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For many years coaches have suggested that Cirque du Soleil “help” those sport disciplines who provide most of their acrobatic employees: Artistic Gymnastics, Acrobatic Gymnastics, Trampoline and Tumbling.

There have been some initiatives.

For example, Cirque pays a cash prize to Senior gold medalists at the Canadian Championships.

Now something new. In 2008 a contractual agreement was signed with Cirque provinding support to the F.I.G. Acrobatic Gymnastics Technical Committee.

Some coaches are financially supported to train athletes in their own gyms. Scholarships were made available to active athletes.

And now Cirque is providing some support to gymnasts working together in a camp in the Ukraine, in preparation for a future world tour with “Quidam”.

I don’t know the details. All this I got from an interview with Bernard Petiot, Cirque du Soleil Vice-President Casting and Performances, at the World Acrobatic Gymnastics championships in Warsaw.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Brett MacAulay linked to this saying, …

I think the first trick is Miller Miller Plus holy cow batman!

I love this Leonard Cohen song. Couldn’t resist posting it.

Click PLAY or watch it on Gymtage.

“Hallelujah” sung by Jeff Buckley.

Describing himself as an ‘educated balancing performer’, he has been sculpting his abilities since the age of five. The skills have taken him through circus troupes and across the globe.

Describing his performances as ‘expressions of art’, Eskil is currently touring with a team of 10 people as part of a documentary about his incredible achievements. …

see more photos – Don’t let go of me! The incredible extreme artists balanced precariously over a cliff

Thank Stacey for the link.

Dec. 31 – Jan. 2nd, 2011 – New Year’s Invite – Disney World

Jan. 28 – 30th, 2011 – Sun & Surf Spectacular – Coral Springs, Florida

Links for both in the right hand navigation.

St. Mary’s Lake in Glacier National Park, Montana.

Thanks Nick Blanton.

Sat. July 24 in Chicago, Illinois.

Universal Sports:

Reigning world champion Bridget Sloan and world silver medalist Rebecca Bross headline an impressive field set to compete in the 2010 CoverGirl Classic on .

2008 Olympic silver medalist Alicia Sacramone is scheduled to begin her comeback at the meet, where she will attempt to qualify for the national championships.

The CoverGirl Classic is the last chance for women to qualify for nationals. For those who have already qualified like Bross and Sloan, the event marks a final opportunity to test new skills and tune-up routines.

Other athletes to watch include world vault champion Kayla Williams, who will compete for the first time under the guidance of legendary coach Mary Lee Tracy, and Alexandra Raisman, who trains with Sacramone and has posted strong international results her first year senior.

Jordyn Wieber headlines the junior field. The 2008 junior champion is back in action after helping the U.S. claim gold at the Pacific Rim Championships in April.

Don’t count on all the big names actually competing. Or competing all-around. Still, I think it’s going to be a terrific meet. I’m hearing Alicia is looking better than ever on Vault.

Watch online at 8PM Eastern UniversalSports.com/gymnastics.

Franco Dragone is the Belgian theatre director who created many of the best Cirque du Soleil shows including O:

… The show has a cast of 85 acrobats, synchronized swimmers and divers performing in and above a 1.5 million-gallon pool. …

The show is BIG. And WET.

Dragone went on to create another water-based show. Le Rêve, in Vegas.

His third water show opens Sept. 17th, 2010 at the Theatre of Dreams in the City of Dreams casino, Macao.

His House of Dancing Water performance will be the largest water-based production ever staged.

Click PLAY or watch a preview documentary on YouTube.

Looks cool. I’m not sure how the motorcycles are going to fit in.

The guest coach bar gurus at our camp in Idaho are Yves Hauglustaine (Altadore) and John Smith (NASA).

John asked that all girls in all groups work towards this drill to improve their grip changes for future skills.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Those sole circles are appropriately called “monkey circles” at host Avant Coeur.

When he announced his “comeback” for 2008, I had my doubts.

This time, none.

This guy is superhuman.

Two-time Olympian Paul Hamm, the USA’s first, and to date only, male Olympic all-around champ (2004), announced today that he’s left his job in the financial world to resume full-time training in hopes of competing at the 2012 Olympic Games.

“Paul feels he still has the desire and would like to complete some unfinished personal goals in the sport,” Hamm’s agent, Sheryl Shade, wrote in an email to Inside Gymnastics.

Hamm has been back in the gym for some time, according to Shade …

read more on Inside Gymnastics

http://view.picapp.com//JavaScripts/OTIjs.js

Thanks Mike.

Doubters should check Paul’s training VIDEO from May 9th. That was linked by Stick It Media.