WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1981
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RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS CATCHING ON HERE
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HONG KONG MAY HAVE A CHANCE TO TRY OUT A NEW EVENT IN THE 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES -- RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS.
INTRODUCED HERE ONLY QUITE RECENTLY, THIS SPORT AND EXERCISE, AS WELL AS ART FORM, IS DEVELOPING FAST AMONG THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND THERE ARE ALREADY SOME INDICATIONS OF TALENT IN HONG KONG WHICH MAY, HOPEFULLY, LEAD TO PARTICIPATION IN THE WORLD SPORTS EVENT THREE YEARS FROM NOW.
+ IT IS A SPORT WITH A DIFFERENCE,+ EXPLAINED MISS LEE LAI, AN INSTRUCTOR WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT RECREATION AND SPORT SERVICE. +RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS IS A COMBINATION OF DANCING, MUSIC AND GYMNASTIC EXERCISE.+
+ITS CHARACTERISTIC IS BODILY MOVEMENT FOLLOWING MUSIC,+ SHE SAID. AND BECAUSE OF THE CONCENTRATION REQUIRED IN THE
ERFORMANCE, THE LEARNER WILL BECOME MORE IMAGINATIVE, CREATIVE ND AGILE AFTER A PERIOD OF PRACTICE.
+ IN SHORT, IT ENHANCES BETTER CO-ORDINATION OF THE BODY AND THE MIND, AND SOME COUNTRIES USE IT FOR THERAPEUTIC PURPOSES.+
AT PRESENT, MISS LEE IS TEACHING TWO CLASSES A WEEK AT THE HUNG HOM CAR PARK SPORTS CENTRE. THE LEARNERS COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE MANY OF THEM ARE NURSES, STUDENTS AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.
IT TAKES AT LEAST ONE YEAR'S INTENSIVE TRAINING TO GET TO KNOW THE SPORT, BUT PROGRESS WILL BE EASIER FOR NEWCOMERS WHO HAVE ALREADY ACQUIRED THE BASIC SKILLS IN BALLET AND GYMNASTICS, SHE EXPLAINED.
ALTHOUGH RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS IS QUITE NEW TO HONG KONG, IT HAS IN FACT BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT IN OTHER PLACES FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS.
+THE SPORT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED INTO CHINA IN 1953-54 BY RUSSIAN GYMNASTIC TEACHERS,+ MISS LEE SAID.
+NOWADAYS, IT IS ALSO VERY POPULAR IN COUNTRIES SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, BRITAIN, FRANCE, GERMANY, POLAND, JAPAN AND KOREA.+
MISS LEE HERSELF WAS TRAINED IN BEIJING BEFORE COMING TO HONG KONG. SHE IS ONE OF THE PIONEERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPORT HERE AND IS AMONG A TOTAL OF ONLY FIVE QUAL IF IED
INSTRUCTORS IN HONG KONG.
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