful. This routine combines it all for me- unique and beautiful mount, nice acro series, gorgeous dance skills (Yang Bo AND stag ring!), creative and original elements, flexibility, handstand work, transverse acro, and perfect form, control, and line to top it off! Her back spin into split around the beam is probably my single favorite move on the beam ever, and of course her signature. This routine is so fluid; every movement seems to lead into the next. It's gorgeous, elegant, and so unique!

Honorable mentions: Phoebe Mills, Daniela Silivas, Henrietta Onodi, Olessia Dudnik, Li Chun Mi, Tatiana Gutsu, Ekaterina Vandisheva, Mo Huilan, Kui Yuan Yuan, Dina Kochetkova, Dominique Moceanu, Olga Roshupkina, Carly Patterson, Anna Pavlova, Maria Livchikova, Sui Lu

Top 10 Favorite Bars Routines

Lots of flight and exciting combinations are the most important things in a bars routine for me. As such, this is probably the only bars favorites lists you'll ever find without a single Chinese gymnast. I hate dead hangs. Also, movement between the bars is important to me, so if your routine doesn't have many transitions, it needs to have other exciting releases. Bars is the event where I care about form the least, so not everybody's going to be pristine.

10. Michelle Goodwin 1982 World Cup AA

I've already done a routine of the week (yeah I know they're not at all weekly) post on this routine. This is everything I love on close-set bars routines that went missing after giants were introduced. It's got a crazy mount, lots of movement between the bars, and tons of creativity.

9. Elise Ray 2000 US Nationals Day 2

She didn't do her eponymous dismount here, which I'm fine with because her full twister is gorgeous and I don't particularly like how she did the double. I love Rays! Her connection is breathtaking! The best part is how easy she made the Tkatchev look. I also really enjoy those long swings under the bar on the high bar for some reason. The double hop full combination is also beautiful. Ah, Elise was so underrated.

8. Olga Korbut 1972 Olympics Team Optionals

Olga was the only gymnast who ever actually performed an uneven bar routine. Both of her original skills are incredibly endearing. People definitely underrate her stoop transition to the low bar, it's super exciting too! I absolutely love her dismount; my favorite part about it is how she seems to stand at that angle for just a second before she dismounts.

7. Lisa Katharina Hill 2014 Stuttgart World Cup

Lisa's routine is so exciting! She uses a nice variety of skills, such as unique transitions and different circling elements. Nothing about her routine is cookie-cutter. Her Bhardwaj is beautiful. Also, I love that her release is a Geinger. It might not be an incredibly risky release, but so many Jagers! The toe-on full+Maloney+clear hip 1/2+clear hip full+Geinger connection is wonderful! I love how she combines her flight with pirouettes and circling elements.

6. Nellie Kim 1980 Olympics EF

Sigh, Burda twirls (why is this COP so obsessed with handstands?), sigh, straddle cuts, sigh, Fuchs-Brause transitions, sigh, butt-bounce dismounts. This routine embodies all the charm of routines on the old bars. While I'm not one of those people who wants to return to this bars set (again, I HATE giants on them and you know they'd be there) I can admire the creativity of the best of them. I also love that hecht transition to standing on the low bar.

5. Ekaterina Kurbatova 2009 Russian Cup AA

So many hip circles! Love them. The connections in this routine are brilliant. That monster first one is one of the best ever. I also love the one-armed pirouette- not common to find in a Russian routine. And it's connected to the super unique dismount! My favorite part is absolutely the Pak+Khorkina II. It just seems like it shouldn't be possible!

4. Brenna Dowell 2014 US Nationals Day 1

This one would be higher if she didn't have a cast on both side of the toe-on full. I dislike an abundance of casts. Since she's coming back for the elite season, maybe she can replace this one and move up! Anyway, so much flight in this routine! Straddle back skills always seem so exciting to me, and I want to see more of them. And out of a Tweddle too! I also love how she connects the giant full out of the Maloney. Connections out of Shaposh variations always stand out to me. Her pencil-straight DLO is a perfect cap to the routine.

3. Anna Li 2012 US Nationals Day 2

Anna is another gymnast who is amazing in her connections of flight elements and pirouetting elements. It's criminal that the Rybalko was required to finish in handstand and she was deducted for it. Again, WHY IS THE COP SO HANDSTAND OBSESSED? Ugh. The Shushunova is so special! I don't get how it was downgraded from a G to an E (why two?), but it's sad because it removes the incentive. Anna gets so much flight! Her work is breathtaking!

2. Beth Tweddle 2011 Worlds TF

This was Beth's best routine ever, in my opinion. She was so crisp! The Tweddle+Ezhova+Van Leeuwen connection will always be associated with Beth. However, I think I prefer the Markelov (love them) to Geinger. There's no wasted time in this routine and she performs everything perfectly.

1. Ruby Harrold 2014 Commonwealth Games AA

And two Brits top the list! A Maloney+Bhardwaj and a Van Leeuwen+Zuchold in the same routine? I said that I love movement between the bars, and this routine is perfect at that! The Zuchold is absolutely my favorite high-low transition. I love how it comes so unexpectedly! It's such an exciting routine!

Honorable Mentions: Karin Janz, Maria Filatova, Elena Mukhina, Kim Gwang Suk, Tatiana Malaya, Mo Huilan, Dominique Dawes, Svetlana Khorkina, Aliya Mustafina, Jessica Lopez, Roxana Popa, Rebecca Tunney

Top 10 Favorite Vaults

Obviously, I love stuck vaults. So there are gonna be a bunch of those. A vault rarely seen will always seem more exciting. Perfectly executed simple vaults are magical and I much prefer them to chucked high-difficulty vaults or even well-executed difficult vaults. I don't, what all is there really to say about one's taste in vaults? I feel like most of us are on the same page.

10. Dipa Karmakar 2014 Commonwealth Games EF vault 2

I know, I go on about how I prefer perfect simple vault to chucked difficult ones, and then this is the first vault on my list. And Produnova's own isn't anywhere to be found. But I watched this one live. I held my hand over my face and watched through my fingers as I waited for the impending crash. And I cried out in shock when she landed it. This vault is here because I experienced it in a way I have never experienced any other piece of gymnastics, and so it will always have a special place in my heart.

9. Shannon Miller 1992 Olympics AA

Such a perfect vault. Robbed of a 10. But ultimately, even the most perfect FTY will never have the glory of other perfect vaults.

8. Li Yiting 2011 Chinese Nationals EF vault 1

I love DTTs! It's one of my favorite vaults as a skill. Li Yiting has very nice form and a controlled landing.

7. Svetlana Khorkina 1995 Worlds AA

Khorkina's vault is my favorite as a skill. I think it looks so intricate. This was her best landing, and she also has great form and good dynamics.

6. ASac 2011 Covergirl Classic

The queen of Rudis! Her pencil-straight body line is gorgeous. She usually had a fairly big bounce, but this one had a great controlled landing. The height she gets is amazing! It's beautiful from start to finish.

5. Ellie Black Commonwealth Games EF vault 2

Tsuks are probably my favorite vault family, which is probably why there are two on here even though they are the least common. I'm not blind to the errors, but the landing especially just gives it the look of floating.

4. Ariella Kaeslin 2008 Europeans vault 1 (#13 in the video)

The video of the vaults themselves uploaded weirdly, so here's this one with it normal. Front tuck fulls are another vault I really like. Her legs are pasted together and the landing is so satisfying. She has a great upright position and she just plants it so there is no question of whether it was a stick.

3. Daria Elizarova 2010 Asian Games AA

The best front pike ever. She floats is and the landing is so soft! Just absolutely gorgeous. Her legs are even perfectly together on landing, which is rare. Robbed in her score- she only got a 13.8.

2. Lilia Podkopayeva 1994 Soapberry Shop

Yurchenko 1/2s are absolutely my favorite Yurchenko-style vaults. The half twist is just enough pizzazz, and they're so rare they seem special. Lilia's is floated and simply breathtaking!

1. Yang Yun 2000 Olympics TF

Everyone's favorite. It really is just how gymnastics is meant to be performed. Nothing to say really. Everyone loves it and everyone knows why.

Honorable Mentions: Karin Janz, Elena Davydova, Dominique Dawes, Denisse Lopez, MLR, Elena Produnova, Meng Fei, McKayla Maroney, Jordyn Weiber, Bailie Key

Let's Talk About Tamara Lazakovich

Tamara Lazakovich was a beautiful Soviet gymnast of the early 70's who was overshadowed by her more successful and crowd-pleasing teammates Ludmilla Tourischeva and Olga Korbut. She made four individual finals in Munich and won bronze in the all around and on floor and silver on the beam. Her compulsory score was 38.25 and the highest of any individual compulsory all around score. At the 1971 European Championships, she won gold in the all around and on bars and beam and silver on vault and floor. Unfortunately, Tamara struggled with alcoholism later in life and died in 1992 at the age of 38.

This is a beautiful montage of Tamara. It's the only footage of her bars I've been able to find.

These were her Olympic vaults. A perfect Yamashita is beautiful!

Tamara qualified first into the balance beam final. After Karin Janz won the bars final, the crowd was at the judges' throats and there was very high pressure for Olga to win. Olga received the 9.90 score she needed to beat Tamara for the gold with her own spectacular routine. Tamara's routine is exemplary of all that was wonderful in early 70's beam. She has perfect control, beautiful balance on her hands, and beautiful artistic presentation.

Tamara's floor is my favorite routine of hers. She was in third going into the final but was the only gymnast of the top three not to have a noticeable error. She received the bronze behind Olga Korbut and Ludmilla Tourischeva and fell into tears. Her floor is classical and elegant yet avante-garde. It has wonderful tension and intensity. She combines staccato and legato movements expertly and creates a building energy all the way to her final movement.

Euro Games Wrap-Up

The Good

• Diverse competition and medalists
• Giulia winning two golds
• Oleg Vernaiev winning things and clapping before his national anthem ended
• Seda's TF beam
• Lieke Wevers performed beautifully on beam and floor and was rewarded for it
• The Netherlands won a team medal!
• Fabian Hambuchen shouting when he stuck a dismount
• Releases other than Jagers
• Giulia's vaults

The Bad

• Team GB imploding
• Tea Ugrin somehow finishing last in the bars finals leaving a medalist who fell
• The one-per-country rule left a lot of strong competition out of finals
• Only six in EFs

The Ugly

• Kelley Simm getting a 0 on her second vault in EF
• Bars and beam finals
• The uproar after floor

Team: This was a great competition. I especially really enjoyed watching all the gymnasts from smaller nations, they're always interesting. It's always nice when you come upon a format where you can watch all the top high-level gymnasts and so many gymnasts from developing programs as well. I was surprised Hungary placed so high. Romania needs to get into shape. They really do need their comeback "kids" (and Iordache, of course). Very pleased with how the Netherlands did.

All Around: I wish more of the top gymnasts hadn't fallen. Really, the results are quite jarring. Jurca in ninth, Simm not even in the top 10. Glad that none of the top three had a fall. I really didn't feel like Giulia was all that invested in the performance of her floor in either the team or the all around. Her vaulting was fabulous, though. Absolutely no question about the medalists, certainly. Mustafina seemed more well carried and steadier in the all around than the team final.

Vault: Giulia was amazing, of course. She gets so much height on her Rudi! Her form has also greatly improved. she only has flexed feet now. I think Seda's DTY has improved from last year. I really loved Janik's vaults. I like a tuck front full. I preferred her Tsuk layout, but it was still a bit piked. Kelley Simm's vault was very scary. She got no height, and it was quite splatty. Very good she wasn't hurt.

Bars: Oh, this was a splat-fest. I still don't understand how Tea Ugrin only finished last when she was one of three who didn't fall. It was messy, but I still don't understand it. I'm pretty sure Makra also caught her feet on her dismount. Scheder and Mustafina were both incredible. I'm obsessed with Sophie Scheder's casts! Nothing makes quite the impression on bars for me a casts with legs together. They just look so much cleaner and even gravity-defying. Her dismount was perfect! Her entire routine was just so beautiful. Aliya's was also lovely, of course. I don't know, I feel like there's not too much to say with her because it's the same basic watered-down routine she's had since 2012 and she's performed it beautifully many times.

Beam: Sophie and Giulia both almost didn't put their hands down. So close to having a podium with no major errors! Still, I might go so far as to say this was a better beam final than Nanning. And Georgina had a completely steady routine other than her fall! All we can do is tear our hair out. Andreea Iridon finally didn't fall apart. She has made it through a final! I missed the first part, I have to say, but it was without error. Lieke Wevers won!! Ugh, so beautiful. Her turns are glorious. I loved the aerial+aerial as well.

Floor: I was surprised by Zarzu's score. I thought it was better executed than the score it earned. Lisa Verschueren's floor is everything I never know I needed! It's so ridiculously bizarre and she is so totally un-self-conscious about it. Lieke's floor is a dream, though that spin needs to go. It ruins the whole aesthetic and suddenly breaks up how easy she makes it all look. Aliya's turns were interesting in this one. I'm not feeling the attitude+Memmel connection. I think she just needs to switch feet because she always fell out of that. Apparently Semenova confirmed her Gomez was downgraded. That doesn't really make sense seeing as it looked completely clear, but her turns in general were a bit confusing and imperfect. Too much twisting in this routine for my liking, she needs to play to her strengths more. Giulia was lowballed on execution, I think. Either that or Aliya was scored high. She had one large bound back, but her execution overall was much cleaner and her artistry was much better. The amplitude Giulia was able to get on her DLO was breathtaking! She definitely put her heart into this one, and I thought it was by far her best performance of the competition. I'm definitely siding with Giulia on who should have won. She was superior in difficulty, execution, and artistry. On heelgate- we had a live stream that was of good quality but was by no means crystal clear and a screenshot that was a bit fuzzy. One person who took a screenshot said she had to slow it down to .25 speed to get her screenshot. AND IT STILL WASN'T CLEAR IF HER HEEL WAS OUT. The line judge was a few feet away and had a perfectly clear view. Is it possible her heel was out and the line judge couldn't see it? Yes. But if it was that close, I am going to trust the line judge's judgement.

Team Russia: Seda was the gymnast who impressed me the most of Russia's team. She seemed the most prepared and, in the team competition, in the best competitive mindset. I'm worried, of course, by the fall in the beam final because her value from the team final appeared to be as a team player. If she can't prove her value there, I don't think I see her in Glasgow. Viktoria is just so frustrating. She's been working a comeback in dribs and drabs for over a year now and- when is it all going to come together? She could at least compete all four events at a competitive level this year, which she couldn't in December. I don't know, I wasn't one of her converts of 2010 and 2011 and so I guess I just don't have the same investment in her as most of the gymternet. She does seem to see that she has a way to go and a desire to get there, so we'll see. I'll try not to be too cynical. She was able to stay on beam despite the wobbles, so I do at least have some hope she can bring that to more future competition. Her beam could be a strong deciding factor in the fall, methinks, so if she can prove she can be depended on to stay on, if nothing else, that should be a plus by her name. Especially with the Russian inconsistency on beam (see Seda in the EF). She hit her feet on the low bar again- that seems to be an even bigger vice of hers in her comeback, so I hope she can get that under control. Okay, so she and Aliya both debuted DLOs on floor. Of course, Aliya has been teasing us with this for a long time, but I, at least, was taken completely off guard by Vika's. I'm not particularly taken by either of their routines, I must say. Very Rod-era we-don't-condition-our-athletes choreography. Aliya's choreography is taken up almost entirely by setting for turns. They're both routines where I finish watching and think to myself "Wait, there was choreography in that routine?" Again, I blame the majority of the blame for this at Round Lake and the lack of proper conditioning. I personally think Vika may be a highly artistic performer, perhaps one of the most artistic of her age, but her coaching staff has given her routines that do not fit her style and it hasn't been given the opportunity to let it really show. Really, I don't think it would be a bad idea for Aliya and Vika to switch music- it would seem a much better fit to me. And for the Russian athletes to be conditioned. Really, I'm not a huge fan of any of Aliya's new compositions. On her bars, I have absolutely no idea what's bothering me seeing as it is in every significant way the same basic routine she's had for years, but something's not doing it for me. Her twisting form did catch my eye, though. In the team competition, I though it looked worse if anything, but in the individual finals I saw a definite improvement. I still want her to bring her double arabian back instead of one of her twisting passes (especially if she has a whip-whip), but I must give credit where credit is due. I feel like that was really negative. I'm just too depressed about Russian gymnastics under the Rods to look on the bright side.

Team Germany: Scheder and Seitz can be double-hitters for Germany, and Scheder really could be a very big asset this season. Both gymnasts have huge bars sets which could bump up their score very well. Seitz could be in their vault lineup as well. Scheder definitely has the best all around potential. Her beam is capable of a good score when she hits and her floor is decent. We only really got to see any of Scheder since the German girls weren't shown much in the team final. The biggest thing for her is her mind, as always. Her beam especially is hit-or-miss, which isn't really what one wants to see. Her bars could be Worlds final-worthy though.

Team Netherlands: The Netherlands are on a roll this year. Sanne won a bars medal at Euros and made the beam final, and now her sister cleaned up at the European Games. Lieke's performance was huge. I loved what we saw from her (okay, who didn't?) Her performance in the beam final stood out to me especially because of how she kept her cool. It was a splat-fest of a final and all she needed was a solid routine to be assured of a medal, and she delivered easily. That ability to remain clam, cool, and collected will be of huge value if she maintains it. She also has really made the most of her gorgeous floor. It's getting good solid scores in the mid-13s, so it's usable, to say the least. The biggest thing Lieke displayed in Baku was a very valuable competition mindset. She kept it all going in the all around as well, and I see her really proving herself as a team player. Celine van Gerner- I don't know what to think about her. They didn't show her floor, which made me really mad. But it got a 13.00, which is better than she got at Worlds! She was able to make bars finals, and her bars are pretty good as a Dutch gymnast. Her scores counted on all events, so she also displayed team player ability. But then in her bars final routine, she caught a release to her chest. Lisa Top was really valuable for her vault and floor. Vault, she delivered; floor, not so much. I hope it was just a fluke. Her power is good for the Dutch team. Overall, the Dutch girls were really impressive.



I thought the European Games was a good competition and I enjoyed watching it. I'm always interested in new formats, and this one definitely delivered. I think this might have given us a bit of an indicator of what things will be a bit like in Tokyo. And- well, it should be interesting, at least. I can't decide how I liked having the men and women run simultaneously. I do definitely blame that for missing some routines I was looking forward to. I just wish more teams would have sent stronger representatives. And why didn't Tyesha Matthis go? She needs the experience! Was there and injury? I've looked and seen nothing Well, now you'll leave me to question the British strategies on my own.