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Artist Dylan Glynn on The Drawings on the Wall blog posted some digital images based on Kyle Shewfelt.

(Most of Dylan’s work is non-gymnastics.)

… Beyond his accomplishments as a gymnast Shewfelt has a really admirable attitude.

He recently sustained a pair of fractured knees as the result of a bad landing, I’ve been following his blog lately and his optimism throughout the still continuing recovery process is incredible. …

I’m not at all crazy about this study technically, but I feel my digital painting ability has improved a lot through the process of making this.

the draw’s of life: Digital painting study

I disagree. Check Dylan’s largest versions by clicking on the images on his blog (link above). They look great.

And International Gymnast magazine has an interview with Kyle. Despite complications with his injuries sustained at Worlds, the Olympic Champion is still optimistic he will be in Beijing to defend his Floor title.

I’ve been hearing some good buzz about proudly Brazilian choreographer Deborah Colker. She favours acrobatics.

photos from her 2006 production Dinamo

production – Knot

dance studio in Rio – original – flickr

She still dances in her own shows.

Deborah Colker – official website

What’s next?

Mr. Puma is an acrobat from France.

Click PLAY or watch him on Revver. http://flash.revver.com/player/1.0/player.js?mediaId:89572;affiliateId:0;height:392;width:480;

(via JumpClub)

Mr. Puma – MySpace

How will the old men running China react to this kind of scrutiny leading up to the Olympic Games next year?

I expect them to announce concessions to democratic reform.

In this innovative ad, Amnesty International comes dangerously close to violating the heavily protected Olympic Rings trademark. At the same time, they get their point powerfully across.

The ad text reads, “In the name of ensuring stability and harmony in the country during the 2008 Olympic Games, the Chinese Government continues to detain and harass political activists, journalists, lawyers and human rights workers.” …

Beijing Olympic Rings of Torture – Amnesty International’s Shock Campaign

Amnesty International

Daniela Nanova, former National Choreographer for British Gymnastics, is a popular clinician in the UK. She will also choreograph routines.

DANIELA has vast experience of working across all disciplines in the following areas:

Body Preparation and Posture improvement

Flexibility training

Ballet and Choreography

Floor and Beam routine construction

Dance and Movement skills

British Gymnastics

A 2-DVD set was shot in England by super video editor Charles Minister from Australia.

This is a superb resource for beam and dance coaches. And choreographers.

AUS $90 + $10 p&p + GST

UK £32 + £1p&p

Running Time: 3hrs

See video clip samples: Charles Minster Productions – Daniela Nanova

related posts – all videos by Charles Minster

Yet, at a course in Canada just yesterday, coaches agreed that dance — particularly ballet — is of decreasing importance in Women’s Artistic gymnastics. We would rather hire a strength training specialist than a dance instructor. For one thing, the ones we want to hire are too expensive. (How can I justify paying a part-time dance teacher more per hour than I pay my best coaches?)

Canadian clubs are scheduling fewer hours / week of dance training than ever before.

Sad, but true.

With FIG pushing difficulty at the international level, in 2007 skills are higher priority than artistry at all levels of competition.

Leave a comment if you disagree.

Dominic is a multi-talented acrobat from Quebec. Currently he is training “to beat the world record in human flag. I want to do more than 1 min 5 secs.”

http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/171991/dominic_lacasse_best_of_acrobatic_06.swf
Dominic Lacasse – Best Of Acrobatic 06 – Click here for another funny movie.

Most useful for coaches are the many excellent video tutorials Dominic has posted on his video page:

sample video – Acrobatic Training 3 – The Planche
http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/347175/acrobatic_training_3_the_planche.swf
Acrobatic Training 3 – The Planche – Funny video clips are a click away

Dominic does sell his training videos on DVDs as well as making them available by downoad.

Everything is linked from his home page: DominicLacasse.com (in English and French)

Or, for just his videos, you can go to his MetaCafe page: AcrobaticTraining Channel

(via Jump Club)

In New York. On the film set.

more photos – Hollywood Rag – Celebrity Gossip Board | Cameron Diaz doing gymnastics on film set (10/02/07)

UPDATE – Aleksas contacted Gymblog with a bit of an explanation as to what happened. Details:

Gymblog recommends a mysterious gymnastics video editor variously known as Lex Trotter or Aleksas. His former video sites (now defunct) were Lexness and NubianPopTart.

Recently he posted videos on aleksas.com. That site’s down too, as I write.

Here’s a sample of his work. An excellent montage of wonderful Shantessa Pama.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’d like to point to more of his work. But his YouTube page – Islandboyrabian – seems to be suspended too.

Fortunately, his videos are also posted on the WWGym YouTube page under the name Aleksas.

I’ve subscribed to WWGym and will post more Aleksas videos in future.

A former gymnastics coach, escape artist Houdenny (not Houdini) from Maryland, apparently once did a handstand on a skateboard towed by a car at 47 miles-per-hour.

I don’t want to see the video of that idiotic feat.

But these are cool:

Watch HOUDENNYS HANDSTAND ON A SKATEBOARD AT age-47 on YouTube.

Watch YouTube – HOUDENNYS ELBOW STAND ON A SKATEBOARD age-47 on YouTube.

Houdenny – MySpace home page

Not to be outdone, “Dave” (age-44) claims “The World Record” for the longest handstand on a skateboard. On HWY 35 (backside of Mt. Hood) in Oregon, going approx. 2 plus miles (in 2006).

Click PLAY or watch video of Dave shot in March 2007 on YouTube.

Leave a comment if you know of other handstand / skateboard feats. (We’ll need video evidence to post them.)